After finishing this week’s reading, I feel like there’s a lot to think about in terms of why we call feminism what we call it and how that came to be. This particular article also interested me because I’m taking a linguistics class and it felt like a moment of overlapping topics. The two terms ‘feminist’ and ‘feminism’ I think are simultaneously bold broad and specific terms. Even when we go through the decades we see the multiple different types of ‘feminist’ and how their views shift with the time, or how feminism has this flexible definition to it.

“‘Feminism’ has had different meanings to different people in different times and places…feminism can never ddefine sexism as the only oppressive force in women’s lives…feminism must be inclusive, flexible and willing to accept contradiction.” This quote really resonated with me because it opened my eyes to the fact that just like how society has grown to lower the ‘wall’ that stands between men and women and how we live our lives, feminism has also grown. It’s always hard to stomach the concept that before you, things were different because you weren’t around to see it. Feminism has grown and reshaped its definition over the years to accomodate the women who are pushing for the changes to happen in the world.

Another part that was really interesting to me was when Goldber started talking about how some people are feminists but don’t like to associate themselves with the term since it has a bad reputation in media. “They have not disavowed feminist views, only the name that is given to these views…” They are represented as these evil, crazy, and mean people, and never as ordinary women. I’ve noticed this myself on twtter but thought maybe I was just on the ‘wrong side of the internet’ or something. I think it speaks volumes that women who are trying to level the playing field are instead being stereotyped into these boxes and made into laughing stocks.