This Is What A Feminist Looks Like: Krista

Name: Krista
Age: 40
Occupation:  Journalist
Location: Mid-South

Krista

How do you define feminism?
It's supporting women and women's issues.  Too many people believe feminism is about promoting women while putting men down, but that's not the case. They are shocked to learn men can be feminists too.  Feminism is about sending the message women are people.  We are capable of doing everythng men can do (except maybe pee standing up!).  We are so much more than incubators and maids.  We raise children and run countries.  It's about not blaming rape victims, allowing women real choices when it comes to birth control, equal pay for equal work and recognition of the huge contributions we make in the world every day.

When did you first identify as a feminist?
I can't remember a time I didn't identify as a feminist.  I grew up in a household where I was told I could do anything or be anything.  If I wanted to be President, I could do it.  It wasn't until I started school that I realized this wasn't the way everyone thought.  I was shocked. I never backed down from my goals and my parents always stood behind me.

Has your (definition of) feminism changed over time? How?
I don't think my definition has changed.  I feel the issues have changed.  They've gotten more complex.  (Maybe it's me that's more complex).  Everything seemed so cut and dry when I was younger, now I see there's not always one simple answer.  For instance - supporting women politicians like Sarah Palin.  Years ago my instinct would be to support her because she's a woman, but the truth is Palin doesn't support other women or women's issues.  There's nothing more frustrating then women who don't recognize and honor the fact they are where they are today because of feminists in the past.

Have you ever experienced resistance to identifying as a feminist? If so, why do you think that is and how do you handle it?
Yes!  On Twitter!  Someone said I shouldn't talk about birth control and abortion rights, specifically conception, because I was a feminist.  She automatically thought feminist meant lesbian.  After I stopped laughing I explained that while some feminists are lesbians, I was not.  I wear my "Ms.", "This Is What a Feminist Looks Like" and "I Had An Abortion"  t-shirts a lot.  They generate conversations and provide me an opportunity to share my story.

What do you see as the future of feminism?
 Unfortunately I see another backlash against feminism in the immediate future.  I hope this will inspire fellow feminists to speak up and get involved.  We cannot succeed unless we work together.  I see promise in the next generation, but it's up to women (including me) to help lead the way.


More on Krista:
I was 15-years-old when I got pregnant.  Dr. George Tiller performed my abortion.  Keeping abortion safe and legal is an issue I fiercely support.  If women cannot control their bodies and their reproductive health, they cannot control their lives.
I am married to an amazing, supportive man.  We have two dogs who fill our lives with joy.
You can also find Krista on Twitter.

If you would like to participate in this series, please contact me for more details! 

This Is What A Feminist Looks Like: Rachael

Name: Rachael Berkey
Age: 28
Occupation: Online Communications wiz & writer
Location: New England
Any other relevant tidbits you'd care to share: I read too much. Seriously, I'll read the back of a cereal box if there's nothing else around for me to read. I also love Star Wars. And The West Wing. And Star Wars. Did I mention I love Star Wars?

Rachael

How do you define feminism?
Feminism is confidence.

When did you first identify as a feminist?
I was born a feminist. It is an intrinsic piece of who I am. I honestly cannot pinpoint an age or a time; it's just always been part of me.

Has your (definition of) feminism changed over time? How?
I vaguely remember being horrifically confused when someone tried to tell me I wasn't a feminist. How the neckline of my blouse dictated my stance on feminism, I still don't understand. (Actually, I do. I just refuse to acknowledge it.) I didn't understand how someone could identify as a feminist and have the gall to tell someone else they weren't one because of how they looked. It didn't really change my definition but it definitely made me think about mine long and hard.

Have you ever experienced resistance to identifying as a feminist? If so, why do you think that is and how do you handle it?
I like to dress girly. I take good care of my body. I like cooking & baking and taking care of people. I also like to mainline Star Wars on a pretty regular basis. And I have no problem with women being photographed in skimpy outfits for the purpose of advertising, so long as it's tasteful...after all men are also photographed in skimpy outfits for the purpose of advertising too. Needless to say, I have always been challenged on my feminism. I fight back by enjoying my confidence, encouraging other young women to stand up for themselves, and by not caving to peer pressure to be catty and obnoxious to other women behind their backs.

What do you see as the future of feminism?
I see the future of feminism in many shades of grey. Everyone is not going to agree 100% of the time. But so long as we all keep talking about it and talking to each other, there is always the hope that improvements can be made.

Rachel Berkey lives in New England where she writes, bakes whoopie pies, and spends all together too much time with her nose in a book. She moved there last winter after 4 years of working in Washington DC both in politics and for a nonprofit. She has an MA in literature from the University of New Hampshire and uses it as an excuse to always have a book on her person. You can find her babbles about reading, books and her own brand of geekiness on Wars, her on Twitter, Tumblr and most recently at HelloGiggles! 

If you would like to participate in this series, please contact me for more details! 

This Is What A Feminist Looks Like: Sarah

Name: Sarah Werthan Buttenwieser
Age: 47
Occupation: writer
Location: Northampton MA
Any other relevant tidbits you'd care to share: also, community do-er & mama to four

Sarah

How do you define feminism?
I define feminism as a belief that unless women deserve equality--a truth & an issue of social justice

When did you first identify as a feminist?
I am not sure I ever *didn't* identify as a feminist. But the experience that cemented me to feminism was definitely becoming unintentionally pregnant at 17 & realizing that without reproductive freedom my ability to make decisions about how my life could go wouldn't exist. Equal access to free choice about my life became so dear. I just GOT it. I needed to fight for this equality.

Has your (definition of) feminism changed over time? How?
I think I've mellowed & feel "bigger tent" about feminism than at the height of my activist years. I spent my twenties working in the reproductive rights movement. I thought you had to give it all -- or nothing. I don't see it that way at all these days. I see there are all kinds of ways feminism can be a powerful part of our lives even if it's not the central lens for every person.

Have you ever experienced resistance to identifying as a feminist? If so, why do you think that is and how do you handle it? 
I never, ever have. It's almost like I love it too much to ever feel scared to identify as a feminist internally. I might not share with someone very conservative *all* that I've fought for in my activist life straight away, though.

What do you see as the future of feminism?
I hope the future of feminism is to bring words like equality & justice to the fore again & again until we secure those very things.

Besides keeping a blog at the Valley Advocate, Sarah writes (& blogs) hither & yon, from Preview Massachusetts Magazine to Brain Child & points in between. To keep up on where she's writing, you can follow her blog's Facebook page. Sarah notes: I am on twitter (poorly) @standshadows (Avi disagrees & thinks Sarah is more than fun to tweet with!)

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This Is What A Feminist Looks Like: Misty

Name: Misty Nelson
Age: 35
Occupation: Currently unemployed, but I have a Bachelor's in Environmental Biology and a Master's in Marine Science
Location: Missoula, Montana

Misty & her tall, dark, handsome fellow! 

How do you define feminism? 
Well, I could list a number of bumper stickers that I love that deal with this exact issue...but in my own words, I guess feminism is just a fundamental belief that women should be entitled to the same opportunities, privileges and freedoms that men are.  Not to say that men and women are the same - we are most definitely not! - but having a vagina shouldn't be a limiting factor in terms of what a person wants to do with their life.  Beyond that, there is a pretty wide range of activism levels - I consider myself a pretty outspoken advocate of equality in all things (race, gender, sexuality, etc., etc., etc.).  While I don't expect all feminists to be as vocal about their beliefs as I am, in order to be a 'true' feminist, a person (and feminists don't necessarily have to be women!) must live their life along these lines - you can't say you think one thing, and then vote for people/things that go against those beliefs; likewise, women who have achieved success or popularity by exploiting other women in any way are traitors.  For the record: Sarah Palin and Michelle Bachmann are NOT a feminists.

When did you first identify as a feminist? 
I'm pretty sure I've always been one - I was always kind of a tomboy who liked to play dress-up once in a while. Still am, for that matter :)  I can't think of a single turning point when I said "Hey, you know what?  I'm going to become a feminist!"  I was raised in a household that gave me the freedom to be whoever I wanted to be - whether it was entertaining dreams of becoming a hairdresser, waitress, biologist, firefighter, whatever, and all I ever felt was love, support, and encouragement to do whatever tickled my fancy.  It's been a very eye-opening experience to grow up, get out of that bubble into the real world, and realize that the majority of women on the planet don't exist in that same plane.  So I guess I was born a feminist, and have just become more of one over time!

Has your (definition of) feminism changed over time? How? 
I think as I have gotten older, I've learned to embrace my femininity more.  To recognize that you can still be a strong, capable, intelligent, educated and opinionated person...and at the same time be sexy, emotional, nurturing, and fragile.  It's an interesting parallel (or duality perhaps) that the more of the world I see, and the more involved in women's issues I get, and the more outspoken I've become, the more I feel compelled to cultivate and love my own womanliness.

Have you ever experienced resistance to identifying as a feminist? If so, why do you think that is and how do you handle it? 
Never.  I think there are 'feminists' out there who give feminists a bad name, but I like to think that I'm counterbalancing that by being a feminist that doesn't hate men, or feel threatened by my place in the world, or complain about how unfair it all is.  I've done a lot of things that could be considered traditionally 'male' activities - fighting forest fires, field biology, competing in martial arts, rock climbing, etc. - and I excelled in all of them.  I think it's always easier to recruit people to a new way of thinking by walking the walk, talking the talk, and just being a good person in the process.

What do you see as the future of feminism?
Well, I hate to say it, but there is still such a long way to go.  The feminist movement will not have been successful until there is global balance when it comes to gender.  I realize that we'll probably never get to a place where women are no longer victims, but we should strive towards it regardless.  I love to imagine a world where women aren't raped, abused or mistreated; where cultures, religions, and governments treat all humans with equal respect and dignity, regardless of their genitalia, appearance, or beliefs; where young girls and old women alike don't feel pressure to be anything but the natural beauties that they are.

If you would like to participate in this series, please contact me for more details! 

Link Love!

* "Pink Scare," (My article about the media panic over boys & pink) has been published in this month's issue of Bitch Magazine. They've also selected it to be one of the articles featured on their site! Feel free to hop on over there to read it, and drop a thought or two in the comments - would love to know what folks think.

* My friend Sarah wrote about fruit, pie, and contests and combining all three for a good cause.

* So...I still might be fangirling a little over the fact that Ritch participated in my TIWAFLL series. Mostly because his vlogs are cheeky and smart, which is a killer combination in my book! (but not always super safe for work language wise, just FYI). You should check them out.

* Someone on Twitter linked to Postcrossing this past week, and I think it's just a brilliant idea. I still have fond memories of my pen pal from Manitoba, Canada when I was in 2nd grade. Getting postcards from all over sounds like so much fun, and a neat way to learn about maps and places around the world with the kiddo. Will be signing up soon for sure!

* Why does TLC insist on producing the most enabling, vile shows they can come up with? This new one is about extreme excess as it relates to kids' parties (okay, so while I don't actually *love* this link, I just couldn't let it slip by without comment).

* And just because I can't get this song out of my head, I'm sharing it with all of you... (also, how cute is it that Jay Leno is holding up a record?)

This Is What A Feminist Looks Like: Ritch

Name: Ritch Ludlow
Age: 24
Occupation: Student and amateur vlogger
Current Location: North Texas
Birth Location: England

Ritch

How do you define feminism?
Feminism, to me, is a very broad term for people striving for social, political, and financial equality across all of humanity with a particular focus on how gender effects this.  Because the movement has been around so long and has so many different perspectives, identifying as part of the third wave of feminism is important to me.  I guess I might even call Sarah Palin a feminist...but I'd definitely have to call her a first wave feminist.

When did you first identify as a feminist? 
Probably when I was about 18.  I think I saw The Vagina Monologues when I was 17, and I started to become comfortable with the word.  Then in college I joined UNT's Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance, and my life changed forever!

Has your (definition of) feminism changed over time? How? 
When I was younger, I saw feminism as a party I wasn't invited to.  Feminist friends I had at the time made me feel a little alienated, which, in hindsight, I think was a result of none of us knowing where men's roles fit into feminist activism.  I later realized that the problems I'd had with my gender identity and sexuality all my life was from a distinct lack of feminism in my everyday.  I rectified things accordingly.

Have you ever experienced resistance to identifying as a feminist? If so, why do you think that is and how do you handle it?
No, it doesn't seem to bother people, because, I think, it tends to surprise them and throw them off.  I don't fit their ideas of what a feminist is (female, lesbian, man-hating, anti-porn, angry), and I think that helps people keep an open mind when I talk about it.

What do you see as the future of feminism?
I think technology is changing very quickly at this point in our history, and has the potential to eventually balance out the gender playing field completely.  In the grand scheme of human history, only now are physical gender boundaries starting to break down seriously (i.e. reproduction, choice, gender transitioning, etc.), and I'm excited to see where that leads us.  Of course, feminist activists will still be needed to guide our use of that technology.  All activists have to pay lots of attention right now and make sure we discuss all the new questions as they come.  There's no black and white answer to anything, and that's why the dialogue needs to be maintained, especially as things change.

Ritchard is best known on the web for his youtube vlog, as well as a variety of other artistic expressions which can be seen on his website, ritchardaludlow.com.

If you would like to participate in this series, please contact me for more details! 

Food, Farming & Feminism

This was a guest post I originally wrote for my friend Ashley's blog, Small Strokes. 



Planting seeds, pulling weeds and harvesting greens...on the surface these activities hardly scream feminism, but when you dig a bit deeper, it's almost hard to miss the strong connection between food, farming and feminism. For me, it all boils down to a sense of self-sustainability: if I'm able to grow some crops and turn them into something both edible and nourishing, I've added just one more way to ensure both my independence and ability to take care of myself. There is also the slight satisfaction I get (beyond biting into a tomato picked straight from the vine!) knowing I that excel at something that is traditionally a male endeavor. 

This is the third year that we've planted our small urban vegetable garden. 

MD tending to our kale

We don't have an actual yard or lawn, and instead ripped out the few ornamental bushes the previous owners planted. With only a six by ten square foot plot of dirt surrounded by bricks, I'm able to grow broccoli, various types of tomatoes, cucumbers, green beans, lettuce, kale, basil and mint. 

I can then take my veggies and herbs and turn them into delicious, healthy meals for myself and my family. While some might scoff at what I do and suggest that I'm conforming to a '50s ideal of the wife who stays home and cooks for her family, I find that it's completely the opposite for me.

Instead of playing into a stereotype, I'm actively transforming the notion of what a homemaker is with my little garden. I'm taking the power back, working hard, and choosing to eat my own produce rather than patronizing big box stores. Like the feminists of the '60s, '70s & '80s, I'm driven by the desire for self-sufficiency and autonomy as well as achieving personal satisfaction. Yet instead of heading out to the office, I head to my garden. 

The idea of small and even urban homesteads has only grown in recent years, with women raising backyard chickens, planting gardens and learning skills that had been put to the wayside for most, like canning, spinning yarn, baking bread from scratch, etc... Various books and articles have even been written about these women, showing that most have either Masters and Doctorates but choose instead to see their workspace within the home rather than outside of it. Author Shannon Hayes even went as far as coining the term "Radical Homemaker," when explaining this phenomenon and sharing the stories of women living this life. 

This idea of radical homemaking is not just for the middle-upper class, however. Every week I head to a nearby inner city to tutor teen moms who are working towards their GED. I'm there once a week, and in the short time I spend with them, I invariably get into discussions about their food choices. Bags of Doritos, piles of Slim Jims, huge bottles of soda and fast food containers litter their desks. The girls are quick to remind me that these choices are cheap and quick. I remind them that they have access to wonderful community gardens right there in the city (and even one tended to by the program they're in). While I may not change their eating habits overnight, they do get excited about the prospect of being able to grow their own food and control that aspect of their lives - something essential for these young women, many of whom feel that their lives have spun out of control. 

As for me? While I do still work part-time, albeit from home, the rest of my time is spent with my son either in the garden or working with the bounty we reap from it. In the summer we can freshly picked strawberry jam and in the winter we bake fresh bread. It instills a sense of pride in me that I'm teaching my young son all of these tasks as well. As a feminist, ensuring that he not only knows, but appreciates and enjoys having these skills is important to me. One day, hopefully, he will be the one wowing his family with blueberry pie and homemade pretzels. For now he's just happy getting his feet dirty along with me and eating broccoli straight from the stalk. 

EZ's dirty toes circa 2009

Killer Kale

This is my favorite way to eat kale (or any hardy green!). It’s both easy and super quick, making a great side to any meal. (You can also put some tofu or a fried egg on top of it and bam! - the perfect meal). It’s also pretty awesome because you can always change up the flavor profile (instead of tamari/soy sauce/sesame seeds you can use a little chili powder & cumin and add some black beans).

Wash and steam some kale. My favorite, which we grow in our garden, is dino kale. I don’t have a fancy steamer and instead just tear up a bunch of kale, add it to a saute pan with a bit of water and cover. Let it cook for no more than 5 minutes. You want the greens to still be a bright color and not super wilted and mushy. 

While the greens are cooking, toast a handful of sesame seeds in a wok. Add 2 teaspons of olive oil, a couple of cloves of minced garlic and a tablespoon of either tamari or soy sauce. Once the garlic is cooked through, turn off heat and mix in kale. Delish.