As president of Ohio University's group Feminist Coalition, I was somewhat troubled by Ashley Herzog's May 26 op-ed column (Feminists' liberalism counteracts goals). Herzog was praising a recent lecture at OU by Phyllis Schlafly on the failures of feminism. It seems Herzog and I would agree on many points; Herzog cites, among other things, that we live in a society with high rates of domestic violence and sexual assault. Women are much more likely to live in poverty
suffer abuse and become clinically depressed. It seems Schlafly and Herzog's problems are not so much the notion or goals of feminism, but feminists; Herzog quotes Schlafly as saying, 'feminists convince all women that they are victims; that we will be discriminated against in school our careers will be limited by the glass ceiling, and if we ever marry
our husbands will probably beat us.'
What is missing from both Ashley Herzog's article and Schlafly's critiques of feminism is a stated definition of what feminism is. It is clear from the above-cited quote (feminists tell women if they marry, their husbands will probably beat them) that both Schlafly and Herzog view feminists by their traditional stereotype: crazed, man-hating, extreme left-wing ideologues. This is a classic straw-man argument; if all feminists were crazed ideologues certainly they would alienate many women, but this is simply not the case. Feminists come in a wide array of spectrums that rarely mirror the extreme image Schlafly and Herzog portray.
People who identify themselves as feminists are more likely to define themselves as liberal because liberalism traditionally has allowed women to make gains. For instance, Herzog rightfully praises first-wave feminists like Susan B. Anthony, considered an extremist in her own day, for working toward womens' right to vote. But I also am reminded of liberal feminists, like Jane Addams, who gained women the right to vote. Liberals believe that, through democratic legislation, unequal social and power structures can be changed.
Conservatives also have an agenda and a worldview. Herzog and Schlafly fail to explain how conservatism can appeal to feminists. Schlafly is simply playing on classic stereotypes and negative images to draw women away from a belief they can change the world. Conservatives like Schlafly marginalize moderate women by deceiving them to believe if they join feminism and fight back against high rates of sexual assault and domestic abuse, they will become extremists.
I would like to welcome all women interested in feminism to Feminist Coalition. WOMEN ARE NOT VICTIMS. Women and men do not have to accept patriarchy. In our democracy we have a right to come together and make changes.
-Kristen Keyes, a senior plant biology major, is president of the Feminist Coalition, which meets at 9 p.m. Tuesdays in Baker 329. Send her an e-mail at kk151200@ohiou.edu.
17
Archives
Letter to the Editor
