Women’s Relationship to Feminism: Generations, Activism, and Commitment Lauren E. Duncan Smith...

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Women’s Relationship to Feminism: Generations, Activism, and Commitment

Lauren E. Duncan

Smith College

September 13, 2008

Please answer

How do you define feminism? What comes to mind when you think of

feminists?

Popular Myths about Feminism

Feminism is dead Young women do not identify as

feminists Young feminists are not as committed to

feminism as older feminists

Feminism is dead

Research shows

Young women are just as committed to feminism as their elders

Concerns of feminists may differ by generation

Two aspects of identity important to women’s relationship to feminism and activism Generation Feminist identification

Generations and Development

Life Stage Focus of impact Examples

Childhood fundamental values and expectations about the world

e.g., Great Depression

Adolescence & early adulthood

perceptions of opportunities; identity formation

e.g., 1960s student activists

Early middle adulthood

behavior, but probably not identity

e.g., women workers in WWII

Midlife opportunities for identity revision

e.g., Women’s Movement

From Stewart & Healy (1989)

Radcliffe College Class of 1947 (Duncan & Agronick, 1995)Life Stage Frequency

Childhood 13%

Early adulthood 61%

middle adulthood

Midlife 13%

Radcliffe College Class of 1964 (Duncan & Agronick, 1995)

Life Stage Frequency

Childhood 22%

Early adulthood 70%

middle adulthood

Midlife NA

Baby Boomers vs. Generation X

Life Stage Baby Boomers Generation X

Childhood Post- WWII

economic boom, pressure for women to stay home

Post- Roe v. Wade, post- Title IX, rhetoric of equality

Adolescence & early adulthood

Student movements, birth control, increased opportunities

Post-Women’s Movement backlash, conservative ascendency

Early middle adulthood

Post- Roe v. Wade, post- Title IX, rhetoric of equality

Zucker (2004)

Feminists Endorse cardinal beliefs of feminism and high

feminist identification

Non-feminists Do not endorse cardinal beliefs of feminism and

low feminist identification

Non-labelers Endorse cardinal beliefs of feminism and low

feminist identification

The Current Study

Activist women, by generation and self-identified feminist status “How do you define feminism?” “What comes to mind when you think of

feminists?” Components of feminist identity Activist commitment

Baby Boomers(N = 294)

Generation X(N = 413)

Age 41 23

Non-feminist(N = 60)

Not so strong feminist

(N = 184)

Feminist(N = 418)

Age 29 30 31

Education

Education 4-year college degree

2-year college degree

(N = 184)

Feminist(N = 418)

Education 2-year college degree

Women of Color

Women of color 5% 9%

(N = 184)

Feminist(N = 418)

Women of color 6% 7% 8%

Liberal Ideology

Liberal ideology (1-7)

(N = 184)

Feminist(N = 418)

Liberal ideology (1-7)

5 5.5 6

Fighting Gender Socialization

“How do you define feminism?”

Theme Baby Boomers(N = 227)

Fighting gendersocialization

Theme Non-feminist(N = 50)

(N = 170)

Feminist(N = 400)

Fighting gendersocialization

0% 6% 6%

Fighting Gender Socialization

“Fighting gender constraints” “Feminism is the belief that all humans

are created as equals and that if they are not treated as such, society, not nature, is at fault and must be changed. We have a much better chance at changing society than we do nature.”

Equal Rights

Equal rights 65% 70%

(N = 170)

Feminist(N = 400)

Equal rights 44% 70% 69%

Equal Rights

“The struggle for women to be treated as equals.”

“Individuals who favor the equal treatment and opportunity of women and men and working towards equality in work, government, etc. and favoring any steps to create this.”

Improving Women’s Position

Improving women’s position

(N = 170)

Feminist(N = 400)

Improving women’s position

20% 7% 6%

Improving Women’s Position

“A political movement to better women’s position in society in all realms.”

“A movement to improve a woman’s economic and political status.”

Negative Associations

Negative associations

(N = 170)

Feminist(N = 400)

Negative associations

26% 4% 1%

Negative Associations “Getting equal rights at any cost. Changing

women to womin.” “In general, overrun by women with big egos--

movement pushing for equal rights in every facet of society.”

“I say womanist not feminist- as an objection to a large amount of the politicking associated with the feminist movement. It has essentially given the movement a white, middle class, heterosexual value structure and does not meet the needs of the poor, minorities, and the women it claims to represent.”

Outspoken, Independent

Outspoken, independent

30% 30%

(N = 104)

Feminist(N = 246)

Outspoken, independent

15% 21% 35%

“What comes to mind when you think of feminists?”

Outspoken, Independent “Head-strong determined women” “Outspoken and strong women” “Assertive” “They are strong and proud of being women.

They make no apologies and take no crap from men.”

Intelligent

Intelligent 12% 11%

(N = 104)

Feminist(N = 246)

Intelligent 6% 6% 15%

Intelligent “Women who think” “Resourceful” “Smart, politically insightful” “Competent”

Specific Women Role Models

Specific womenrole models

17% 8%

(N = 104)

Feminist(N = 246)

Specific womenrole models

3% 11% 13%

Specific Women Role Models “Gloria Steinem” “Helen Reddy’s I am Woman.” “My mother-- Women who have accepted

responsibility for their own lives and make choices for the betterment of all people.”

“Pro-choice, creative, grassroots, lesbians, liberal women, handicapped women, Germaine Greer, Marlo Thomas, women’s colleges.”

General Positive Characteristics

General positive characteristics

15% 15%

(N = 104)

Feminist(N = 246)

General positive characteristics

0% 13% 20%

General Positive Characteristics “Interesting women” “Truth, light, beauty” “YAY!” “Cool women”

General Negative Characteristics

General negative characteristics

7% 14%

(N = 104)

Feminist(N = 246)

General negative characteristics

39% 11% 5%

General Negative Characteristics “Radical lesbians-women who dress trashy-

women who hate men-we were told having a career is “fulfilling” and “exciting” but no one told us how to prepare for careers or that a job in and of itself will not totally satisfy one’s needs.”

“Angry, scape-goated, misunderstood, poorly directed, separatist.”

“A nation of women who believe in equality, or at least state this belief, but who are so distracted by power and its perks that they forget why they are feminists.”

Summary Very few generational differences

Boomers: Older, more educated, associated feminists with specific women role models

Gen X: defined feminism as fighting gender socialization, had more general negative associations with feminists

Summary Many differences by feminist status

Feminists: more educated, more liberal, said feminists are outspoken, intelligent, possess other positive characteristics

Non-feminists: less liberal, less likely to say that feminism is about equal rights and more about improving women’s position, had negative associations with feminism, listed fewer positive and more negative characteristics of feminists

Not so strong feminists: in middle on liberal ideology Similar to feminists: mentioning equal rights, less likely to

have negative associations with feminism Similar to non-feminists: less likely to say feminists were

outspoken, independent,intelligent

Components of Feminist Identity

Common fate Power discontent System blame Collective orientation Cognitive centrality

(Gurin & Markus, 1989; Gurin,Miller, & Gurin, 1985)

Common Fate“Do you think what happens generally to women in this country will have something to do with what happens in

your life?”

Feminism Component

Common fate(1-4)

3.80 3.86

Feminism component

(N = 184)

Feminist(N = 418)

Common fate 3.60 3.78 3.91

Power Discontent“Women have (too much, about the right amount,

not enough) power and influence in society”

Feminism Component

Power discontent(1-3)

2.96 2.95

Feminism component

(N = 184)

Feminist(N = 418)

Power discontent 2.86 2.97 2.97

System Blame“Men have more of the top jobs because our

society discriminates against women”

Feminism Component

System blame(1-5)

4.57 4.51

Feminism component

(N = 184)

Feminist(N = 418)

System blame 4.13 4.45 4.71

Collective Orientation“It is not enough for a woman to be successful herself.

Women must all work together to change laws and customs which are unfair to all women.”

Feminism Component

Collective orientation (1-3)

2.06 2.07

Feminism component

(N = 184)

Feminist(N = 418)

Collective orientation

2.03 1.96 2.08

Cognitive Centrality“How often in your everyday life do you think about being

a woman and what you have in common with women and men?”

Feminism Component

Cognitive centrality (1-4)

3.48 3.49

Feminism component

(N = 184)

Feminist(N = 418)

Cognitive centrality

3.08 3.36 3.64

Summary No generational differences

Boomers and Gen Xers both high in common fate, power discontent, system blame, cognitive centrality of gender

Differences by feminist status Feminists highest, not so strong feminists in the

middle, non-feminists lowest in common fate, system blame, cognitive centrality of gender

Non-feminists lower than other two groups in power discontent

No differences in collective orientation

Personal Political Salience

Please rate each of the following events for how personally meaningful it is (or was) to you (i.e., how much it affected your life or reflects your values andconcerns):

1 = not at all important or personally meaningful 2 = somewhat important or personally meaningful 3 = very important or personally meaningful

Cold War 1 2 3 Persian Gulf War 1 2 3 Great Depression 1 2 3 World War II 1 2 3Women's Movement 1 2 3 Hiroshima 1 2 3Vietnam War 1 2 3 McCarthyism 1 2 3Civil Rights Movement 1 2 3 Sexual revolution 1 2 3Kennedy assassination 1 2 3 Black Power 1 2 3 Freeing Nelson Mandela 1 2 3 Reagan presidency 1 2 3

Collective ActionFrom the following list please indicate any causes you may have been involved in during the past and the type of activity which best describes your involvement. Circle as many numbers as applicable.

1.....Signed a petition 2.....Contributed money 3.....Wrote a letter, called, or called on a public official 4.....Attended a meeting 5.....Was an active member of an organization 6.....Attended a rally or demonstration

Abortion rights.................................. 1 2 3 4 5 6Anti-war/peace.......................... 1 2 3 4 5 6Business/professional................. 1 2 3 4 5 6Child care……………………….. 1 2 3 4 5 6Civil rights.............................. 1 2 3 4 5 6Crime/neighborhood watch….. 1 2 3 4 5 6Education....................... 1 2 3 4 5 6Employment....................... 1 2 3 4 5 6Environment............................. 1 2 3 4 5 6Health care…................. 1 2 3 4 5 6Political candidate.............................. 1 2 3 4 5

6“Support our troops”........... 1 2 3 4 5 6Taxes……......................... 1 2 3 4 5 6Welfare rights…………………… 1 2 3 4 5 6Other (specify) _______________ 1 2 3 4 5 6

Activist Commitment, by GenerationBaby Boomers

(N = 298)Generation X

(N = 404)

PPS 2.14 1.86

Abortion rights 3.79 3.49

Civil rights 1.57 .96

Anti-war 2.09 1.65

Childcare .68 .39

Healthcare .91 .54

Political party 2.16 .97

Activist Commitment, by StatusNon-feminist

(N = 60)Not so strong

feminist(N = 184)

Feminist(N = 418)

PPS 1.94 1.94 2.13

Abortion rights 2.42 3.04 4.10

Civil rights .82 .89 1.44

Anti-war 1.10 1.37 2.17

Childcare .26 .24 .67

Healthcare .19 .42 .90

Political party 1.00 1.21 1.73

Summary Generation

Boomers more politically engaged and active than Gen Xers

Feminist status Feminists more politically engaged and active than

other two groups Not so strong feminists resemble non-feminists in

lack of feminist commitment

Conclusions Generation

Very few differences in definitions of feminism, associations with feminist, and feminist identity

Boomers more politically engaged and active than Gen Xers

Feminist status Not so strong feminists resemble feminists in

some ways and non-feminists in others Like feminists in holding some positive and few negative

associations with feminism Like non-feminists in lack of activist commitment

Election 2008

Women’s Relationship to Feminism: Generations, Activism, and Commitment Lauren E. Duncan Smith...

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