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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
Today
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%
Early
middle adulthood
12%
Midlife 13%
Radcliffe College Class of 1964 (Duncan & Agronick, 1995)
Life Stage Frequency
Childhood 22%
Early adulthood 70%
Early
middle adulthood
4%
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
NA
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
Age
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
Baby Boomers(N = 294)
Generation X(N = 413)
Education 4-year college degree
2-year college degree
Non-feminist(N = 60)
Not so strong feminist
(N = 184)
Feminist(N = 418)
Education 2-year college degree
2-year college degree
4-year college degree
Women of Color
Baby Boomers(N = 294)
Generation X(N = 413)
Women of color 5% 9%
Non-feminist(N = 60)
Not so strong feminist
(N = 184)
Feminist(N = 418)
Women of color 6% 7% 8%
Liberal Ideology
Baby Boomers(N = 294)
Generation X(N = 413)
Liberal ideology (1-7)
6 6
Non-feminist(N = 60)
Not so strong feminist
(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)
Generation X(N = 314)
Fighting gendersocialization
4% 9%
Theme Non-feminist(N = 50)
Not so strong feminist
(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
Theme Baby Boomers(N = 227)
Generation X(N = 314)
Equal rights 65% 70%
Theme Non-feminist(N = 50)
Not so strong feminist
(N = 170)
Feminist(N = 400)
Equal rights 44% 70% 69%
“How do you define feminism?”
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
Theme Baby Boomers(N = 227)
Generation X(N = 314)
Improving women’s position
5% 7%
Theme Non-feminist(N = 50)
Not so strong feminist
(N = 170)
Feminist(N = 400)
Improving women’s position
20% 7% 6%
“How do you define feminism?”
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
Theme Baby Boomers(N = 227)
Generation X(N = 314)
Negative associations
3% 5%
Theme Non-feminist(N = 50)
Not so strong feminist
(N = 170)
Feminist(N = 400)
Negative associations
26% 4% 1%
“How do you define feminism?”
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
Theme Baby Boomers(N = 143)
Generation X(N = 201)
Outspoken, independent
30% 30%
Theme Non-feminist(N = 33)
Not so strong feminist
(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
Theme Baby Boomers(N = 143)
Generation X(N = 201)
Intelligent 12% 11%
Theme Non-feminist(N = 33)
Not so strong feminist
(N = 104)
Feminist(N = 246)
Intelligent 6% 6% 15%
“What comes to mind when you think of feminists?”
Intelligent “Women who think” “Resourceful” “Smart, politically insightful” “Competent”
Specific Women Role Models
Theme Baby Boomers(N = 143)
Generation X(N = 201)
Specific womenrole models
17% 8%
Theme Non-feminist(N = 33)
Not so strong feminist
(N = 104)
Feminist(N = 246)
Specific womenrole models
3% 11% 13%
“What comes to mind when you think of feminists?”
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
Theme Baby Boomers(N = 143)
Generation X(N = 201)
General positive characteristics
15% 15%
Theme Non-feminist(N = 33)
Not so strong feminist
(N = 104)
Feminist(N = 246)
General positive characteristics
0% 13% 20%
“What comes to mind when you think of feminists?”
General Positive Characteristics “Interesting women” “Truth, light, beauty” “YAY!” “Cool women”
General Negative Characteristics
Theme Baby Boomers(N = 143)
Generation X(N = 201)
General negative characteristics
7% 14%
Theme Non-feminist(N = 33)
Not so strong feminist
(N = 104)
Feminist(N = 246)
General negative characteristics
39% 11% 5%
“What comes to mind when you think of feminists?”
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
Baby Boomers(N = 300)
Generation X(N = 417)
Common fate(1-4)
3.80 3.86
Feminism component
Non-feminist(N = 60)
Not so strong feminist
(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
Baby Boomers(N = 300)
Generation X(N = 417)
Power discontent(1-3)
2.96 2.95
Feminism component
Non-feminist(N = 60)
Not so strong feminist
(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
Baby Boomers(N = 300)
Generation X(N = 417)
System blame(1-5)
4.57 4.51
Feminism component
Non-feminist(N = 60)
Not so strong feminist
(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
Baby Boomers(N = 300)
Generation X(N = 417)
Collective orientation (1-3)
2.06 2.07
Feminism component
Non-feminist(N = 60)
Not so strong feminist
(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
Baby Boomers(N = 300)
Generation X(N = 417)
Cognitive centrality (1-4)
3.48 3.49
Feminism component
Non-feminist(N = 60)
Not so strong feminist
(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