In a reader survey, Time Magazine is asking what word should be banished from the lexicon in 2015. The candidates include mostly online turns of phrase and slang, such as obvi, basic and om nom nom nom, among others.
Also on the list? Feminist.
What’s wrong with the word feminist? Time explains:
feminist: You have nothing against feminism itself, but when did it become a thing that every celebrity had to state their position on whether this word applies to them, like some politician declaring a party? Let’s stick to the issues and quit throwing this label around like ticker tape at a Susan B. Anthony parade.
What? What are you talking about, Time Magazine?
Feminist is one of the best words of 2014. Uttered by actors and politicians and writers and gamers and radio-hosts, positively and negatively. Promoted by pro-equality women and men of all ages all year long. It was blaring in lights behind one of the world’s most famous pop stars.
Feminist was explained, mansplained, defamed, celebrated, manipulated, and championed. It was everywhere. Emma Watson formally invited the whole world to be feminists.
And you want to ban it, Time Magazine? Why?
One possibility? Because feminists, as actual persons, are pretty radical. What it means to identify with feminism as a reality, to view equality as a substantive goal, that’s difficult stuff to deal with. It requires an individual to honestly look at their own lives and ask complicated questions about money and power and justice and culture. It requires an individual to consider what it means to be a woman or a man, or a trans individual, who is white or black or brown or Native and say: does my life benefit from inequality? And, if so, what can I do to change that?
If that’s something you don’t want to do, then those who have-feminists-are going to be a real problem.
Time Magazine, like countless others out in internet-land, has “nothing against feminism itself” of course. The idea of equality is all well and good. Its just talking about it that’s a problem. Hearing people discuss what feminism actually means and how it affects individuals? Hearing people say they are actually feminists? That’s just too much for Time Magazine.
Sorry to mansplain. But we should keep “feminist” around for a while. If for no other reason than because Time Magazine thinks 2015 is the year to get rid of it.
Reblogged this on Femme Fatale .