Mony Pre -class Butler.

“ The political assumption that there must be a universal basis for feminism, one which must be found in an identity assumed to exist cross-culturally, often accompanies the notion that the oppression of women has some singular form discernable in the universal hegemonic structure of patriarchy or masculine domination.” – Butler (191)

I hate the fact that every women’s studies course I have taken, whether it is literature, humanities, or history, states that we are living in a post-feminism era and the concept of feminism and feminists are dead. Ahh…this statement upsets me. I work in a male dominated field and I can tell you first hand, that I have to fight for equality in the workplace, for without my endeavors; I would have little or no professional movement. The glass ceiling would stop me dead in my tracks.

I know that when I call myself a feminist in a social situation, or the workplace, I will automatically repel quite a few men and women. “Oh no – not another scary feminist at the dinner party.” Why does this word have such a negative connotation? Why do some assume that because I am a feminist, I don’t shave my legs, I am a bull dyke, I hate men, or I sit around listening to Ani Difranco and the Indigo Girls all day. This is not the case. We live in a patriarchal society, and yes, I agree that women have come a far way, but we still remain blind to this hegemony. Look at politics - any woman who is slightly challenging, is labeled a bitch, or is considered too “polarizing”. Hillary Clinton and Sandra Day O’Connor come to mind. After graduating at the top of her class from Stanford Law, O’Connor was only offered legal secretary positions; she had to beg a firm to hire her as an attorney. Yes, times have changed, but not fully. We (men and women) must continue the fight for equality. I promise, women are not yet equal.