Vindication

So today I was in my Lit and Film class, and we had a discussion questions that was something about the character of Jane Eyre and why she's so appealing and whether or not she's a feminist. Now, I think Jane's actions go beyond feminism, but I was a little annoyed when some of the members of my group got a little scared of the word "feminism." Some of the girls started saying things like, "Well, she's not a man-hater" and "she's not a bra-burner . . ." Who are these people and how did they get into a 300 level English class? Feminism did exist before the 1970s, kids, even if it didn't have the name yet, and it is still evolving. Not all feminists are crazy extremists.
What really bothered me was that these were all upper-level English majors who should have known the other definitions of the term. The only person who supported me when I started defending it was the only boy in the group. I was very grateful that he, at least, was familiar with A Room of One's Own and some ideas beyond so-called "Nazi-feminism." But how sad that the girls didn't know that feminism can be more than man-hating! The first class I took that gave me any kind of good understanding of contemporary feminism was taught by a male professor.
Phil Snyder: "Don't you ever get an icky look on your face when you hear the word "feminism."
Thank you Phil. Please spread the word, because I think we had some people who missed the memo, and apparently they were some of our own.
It's so important for women to read and listen to what other women have to say. I think it's time to start listening.