Defining Feminism

In the wake of the “PEA Needs Feminism” campaign, we as co-heads of Exeter’s Fem Club have received a lot of questions as to what we mean by “feminism.” In order to answer these questions, we feel the need to clarify what we feel feminism is, and what it isn’t.​Feminism is:The belief in the “social, political and economical equality of the sexes”(according to Webster's dictionary)Taking action toward eradicating the inequality of the sexes​Feminism is not:Female supremacy and women rejecting femininityAn attack on men; nor does it blame them for our universally shared issues.Complacency with sexism toward menDenying differences between males and femalesSuppressing and condemning male or female sexualityEnforcing a universal behavioral code​Feminism, at its core, is simply a movement toward equality and fairness. Feminists differ on how to achieve this goal, and our approach to feminism is not everyone’s approach to feminism. Assuming that a small faction of feminists represents the whole hinders not only other feminists and their work, but also progress toward a more just and equal society. We hope that with a common understanding of the core of feminism, we can begin to bridge the gaps between our own understandings of what it means to be a feminist today, and we hope to continue in productive discourse.