Is Your Feminism Inclusive?

Throwing around the “F” word can get confusing. Feminism is an issue on everyone’s mind as women and many others fight for equal pay and rights. But there are different types of feminism and it is important to know where you stand.

Feminism is supposed to be an equality movement inclusive to all people across gender, race, and sexual orientation. Those things are not considered in the dictionary definition of the word. It defeats the purpose if someone were to exclude other minority groups from the feminism movement

The term “feminist” can then become confusing when someone says they are one. What kind of equality are they talking about?

People may call themselves feminists if they believe women should vote and have a say in the government, but think a woman’s true role is to be a homemaker and have children; perhaps your boss calls himself a feminist because he hires many women at the office, but then proceeds to harass them sexually in the workplace.

Intersectional feminism– This type of feminism is ideal. The entire point of intersectional feminism is to include other types of feminism under this umbrella. This means regardless of race, background, religion, etc. this type of feminist has your back.

White feminism-  Sounds like an inflammatory term based on race, but think of this more like “empty,” or feminism that lacks diversity. Here is a video from HuffPo giving a quick explanation:

Radical feminism– If you’ve ever heard the term “radfem” this is the origin of the term.  A radical feminist pursues equality by exposing wrongdoings and demanding the “radical reorganization of society” for the improvement of women’s and other minorities’ lives.

TERF, or Trans-exclusionary radical feminist: a TERF is usually used in a derogatory way to describe a person who exclude trans people from their feminism. These people may believe trans women are not “real” women and don’t deserve to be protected equally. This is not a true feminist ideal, as all women are included under the intersectional movement.

There are many other feminist terms and types of feminism, this list is not comprehensive. However, it is up to everyone to take upon the responsibility of supporting and uplifting their fellow woman and other groups that are marginalized.