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LauraGrace Orner
Dr. Kendra Parker
English 113: Feminist Perspectives
October 7, 2016
Un-defining Feminism in Pursuit of Intersectionality
In discussions of feminism, one of the main controversies is how to define the movement.
On the one hand, the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines feminism as the advocacy of women's
rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men; this definition does not
address many of the current socioeconomic and political issues regarding racism and gender
discrimination against those that fall outside of the traditional binary system. On the other hand,
some people do not believe the movement effectively advocates for all individuals; for example,
Carmen Mojica defines feminism as white-feminism: the female-centered, man-hating, whitewashed empowerment of women in a patriarchal society. Others, such as Roxane Gay, define
feminism from a more inclusive point of view defining it as a movement advocating for gender
equality in all realms, while also making the effort to be intersectional, to consider all of the
factors that influence who we are and how we move through the world (xiii). And others still,
such as Chimamanda Ngozi, understand the movement as a work in progress, defining feminism
as a movement acknowledging theres a problem with gender as it is today, and we must fix it,
we must do better. My own view is that the feminist movement should focus less on finding a
rigid definition for feminism and instead work to create a movement that advocates for equal
rights for all individuals regardless of their gender or race.
In order for the feminist movement to be open to all individuals, it must first be open to
multiple definitions. The feminist movement began as the advocacy for the equality of white

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women to men in a patriarchal society, but has since grown to include endless identities.
Feminism should no longer be defined simply as the advocacy for womens rights, for feminism
is no longer exclusively about women, but is for all genders. When women are free to overcome
gender boundaries so are men. In our current society, men are socially expected to be hypermasculine. For example, when signing up for the draft one is immediately struck by the overt
sexism of the United States government. Under the section Reasons to Register the United
States Selective Service System notes that males are required by law to register because its
what a mans got to do (Why Register?). The feminist movement calls for equal rights, meaning
that just as men are required to sign up for the draft, so must everyone else, for the movement is
about equality not convenience. Feminism is not simply about womens rights, but is about
granting all individuals the basic human right to be free of political and social oppression.
Feminism must advocate for the rights of all individuals regardless of their gender
identity, race, ethnic background, sexuality, etc. Feminist activists must insist upon
intersectionality when addressing the gender-equality community to avoid the whitewashing that
has plagued the movement. For example, feminist activist Lena Dunham was applauded for her
groundbreaking HBO television show Girls, until it was revealed that all four main characters
were to be played by white women. The show was to reveal the realities of being a twenty-first
century woman, but instead it only shows the experience of white women; people of color are
only cast when their race defines their character (Berman). This is just one example of the
whitewashing of feminist media. When the movement is portrayed in this manner it becomes
inaccessible to those that fall outside of the white and cisgender box; if the feminist movement is
to properly advocate for all individuals it cannot be exclusive to those already facing systematic
oppression. According to feminist Sharon Smith of the International Socialist Review,

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intersectional feminism is important because while all women are oppressed as women, no
movement can claim to speak for all women unless it speaks for women who also face the
consequences of racism. Feminism is rooted in its advocacy for those facing oppression and this
advocacy can only be successful when it includes all individuals and the political and
socioeconomic issues that they face.
The definition of feminism should be multifaceted to allow for the intersectionality of the
individuals for which it advocates. Feminists can no longer accept the movements whitewashing
and exclusion of minority perspectives. Those involved in the movement must set their eyes on
the task of advocacy rather than just defining it, for actions speak louder than words. If there is to
be an end to patriarchal tyranny we must stop the bickering and put our feminist principles into
action.

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Works Cited
Berman, Judy. "'I'm a White Girl': Why 'Girls' Won't Ever Overcome Its Racial Problem." The
Atlantic. Atlantic Media Company, 22 Jan. 2013. Web. 07 Oct. 2016.
Gay, Roxane. "Introduction: Feminism (n.): Plural." Bad Feminist: Essays. New York, NY:
Harper Collins, 2014. X-Xiv. Print.
Mojica, Carmen. "Feminism and Womanism." Gender Across Borders. N.p., 30 Mar. 2011. Web.
7 Oct. 2016.
Ngozi, Chimamanda. "We Should All Be Feminists." TedXEuston. 12 Apr. 2013. Speech.
"Why Register?" Selective Service System. United States Government, n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2016.
Smith, Sharon. "Black Feminism and Intersectionality." Issue #102. International Socialist
Review, n.d. Web. 07 Oct. 2016.