Third Wave Feminism and Oprah?

In January, Oprah brought the issue of third wave feminism to the largest mainstream audience yet.

Entitled "What Young Women Think About Older Women," here's the introduction to the show:

A revealing look at what younger women think about older women. From tensions in the workplace to their views on sex and marriage, Gen X'ers and Baby Boomers...it's surprising how far apart they are! (excerpted from Oprah.com)

And revealing it was...

Amy Richards, Rebecca Walker, Gloria Steinem, Faye Wattleton, Naomi Wolf, and several others shared their views about the current state of feminism as well as the multifaceted relationship between our two generations: third wave (Gen Xers) and second wave (Baby Boomers).

This is probably my well-honed cynicism speaking here, but I'm always surprised when cultural icons take on issues that have been deemed "controversial" by our society - such as feminism or reproductive freedom.

But Oprah and her panel of women dared to do so, and subsequently expand (if only for a day) how feminism is talked about within the mainstream media. Rather than giving mainstream audiences yet another tired "Feminism 101" talk (No, we don't hate men. Yes, we want equal pay for equal work. No (again) we don't hate men.), these women used a very public space to provide audiences with a window into the world of feminism.

From my perspective, this coverage was a victory indeed. But many of my friends and colleagues have gently suggested that my standards are too low.

The mainstream media, they argue, is conservative and rarely provides accurate and in-depth coverage of issues important to progressives, which was demonstrated by the sparse reportage of the NYC protests against the World Economic Forum (WEF) on Jan. 31 - Feb. 4, 2002. And mainstream shows like Oprah are no exception. Further, they say, Oprah's one time use of the word "reproductive freedom" to introduce feminist icon Faye Wattledon and her crusade to keep abortion safe, legal, and accessible, was patchwork at best since a serious dialogue about the erosion of abortion rights is what is really needed.

This certainly wouldn't be the first time I was wrong, but for now I'll honor this as a victory and let the chips fall where they may. I have no problem using optimism and hope to save me from my own cynicism.

Regardless of our opinions about Oprah, her show, or the mainstream media, we should keep these conversations happening -- on the campuses, in the home, in our places of worship, and anywhere else that people concerned with making the world a better place find themselves.

Because, above all the grief, fear, and hopelessness we've felt in the months subsequent to the terrorist attacks, social justice work, while inarguably full of new challenges and obstacles, is more necessary than ever. To be sure, in politcally turbulent times like these, the greatest harm is done to those who live on the margins of society. Poor, urban communities - where citizens are frequent targets of police brutality and abuse - will be disproportionately harmed by the legislation passed in the name of "national security," but in actuality restricts civil liberties.

Not all of the topics covered in the cyber-pages of Sexing the Political speak to what one might consider the "capital I" feminist issues (ie: abortion, affirmative action, equal pay for equal work, etc.), however many do. The common thread that weaves these contributions together is an ardent commitment to improving women's sexual lives and experiences. At the very least, we want to support the use of humor, irony, and parody to help balance the hopelessness and frustration that too often paralyzes activists. We believe that humor can be as effective as serious, theoretical commentary. (Alia and Ashley)

This issue of Sexing the Political poses interesting questions, and offers refreshing perspectives for our movement:

How can we be more aware of those who appropriate feminist values in order to advance non-feminist agendas? (Kimberly)

How has the current strain of patriotism, through racial profiling and xenophobic anti-immigration propaganda, created a culture that is hostile to racial minorities and immigrants. (Melisse and Kimberly)

In what ways do racist and sexist stereotypes mask our humanity and impede our agency? How do these obstacles manifest themselves within our own movement? (Elizabeth)

How can we expand abortion discourse to more accurately reflect the broad continuum of our abortion experiences and beliefs? (Krista)

And, finally, we want to hear from our readers. Please send us your written and visual work (call for contributions) for us to consider for our next issue. If you are at a loss for new material, please answer the following questions.

How are third wave feminists practicing a more inclusive feminism?

In what ways are third wave feminists bridging the racial and economic gaps that marked the two previous waves of feminism?

What would motherhood look like if women occupied a more egalitarian position in our society?

Please send your responses to SexingthePolitic

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