In the past 6 months, I can say that my definition and practice of feminism has changed significantly. These changes, however, do not come as a surprise, as I have learned to desire change and not to stay in a comfortable place too long. This in itself has become vital to my feminist practice, also emerging out of the past 6 months. Listed below are three things I learned about my feminist practice in the last 6 months. Despite the appearance of a small amount of “lessons”, these lessons are each complex, and as I continue to learn and grow in feminism, become more complex.
Feminist Practice is a Process:
Recently, I have been (lightly) exploring art as a practice and outlet for my feminism. Last semester I took a visual arts class, called “Green Corridor”. Green Corridor is different from the typical art class because it goes beyond the realm of “visual art” and focuses on art as practice taking a look at other areas that can be considered art. Green Corridor places an emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration in a group effort. Through this class I was able to appreciate process as a form of learning. I was able to see how, in my other classes, often the “end product” is what we are rewarded for achieving, therefore making the end product the most important element in learning. I have come to realize the value in process as a form of learning. The type of lessons gained from this style are different from the learning involved with individualized research projects. Process as learning is vital to my feminist practice because it allows for creativity and places value on what I learn on my way to the final product. This is important in relation to how I practice feminism, because it allows me to take a step back and see what I am learning in a process, and that when it comes to feminism, where often isn’t an “end product”.
Another important aspect of feminist practice as process is collaboration. Also through the Green Corridor, I realized how challenging but rewarding it can be to work with a group. I know that I have limitations in my knowledge, time and skills, and with a group these limitations will not hold me back because there are other people who can achieve what I can’t and teach me in the process. As I know I have limitations, I also have knowledge, skills and time that I can put forward as well. Another aspect of collaboration that I can benefit from is forming bonds and working together to form a movement toward change. I realized that as difficult working with other people is, it is vital for creating change. There have been no shortages of examples of this; Tunisia, Egypt and Wisconsin (USA).
What it Means to Actually Resist
In the last 6 months, I have also gained a new understanding of what it means to actually and truly resist. I felt as though previously I was able to understand and recognize resistance, but recently this definition has changed. I have come to realize, through both personal experience and through my education in feminist theory that actions I take to resist, do resist but that actually resisting means resisting on a different level. For example, I could buy clothes that resist such things as the sexual double standard, gender identity or sexual orientation. Performing these acts of resistance is important, but in order to truly resist the structures that place these limitations, resisting could be the act of avoiding shopping all together. This idea is holding me accountable for my actions, by forcing me to act on my knowledge about oppressive systems.
Issues are Systemic!!!
Although this idea is nothing new for myself or anyone else in the Women’s Studies program, in the past 6 months or so, I have come to understand how issues are systemic in a whole new way. Similarly to my new understanding of resisting, my understanding of systemic issues has evolved to something more complex. I have learned again through personal experience and feminist theory that issues we face as individuals must be placed in a wider context.
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