Let's not universalise feminism, femininity and female identity…

There has recently been some controversy around the subject of Emma Watson being criticized as a “White feminist”. This has confused some people as Emma Watson is probably one of the most actively outspoken feminists in the media, and Emma Watson herself seemed confused as well:

"When I heard myself being called a 'white feminist' I didn’t understand (I suppose I proved their case in point). What was the need to define me — or anyone else for that matter — as a feminist by race? What did this mean? Was I being called racist? Was the feminist movement more fractured than I had understood? I began...panicking."

However, Emma has realised that feminism is not just about females. Rather, it is a complex notion which interweaves with other issues, such as racism, heterosexism, classism, ableism, ageism, etc:

"When I gave my UN speech in 2015, so much of what I said was about the idea that 'being a feminist is simple!' Easy! No problem! I have since learned that being a feminist is more than a single choice or decision. It’s an interrogation of self. Every time I think I’ve peeled all the layers, there’s another layer to peel. But, I also understand that the most difficult journeys are often the most worthwhile. And that this process cannot be done at anyone else’s pace or speed."

We can never ‘essentialise’ feminism, as the idea of femininity and female identity are always culturally specific, geographically specific and time-specific. When people call Emma a “White feminist”, they point out how her white privilege enables her to practice feminism easily. Whereas there are still other females who cannot join the feminist movement easily as Emma does, as they are facing a matrix of discriminations in regard to their gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, disability, etc. Therefore, if we see feminism reductively, we might neglect other feminists and females who are different from Emma Watson.

For instance, let’s say Emma Watson was a black, transgender, working class female. She would have a drastically different life experience and probably have a hard time being vocal about her feminist view. We might not even know who “Emma Watson” is, as the media would not give as much attention to a black, transgender female from a lower class.

It is important to state that this blog does not intend to criticize Emma Watson, as she is probably one of the most vocal feminist celebrities. Rather, I want to remind everyone the importance of being specific while examining feminist issues. I want to remind everyone the importance of listening to everyone’s stories and life experiences, as they are equally important and unique. I want to remind everyone about the importance of putting oneself in someone’s shoes.

In short, let’s not universalise feminism, femininity and female identity. But instead, we should open up ourselves and listen because every story counts…