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Get a clue, Dona! | credit: WENN.com
Donatella Versace told the Telegraph U.K., “Feminism is dead in the world. It comes from another time. I’m a feminist. I want to fight, but I don’t see many people with this desire to fight for something. Women don’t help each other, especially in fashion. I know Miuccia [Prada] … but that’s it. Nobody else.”
Maybe she is just misinformed (or blind)? When I read the My.Gurl Boards, the thoughtful comments, and the articles here on Gurl–it’s plainly clear to me that feminism is alive and well.
Older women often think feminism is dead. I’m not sure why.
Are we not marching in the streets? Yes we are. Remember the Slutwalks all over the world, Canada, U.S., Israel, London?
Are we not in politics? Yes we are. Women like Sandra Fluke, Hilary Clinton, and Sonia Sotomayor continue to break ground for women and women’s rights.
Are we conforming? Nope. No matter how hard the media industries want to impose standards, we resist. Whether that means breaking blond stereotypes, becoming engineers and athletes, or just being exactly who we want to be.
Slutwalk London | Credit: Chris Saxon/WENN.com
Women don’t help each other? I recently wrote about a study that debunked the myth that women sabotage either to get ahead. Women are actually more likely to help each other than men.
Women don’t help each other in fashion? That’s a bit peculiar coming from her. Donatella refused to allow Versace’s line for H&M to be worn by “real women” in an ad campaign and demanded models instead. Doesn’t sound like Donatella is doing much for women in fashion either.
We are young, 21st century feminists! So why would Donatella declare something so random, generalized, and kind of insulting to women?
It sounds like Donatella may have bought into female stereotypes herself or maybe she defines feminism in a completely different way? Having hairy legs and burning bras isn’t the only way we define feminism today. Feminism just means women have (and should have) the right to behave, look, and live anyway they want without unjust interference or shame.
Maybe there aren’t any quick and easy identifiers for feminism anymore? Maybe you don’t even define yourself as a feminist, but you live a very feminist life–free from social pressures, gender roles, and other unfair expectations? Maybe feminism succeeded in allowing feminists, like you and me, to come in all shapes, sizes, outfits, subcultures, religions, races and political backgrounds?
Maybe Donatella can’t see what’s right in front of her? Feminists everywhere. Feminists in their thirties, twenties, teens, and tweens with views that oppose, agree, and challenge each other. Perhaps, we all have different reasons why or ideas of what makes us feminist? After all, if feminism tried to unify us and turn us all into the same cookie cutter feminists–that would be so un-feminist!
Not sure what Donatella’s reasoning was, but I think she needs to rethink her position.
Are you a feminist? Let us know in the comments!
I would define myself as a newbie in feminism. I really like the idea of women doing equally in the word, being in the possition we deserve. But also sometimes it confuses me. Righ this afternoon I read about a girl complaining that she was 13 years old and because of that, guys shouldn’t look at her when she is in a bikini. But feminism is about equality for women AND men. So if it’s so, then magazines, webs, blogs, and us girls of all ages, should stop looking at guys when they are just in shorts showing their amazing body, because what if they feel the same as this 13-year-old girl? Yes, it is wrong if a guy do more than looking at her,like catcalling. But they weren’t. So sometimes feminism is a total twist about stuff. But should focuse in the equality for ALL.
I think that third-wave feminism is alive and well, to those who actually participate in it. It’s certainly still needed. This reminds me of a girl I know. One time she said something about using her femininity to get something (I don’t remember exactly what it was), and I semi-jokingly said, “You’re throwing feminism out the window…!” And she just snapped at me and said she could vote and get a job, so frankly she didn’t care about feminism.
I think that sexism is less obvious today, since everyone thinks about legal rights as opposed to social rights. But I do identify as a feminist now. I didn’t used to, because I have a feminist friend who knows far more about feminist theory, etc. than I did, but now I see that as long as you have an opinion of women, socially and politically, you can be a feminist.
bullshit,bullshit,bullshit!!…just a huge bag of BULSHIT to me!! and it IS MORE THA TRUE!! Women don’t help each other!!…women do sabotage either to get ahead!!!. Now THAT is the truth!.