This is what a [UNC] feminist looks like: Lauren

1. What does feminism mean to you?
   To me, feminism means that I think women are equal to men. Simple as that! I think most people I know are feminists but are just scared of using that word because it so often is related to crazy radical man-haters. I'm a feminist because I don't think I'm less qualified because of my biology.

2. Do you feel like you have a female role model in college?
   I don't really feel like I have the perfect female role model here because I don't think a lot of women struggle with the "right" way to be a feminist. Does being a feminist mean I embrace my sexuality or refuse to use my sexuality because that's what expected of me? There are so many questions surrounding the "right" kind of feminist and arguments on all sides that I've struggled to find someone that seems to fit my ideal all around.

3. What do you do to make UNC a more feminist-friendly place?
   To make UNC a more female-friendly place, I constantly urge my friends to not use "rape" as a joke word. You didn't rape your exam, your team didn't rape the other team. I try to convince my friends why language like that is not only inappropriate and insensitive but also moving us away from an environment where women can feel safe talking about their experiences.
   
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This is what a [UNC] feminist looks like: Hugh

1. What does feminism mean to you?

Feminism (to me) is the idea that men and women are equal, and that society should recognize this.
 

2. Do you feel like you have a female role model in college?

I have both male and female role models, although I think 'role models' probably puts it a bit strongly - I imitate specific behaviors, not personality.  My sister, for example, gives fantastic feedback because she's really blunt, and when I need to be blunt, I try to act like her.  Or my girlfriend is way better than I am at being kind and compassionate, so I try to imitate the way she does that.  But I do that with men too.

3. What do you do to make UNC a more feminist-friendly place?
   I don't treat women differently than men, or at least I try not to.  I don't use sexist language.  I try not to assume things about other people based on gender stereotypes (or other stereotypes), and I try to be aware of the assumptions that I do make by self-analysis.  I also expect my assumptions to be regularly proven wrong.  

This is what a [UNC] feminist looks like: Dr. Behrens

1. What does feminism mean to you?
   
   To me, feminism means recognizing the damaging role the patriarchy plays in our daily lives--all the ways, big and little, that it hurts people--and rejecting it. And while I think women are the most direct targets of that harm, I think that same set of social structures, of sexism and heterosexism, limits everyone.
   
   
2. Do you have a role model at UNC?
   
   There are a lot of women at UNC that I'm proud to know, and I learn things from all of them, but I wouldn't identify any one person as a role model.
   
   
3. What do you do to make UNC a more feminist friendly place?
   
   I used to be more active when I was a grad student teaching the intro Women's Studies course and Philosophical Issues in Feminism, both of which were really fun. I participated in some protests, including a big anti-pornography one, wrote a letter to the editor about that, volunteered on a family violence prevention crisis line. Now that I'm working full time, I focus more on creating a good work environment and trying to be supportive to younger women. I also occasionally get to do some work with women students through the McNair Scholars program, and I'm hoping to get connected to the organization for first-generation college students. And I served on the Employee Forum and tried to represent women's interests there.

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This is what a UNC feminist looks like: Danielle

1. What does feminism mean to you?

For me, feminism signifies empowerment, freedom, and equality. It means an effort to combat the normative belief that womyn and anyone else who challenges the gender system are second class individuals.

2. Do you feel like you have a female role model in college?I have a few female role models in college: Dr. Lisa Pearce, Dr. Jacqueline Hagan, and Dr. Ariana Vigil. They are all strong, independent, successful womyn, and all of them hold my dream career.

3. What do you do to make UNC (or your college or workplace) a more feminist-friendly place?
   Honestly, I just challenge friends and peers to think more critically about what they repeat and how it influences others. For example, saying "hey guys" to a room full of womyn is unacceptable and I let the speaker know that. Not to mention I blow up everyone's FB news feed with feminist quotes etc.
   
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This is what a [Radford] Feminist looks like: Hayley

Hayley, a student at Virginia's Radford U, shared her thoughts on feminism in college.

1. What does feminism mean to you?

Feminism means believing that women are just as able-bodied and productive/intelligent as men, thus saying that they should receive the same recognition and treatment as their male counterparts for the work they accomplish and things they produce.

2. Do you feel like you have a female role model in college?
    I feel like a couple of my professors are role models for what strong, independent women can be. They each have their doctorates and hold high-level teaching positions, and are able to keep good relations with their students and other faculty members

3. What do you do to make UNC (or your college or workplace) a more feminist-friendly place?
   
   I think I help make Radford a more feminist-friendly place by sticking up for the female views once they are brought up in class, advocating for us amongst my male peers. I don't allow jokes or comments about women to go unnoticed and always try to refute them when possible. I think also being on the women's golf team shows that females are able to play a "man's sport", do well in school, and have a social life all at the same time. 
   
   
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Aunt Serena: Aunt of a Tar Heel, Feminist, Mom.

A fun part of this blog was getting unexpected responses. My Aunt Serena's response was one of my favorites. I appreciated her reaching out to share her thoughts, especially as someone with experience as a mother and a successful businessperson. I especially like her advice to her daughters. Thanks, Aunt Serena!

1. What does feminism mean to you?

 

Like I said I don't see myself as a die-hard feminist, but I am pro-woman. Women must choose to raise each other up and become educated and knowledgeable. I believe women should be strong and confident and be able to speak their mind. I always quote to my girls that an educated woman raises their own living conditions as well as the community in which they live.

2. Do you feel like you have a female role model in college?
   
   No, I did not have a role model in college. It wasn't until I had been in my professional career for several years that I found a female role moIfdel. Though, I was lucky enough to have a couple of guys that helped lift me up and I'm still very much in contact with them
   
   

 3. What do you do to make UNC (or your college or workplace) a more feminist-friendly place?

The company I work with has a great women in mentoring and women's leadership conferences in which the company as a whole as well as individual women can participate. But, you as a woman have to be willing to participate and take the responsibility for moving forward and up and lifting other women up as well.

 If you are iinterested in contributing to this blog, please email your response to these three questions and an image to samn216@gmail.com

This is what a UNC feminist looks like: Diana

1. What does feminism mean to you?

Whenever I'm asked about feminism, the first thing that comes into my mind is a quote by Cheris Kramarae that reads, "Feminism is the radical notion that women are human beings." It's a little bit snippy, but I think it pretty clearly addresses the point of feminism. Feminism is the belief in equality, a belief that there is a fundamental, patriarchal, sexist problem in a society (like ours) which pays men more than women for doing equal work, which blames a messy house on the wife instead of the husband, which tolerates victim blaming in situations of sexual assault, which has no problem when the media talks about what male politicians are saying but what women are wearing, where words like "guys" and "freshmen" are expected to apply to everyone, where men and things masculine are fundamentally valued over women and things feminine. I believe that these things are absolutely a problem, and I believe the feminist movement is seeking to enact change and rectify these inequalities and the multitudes of other problems I haven't mentioned. Feminism, to me, is the hope that when I have a daughter she will see that half of all senators are women, half of all business owners are women, half of all presidential candidates are women, half of all scientists and doctors are women, just as half of our country is comprised of women, and then maybe she can actually begin to believe the lie that we tell our children that they can be anything they want to be.

2. Do you feel like you have a female role model in college?
   
   I absolutely have found several female role models here on campus; they have come in the form of a few fantastic professors who are truly dedicated to teaching and mentoring their students. Most specifically I would mention Sherryl Kleinman (take her class!!! SOCI 124). I would say that Professor Kleinman has been the number one most influential person on helping me develop my understanding of feminism and my ability to analyze social situations for equality and social justice. I also have amazing friends, male and female, who challenge my perceptions of the world and help me work through current social and political issues to gain a good understanding of the relevant issues.

3. What do you do to make UNC (or your college or workplace) a more feminist-friendly place?

 

I will readily admit to being somewhat obsessive about gender-neutral language. There is nothing that annoys me more than being referred to as a "guy." While this can be a sensitive subject, it can also be a great way to delve into deeper issues of sexism in our society today. So many people don't see any problems with using the term "man", "men", etc. as a collective for all of humankind. I, on the other hand, think this symbolic erasure of womankind is troubling and blatantly sexist, so I love to bring it up at any available opportunity!

Interested in contributing to this blog? email your responses to these three questions and an image to represent you to samn216@gmail.com