Essay about Feminism Inc - 766 Words

Thanks largely to the gains made by feminist movements throughout the 20th century, contemporary media images provide a new reimagining of femininity and feminism. This new interpretation of femininity offers a narrative where choice aspects of the previous feminine ideal, such as beauty, are retained while the negative characteristics of gender roles, such as weakness, are eschewed. In other words, this â€Å"girl power† discourse suggests that girls can be as powerful as men, but they can do it all while wearing a skirt. In Feminism Inc., Emilie Zaslow examines the influence the media’s promotion of girl power discourse has on the processes through which teenage girls construct their gender identities. Zaslow introduces the voices of a†¦show more content†¦The inclusion of interviews with the girls is where Feminism Inc. really shines. By taking this study past a content analysis of girl power discourse in the media and examining the intersection of those ide as with how girls make sense of them, we are able to witness the processes behind this conceptualization. In the book’s final chapter the girls’ voices become particularly salient as they discuss how they define feminism. Through dialogue about popular movies it becomes evident that girls do not hold a collective definition of what makes a woman a feminist. Rather, they see it through one of two lenses: either feminism is an activist identity where feminists actively fight for women’s rights, or it is a performative identity where women must be independent and self-sufficient to be considered feminists. This understanding of how girl power discourse shapes the girls’ appropriation of feminism could not be shown without the wise choice to include the girls’ voices. Zaslow is quick to point out that these findings cannot be generalized to all girls, and does not attempt to make broad statements about her findings. Due to an overwhelming response rate , the girls chosen to participate in the interviews were hand selected. She notes that their performance in the focus group setting had some bearing on the decision to interview them further. It seems that many of theShow MoreRelatedGender Equality And Modern Feminism1142 Words   |  5 PagesGender Equality and Modern Feminism in the United States Russel Staples Period 2 It’s clear that a growing movement is happening in America. Protests, speeches, and news articles all show that women are coming together to fight for equality. They point to certain statistics, claiming women are downtrodden in American society. These women are known as feminists, or women’s-rights activists. Feminists are fighting for the rights of women in society through journalism, marches, and media. 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