The Changing Face of Feminism

“Why are vaginas important to you?”
Two weeks ago, this question was posed to 120 men of Connecticut College in a promotional video released on Wednesday, Oct. 16, for the upcoming Vagina Monologues, and has recently become a topic of conversation across campus. Besides eliciting responses of giggles, apprehension and often pure anxiety from participants, the question was also answered with compassion, honesty and courage. Though it is not uncommon for a male college student to discuss the topic of vaginas, it is less common to see so many men stand for what has traditionally been considered a women’s issue. The recent support for the video awakens debate on how feminism should be defined by college students in 2013.
According to Alia Roth ’14, producer of Vagina Monologues, feminism should be accessible to everyone on a college campus. “A lot of people assume it’s just for women…but I think unpacking feminism and saying ‘if you’re pro-women’s rights, pro-equality in the workforce, pro-sexual freedom, then you can consider yourself a feminist’ could cause more people to embrace the term.” The search for a way for men to become involved in the Vagina Monologues production led to the development of the promotional video, which has now been featured on Huffington Post, Jezebel.com, and the website of the V-Day organization.
Despite its positive message, the video may face some criticism. Traditional feminists, particularly on college campuses, established a movement based on a collective female consciousness. “The personal is political” was a battle cry for feminists that challenged the system of patriarchy in the United States. Men were often considered allies but not participants at the root of the movement.
In the eyes of Connecticut College students, however, the direction of feminism has transformed. Jackson Murphy ’14, of the campus group 1 in 4, acknowledges that some people will be upset with the video. “There are so many different interpretations of what feminism is,” said Murphy, “and it’s not every day you see people speaking so comfortably as the men were able to do in the video.” Murphy and Drew Majkut ’14, also a member of 1 in 4, consider themselves feminists because they argue that, fundamentally, the basis of the feminist cause is a fight for equality and human rights. “1 in 4 became involved with the video because we can have a positive male influence and reach a demographic that may not be involved in the mainstream feminist movement,” Murphy commented.
Carter Goffigon ’14, a student coordinator at the Women’s Center, shares a similar sentiment about male participation in the feminist movement: “Feminism comes in all shapes and sizes. The Women’s Center this year is exploring how feminism can be defined in the 21st century.”
Elaine Frost ’14 also argued that the definition of feminism is changing. “If you’re going to label yourself a feminist, you’re fighting for equality. In this day and age, we need to work to understand each other across genders and be willing to communicate.” Feminism for the 21st century, as supported by the advocacy work at Connecticut College and conversations on campus, crosses gender boundaries.
This kind of advocacy that reaches beyond gender stereotypes may be specific to the political culture at Connecticut College. When asked whether the same video could be created at a larger university, Roth said, “I’m not sure. I think that the tight-knit community of Connecticut College helped make this happen. Many people have seen the Vagina Monologues and encouraged their friends to be in the video.” Ariann Holden ’14, director and co-producer of the Vagina Monologues, also stated that the environment of Connecticut College helps people take direct action for the feminist cause. “It’s easier to participate in the feminist movement in a small college community with peers than [in] the larger society,” said Holden. The widespread support for the video, however, suggests that Connecticut College could serve as an exemplar for campuses across the United States. As Frost put it, “this type of community could start the dialogue and encourage other young men to talk about gender-based violence.”
The work of on-campus groups such as the Women’s Center, 1 in 4 and the Vagina Monologues indicate that feminism is headed in a different and powerful direction. These groups hope that the feminist cause is one that every student at Conn can rally behind. The work that has already been produced and the participation of students in the V-Men video raised the bar high for activism at the College. Feminism may be continuously evolving in debates on college campuses in general, but the movement has a diverse set of committed allies here at Connecticut College. •