When I was still at Furman University, I was a model feminist college student.
Sort of.
On top of double-majoring in History and in French, I also concentrated in Women’s and Gender Studies. (At Furman, a concentration was like a minor). I even took one class over the minimum required for a WGS concentration.
Note: since I graduated, the concentration has changed to Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, a change proposed while I was still a student.
I was also an active member of Feminist Initiative, despite the meetings usually overlapping with other commitments. Feminist Initiative held cultural life programs (CLPs–a Furman requirement) throughout the year, like documentary screenings. We also sponsored the annual winter production of The Vagina Monologues, in which I performed both my sophomore year and my senior year. Each spring, Feminist Initiative organized Take Back the Night.
Whenever given the opportunity, I proudly described myself as a feminist. I eagerly introduced my ideas of Christian feminism to conservative religious friends of mine. (I even changed a few of their minds!) I consistently, patiently explained basic Feminism 101 stuff to anyone who asked. I also asked questions of and learned much from my other feminist friends, especially those who identified as LGBTQ+.
I was a feminist college student, but I still had a lot to learn. I still cringe at my hopeless understanding of cultural appropriation. Yes, I thought it was comparable to my new-found love of French fashion after studying abroad.
Spoiler alert: it’s not.
I also attended a fairly wealthy, mostly white, private university. While my professors certainly taught me important concepts like the Mammy/Jezebel/Sapphire stereotypes of black women, the kyriarchy, and postcolonial feminism, my feminist ideas were mostly focused on my experiences as a white, middle-class young woman.
If you are a budding feminist college student, I hope you will keep a few things in mind. Learn from what I got right, but try not to repeat my mistakes.
5 Ways to Be a Feminist College Student
Call Yourself a Feminist
On my first day of Women’s European History, my professor asked the class to raise our hands if we identified as feminists. I was one of maybe five students who did so. In a WGS class, filled with smart, ambitious young women, “feminist” was still a scary word. If you agree with feminism, then call yourself a feminist.
Don’t Force Your Peers to Identify as Feminists
If someone says, “I’m not a feminist,” don’t attack them. Ask them why. This is an opportunity for both of you to learn.
Yes, many people still misunderstand feminism. Yes, many people are afraid to call themselves feminist. But many other people have completely legitimate reasons to shy away from the word. Women of color might prefer to identify as womanists. Men might prefer to be feminist allies, rather than co-opt the feminist label for themselves.
Take WGS Classes
Three of my five WGS courses contributed to my history major. While not all majors work with a feminist angle, consider taking a WGS class as an elective or to fulfill a general ed requirement.
College is the best time to dig into the academic side of feminism. Reading up on feminist theories is a lot easier when you’re a feminist college student, with feminist professors who can answer your questions. After college? Building a feminist foundation of knowledge takes more time and a lot more willpower.
Check Your Privilege
Most of the time, I disagree with shutting down a discussion by saying, “Check your privilege.” But this is about you being smart, proactive, and aware of your own privilege, not pointing out someone else’s privilege.
Are you white? Then a person of color understands racism better than you do.
Are you male? Then a women understands sexism and misogyny better than you do.
Are you straight? Then someone who is gay, lesbian, or bisexual understands homophobia and biphobia better than you do.
These are just a few forms of privilege to keep in mind.
Use Your Privilege to Help Others
Dudes, if you’re hanging out with all your dude-bros, and one of them starts saying sexist shit, shut him down. Ladies, if your sorority sisters are all white, and one of them says something racist, call her out on it. The same concept is true for other scenarios.
Often those of with privilege have access to spaces not available to those without our privilege. We need to advocate for the marginalized when they aren’t there to speak for themselves.
Fellow feminists, what would you
recommend to feminist college students?
Love these suggestions! I don’t think i knew you were also a history major in college. I wish I could have minored in women’s studies too (we called it SWAG – study of women and gender) but we were only allowed two majors or a major and a minor.
If i were to add one, I’d suggest that students become involved in shaping the college — whether that means formally being on student government, or simply staying aware of how policies and decisions by administration affect different groups of students on campus, and making your voice heard. Doing so definitely helped me understand productive strategies for initiating change, and made me optimistic that change can be possible. It’s a great practice to start on campus and take with you after graduation.
I would not have liked that restriction on majors and minors! The whole point of having tons of AP credit was to do everything I wanted in undergrad!
I definitely agree that students should be aware and interested in administrative affairs. My freshman class petitioned the Board to delay the implementation of semesters until after we graduated, arguing quite eloquently that Furman Admissions essentially lied to us. (We were on trimesters our first three years, which I LOVED). Alas, we were the guinea pigs, even though for many of us, the trimester schedule was a huge selling point.
To be fair, we had a restriction on majors… BUT we didn’t have any core curriculum at all! To be eligible for latin honors, we had to complete a basic distribution requirement, but that was our choice (although most people fulfilled the distribution without trying very hard.) I think the limit on majors was meant to encourage us to take a wide variety of classes instead of concentrating them in a few areas. As a history major, I took a few SWAG classes that were cross-listed with history, and I’m still really glad I did.
I’d be angry about that switch too! I can see how trimesters would be a nice way to break up the school year, and I’d have a hard time readjusting for only one year of college on a different system. I’m glad we had semesters, if only because a winter trimester would be REALLY hard to get through in the northeast!
Oh my goodness thank you! This is fabulous. My roommate and I were just having a discussion about this the other day, she had read an article about all of the recent celebrities who claimed not to be feminists…because they just didn’t understand what feminism was. I’m loud and proud a feminist and I think my own experiences in college (also a history major woo) really shaped that. Seeing where we’ve come from, studying 1st and 2nd wave feminism, and getting a chance to actually talk to people from other backgrounds and life experiences was huge. It makes my heart hurt to hear anyone say they aren’t a feminist but I always use it as an opportunity to talk with them and see if they really understand what that word means. Often they don’t. Thanks so much for sharing, found you via The Momma Told Me link up!
Woohoo, it’s always nice to connect with a fellow feminist history-lover!
This is great!!! I need to talk more about feminism on my blog. I did dip my toes in the water recently with a review I did on the show Masters of Sex and how it portrays motherhood as well as all the historical feminist issues shown on the program in comparison to the issues we still face as mothers and women today. Thankfully, the feedback was positive and I think I will link my experience as a SAHM mother with my feminist nature.
I was just like you in college; I received a dual degree in Liberal studies and Women’s studies, was secretary of our campus NOW chapter. Participated in Take Back the Night, tried out for the Vagina Monologues, participated in Women in Sports day, as well as our Women in Leadership conference. It’s nice to find another woman like me, so thank you for this! via #MommaToldMe