Yes... But is it feminist?

by Stephanie Robinson

A call to action. Has Mookychick's feminist message become diluted over the years? Is "Siblings are doing it for everyone" a better, though less catchy, ethos than "sisters are doing it for themselves"? This is a jolly important article and we hugely respect the message in it. Please read it with your eyes.

When my fifteen-year old self found Mookychick, I was entranced. I had found a haven for feminists and alternative people. But whilst it does welcome everyone, its "feminist" message appears to have become diluted over the years.

I understand adverts for make-up, clothing or other products, (most of them eco-friendly and vegan) cover hosting costs. But the articles themselves seem to increasingly focus on themes of beauty, cutesy 'how-to's and models and burlesque dancers as 'feminist icons'.

Sexual objectification will never be a viable tool for female liberation. No amount of vegan lipstick, recycled clothing and punk rock belly-dancing will free women (and men) from the disease of gender inequality. There doesn't seem to be enough encouragement for us to actually leave our desks and go smash the patriarchy. Where are the Riot Grrls? That's not her in the "Sisters are doing it for themselves" T-shirt, having just discovered the joys of pink, tartan, eco-friendly kitchenware.

Images of women "doing it for themselves" are all very well. But where is the pressure on men to get on the bandwagon, to work with women? Where is the message that kitchens and clothes don't matter as much as freeing women from domestic abuse and discrimination, from all forms of culturally acceptable slavery?

I wanna see you grabbing people by the scruff of their t-shirt and saying, "We are not domestic goddesses. We are not your heroine. We will not be the prize or the idol. We're human and we want you to let us work with you. Side by side. Shoulder to shoulder.".

I'm struggling in a web of pseudo-feminism and I think pseudo-feminism is a bigger problem than capitalist patriarchy, in that it's harder to tell if you're making progress at all. Mookychick should forge links with British activist collectives, talk less to celebrities and talk more to ordinary squatters and renegades who protest on the streets. People who've actually suffered for the cause, got underneath the shiny veneer. And since Mookychick is made up of voluntary writers like me, then you'll be pleased to know I'm going to practise what I preach.

The word feminist itself annoys me, because as long as women only concern themselves with their rights, everyone else will have the same egocentric attitude. True equality can never be achieved as long as each gender and minority is dealt with separately. Female or male, whatever race, sexual orientation or differentiation you embody, I'm with you. The next wave of feminism has to merge into the stream of "equalism", to shake off its "girl-power" image and instead focus on society and minorities coming together. "Siblings are doing it for everyone" isn't as catchy, but it's certainly more helpful.

Mookychick loves Politics:

• Introduction to politcs
• Politics and the class system
• What left wing and right wing mean
• How the vote came about and why you should maintain the tradition
• The (interesting) history of parliament
• How not to vote
• How to go on a protest march
• How to stay safe on a protest march
• Queer Mutiny - a new queer movement
• Restorative justice
• Ann Coulter - Femine, Famous and Fascist
• No to Proposition 8

More Grrl Opinion and Blogs

• Babe's Bible | Riot Grrl | Music Minx | Wicca | Politics | Girl Geek | Kitsch Bitch

Mission statement

Mookychick believes that climbing trees and riding giant turtles is more fun and girly than worrying about make-up. But if you want to worry about make-up instead of turtles? Fine by us. Be you feminist, kitten, punk, emo, indie, goth, witch, vegan, horror junky, intellectual, christian goth, corset queen, geek, unicorn, sea monkey... be you into alternative style, alternative health, spirituality, comics, manga, j-pop, harajuku or jock culture... we will always love you.