Why I will never wear a "This Is What A Feminist Looks Like" T-shirt

(p.s. Ani Difranco's music is played towards the end. They get her name wrong in the credits and spell it Annie Difranco. Many who don't know Ani's music spell and pronounce her name wrong. But it amazes me that a feminist foundation would get her name wrong. At the time of this video's release I wrote an email to the website informing them of their mistake)

I saw this video when it first came out. It is a dedicated to the act of feminism and was put together by The Feminist Majority Foundation.

Years ago when I first saw the "This Is What A Feminist Looks Like" shirt I thought it was very clever. I was initially impressed as I am not used to witnessing any time of marketing or product that is geared towards the feminist movement.


(feminist.org)

As impressed as I was, I eventually came to think of the concept as more of a pop-culture or pop-feminist move. Something that trivializes the movement as a trend. Something to be worn rather than acted upon. Rather than breathed and lived. While I very much admire The Feminist Majority and what they do for the feminist movement I think they missed the mark with this one.

The response I now have when I see a "This Is What A Feminist Looks Like" shirt (which I have only seen on various internet venues, never in person) is what I now feel when I see someone wearing a Che shirt or a Malcom X shirt.

Here the late Utah Phillips discusses with my favorite music artist, Ani Difranco
the harms of "bumpersticker politics."


Ani Difranco (folk singer, activist) talking with Utah Phillips (story teller, activist, folk singer) in 1997 (For you Ani fans this is quite a treat I'm sure. Vintage Ani!)

I would like to reiterate that I do appreciate the efforts of The Feminist Majority. I think they want equality for women just as I do. And one the one hand I do see the value in selling products that have a positive message. But on the other hand I think it is more valuable to BE the feminist rather than to some how show off to others that you believe in feminism through what you wear.