Published April 01, 2008 04:04 pm - It’s not popular to be a feminist these days.
The backlash in the 1980s and 1990s to the second wave of the feminist movement made many young women reluctant to use the “f” word. The equal rights amendment died a lingering death more than a quarter century ago.
Feminist point of view
By BETTY SMITH
Press special writer
TAHLEQUAH DAILY PRESS
—
It’s not popular to be a feminist these days.
The backlash in the 1980s and 1990s to the second wave of the feminist movement made many young women reluctant to use the “f” word. The equal rights amendment died a lingering death more than a quarter century ago.
On the average, women still earn less than men. But the feminist movement lives on, and the studies of some Northeastern State University students prove that.
Five of those students – including one male – will present papers resulting from their communications class on the rhetoric of feminism during the Women’s Caucus of the Central States Communications Association, beginning April 9 in Madison, Wis. A sixth student will participate in a panel on lesson planning.
Dr. Amy Aldridge Sanford, assistant professor of communication studies, said it’s the first time she has experienced this many students being accepted for a panel at a conference larger than the state level.
Five presentations come from a graduate- and senior-level seminar she taught last year on feminist rhetoric.
“When students take a seminar, I try to figure out a way to put the best papers on some sort of panel,” she said.
The papers that emerged from her feminist rhetoric class had topics ranging from pop culture to the classic American novel “Little Women” by Louisa May Alcott.
Students accepted for the Central States conference are:
• Amber Cowan, “The Dove campaign for real beauty: A rhetorical analysis of an advertisement facing backlash.”
• Sarah Turner, “All slay and no play: How ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ fights for feminism.”
• Sarah Stanberry, “Little Women’s classic embracement of feminist liberties throughout time.”
• Abigail Littleton, “How the marginalized become scum within their own movement.”
• Kyle Rudick, “The sexist language in the TV series ‘Family Guy.’”
Lauren Duncan also will participate in a Great Ideas for Teaching panel, discussing the topic of ethical questions.