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The modern feminist often resides in contemporary society as a figure of conceptual ambiguity. What does modern feminist mean? What do they do for the movement? What do they look like? Is it just a title?
By modern we mean contemporary and by contemporary we mean now. 2022.
The central aim of this project is to understand how young, student communities define the act of being a ‘modern feminist’. This shall help to provide a clearer image as to the significance of feminist culture amongst developing student communities.
We believe this student-led media project presents an area of research necessary for the progression of feminist education, particularly in the UK. After speaking to only three students in detail about their experiences of contemporary feminism in student communities, it appears the levels of feminist understanding are quite mixed. Your group organises campaigns and demonstrations, as well as feminist seminars and other educational events. We think the continuation of this project will provide interesting points of debate, insightful research and the need for conversation that can be discussed at your conferences. Young male and female students exist as part of the future for feminist movements; the ways in which they view feminism in their student communities highlight both areas of progression and need for improvement. You seek to fight the Patriarchy in many different ways; this project highlights the continued impact of it. Your group is for women-only and it appears that women stand at the forefront of feminist education. The third podcast in this series explores male feminism. It suggests that in adolescent-male peer groups, early misconceptions of the feminist identity later perpetuate confusion and uncertainty amongst male university students. Many of these students may possess feminist values, but their early miseducation continues to encourage reluctance when identifying with the title. As shown in the short survey results, one participant justifies their disregard for the feminist title due to comic slogans like ‘men are trash’. If satire can be misinterpreted, we must consider the need for clarity amongst audiences early on in their adolescence. Of course, this is indicative of a global need for education. However, in the case of contemporary feminism in university student communities, what we can do now to solve this problem is campaign for more general education through student unions.
This is just one line of debate that could be featured during one of your seminars. Furthering this project, we could continue to collaborate and promote student-based, feminist studies. If we encourage more students to identify as active members of feminist communities like your own, more students shall become aware of the need for feminist education in universities.
Holly Seymour
MA Media and Creative Cultures | University of Greenwich
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