Last night continued the dialogue we are hoping to nurture about feminism’s meaning and future. Third wave activists Jennifer Baumgardner and Amy Richards gave their take on what third wave feminism means, what they think makes it unique, and how it continues or diverges from previous feminist movements. Their analysis, largely based on the work they did together in Manifesta and Grassroots (among other projects), was rooted in their personal experiences developing and negotiating a feminist consciousness.
They also addressed the conflicts and contradictions they think prevent young women today from self-identifying as feminists. Their talk was followed by an extensive Q&A period, which offered the audience a change to probe, challenge, and otherwise engage with Baumgardner and Richards’ ideas. Overall, it felt like a really engaging and productive discussion!
[...] this is not always easy. In their talk at the Hanes Art Center on Tuesday night, Baumgardner explained the discomfort many people—not just feminists—feel when asked to assume [...]