Ban the word ‘feminist’? I can’t even…

On November 12, Time Magazine released their fourth annual, “Which Word Should Be Banned in 2015?” poll. Overused words and phrases such as literally, obvi and even “sorry not sorry” popped its way into the mix of recommended bans. Another word that made this year’s chart of cliche and ridiculous words and phrases? Feminist. 

Which is right above, “I can’t even…” And let me tell you: I can’t even…Because I am that damn speechless, Time.

Laverne Cox as she appeared on the cover of Time Magazine as a strong, powerful transgender woman.

Time Magazine, the first national publication to have the strong, transgender, and feminist Laverne Cox on their cover, addressed their reasoning behind wanting to eliminate this word from one’s daily vocabulary, alleging that too many celebrities are LITERALLY throwing the word “feminist” around aimlessly. SORRY I’M NOT SORRY, but this assumption of their’s is OBVI not okay.

Mary Wollstonecraft: Probably more concerned with your incorrect use of the term “literally” instead of your necessary and empowering use of the word “feminism.”

For a word that has truly been around and defined since Mary Wollstonecraft’s A Vindication of the Rights of Women in 1792, “feminist” is anything but overused. From the misogynistic feminist disbelievers to celebrities removing themselves from the term all together, feminism and claiming oneself as a “feminist” is still a relatively new and growing idea, even for a word that is over 200 years old. From the First Wave to the current wave, the overarching concept of feminism has continued to evolve and change shape as the decades have gone by, beginning as a movement primarily targeted towards the political and ideological freedoms of white, middle class, white women at the Seneca Falls Convention, to a battle in favor of expanding reproductive rights and disproving of the war in Vietnam, to slowly becoming encompassing of different genders, races, classes, sexual orientations, etc. So why, all of a sudden, has “feminist” become overused when the movement is still constantly in motion?

Feminism has only just begun. The point of this “overused” word is to be empowering. Every individual, whether that person is an average Jane or is consumed by Hollywood fame, has their own way of defining him or herself as a feminist. A feminist can be described through a number of diverse personal beliefs or actions. If anything, the term “feminist” should be used much more frequently in order to help the hesitant “feminists” out there have a stronger understanding of what feminism is, who is a feminist, as well as begin to eliminate those negative connotations that follow the word.

Amy Poehler and her character on Parks and Recreation, Leslie Knope, are proud to define themselves as feminists.

If intelligent, sophisticated, sexy, confident and downright badass women like Amy Poehler, Beyonce and Emma Watson want to label themselves as “feminists,” I for one certainly have no problem with it. When a credible and highly looked-upon publication such as Time Magazine criticizes a term such as “feminist,” what does that mean for society’s implications towards the movement and for the individuals that define themselves in such a manner?

Back to the article itself, I do not believe “feminist” is an overused term as suggested; it is a word that needs to continue to exist in the patriarchal, heteronormative society that we inhabit. Instead of banning liberating words such as “feminist,” we should reflect on terms and phrases that have fostered our misogynistic society including but not limited to:

• Frat Star: AKA your way of convincing yourself that hazing your fellow “brothers,” harassing and assaulting women and drinking copious amounts of alcohol as an excuse for your behavior is okay. You are probably just a jerk. “Jerk” is a term that will never be overused in your case.
• I totally raped that homework assignment: You forced yourself upon your homework assignment through physical violence or duress? I find that hard to believe. “Rape” is not synonymous with “did well on…”
• That’s soooooo gay: And I highly doubt that you mean that whatever you are referring to is just ecstatic. Just as “rape” is not the same as doing well on a homework assignment, “gay” is not an alternate word with thinking that something is absolutely ridiculous. This phrase should and can be easily banned simply by picking up a dictionary. You are absolutely ridiculous for thinking the terms are one in the same.

So instead of criticizing and attempting to ban a word that resonates with a number of individuals worldwide as a positive and liberating word that is part of a necessary and compelling movement, let us average citizens and even celebrities continue to define themselves as such. And maybe look back over some other terms and phrases that should have been banned before they even began. Yes? Yaaaaasssssss.