"I Advocate Feminism ... a mini blogzine" wins WGS scholarship award

I am proud to announce that I am the co-recipient the the Women and Gender Studies Scholarship Award at Oakland University.

I submitted the blog, along with the following essay, and came up a winner of the $50 prize.

My thanks to the OU Women and Gender Studies program where I have found so much encouragement and support.

The Feminist Mission of Cherie Rolfe

I am proud of my blog. In fact, it’s not just a blog, it’s a blogzine – an online magazine with content that ranges from poetry, to recipes, to opinion, to book reviews, to news. And it all relates back to feminism. That is the common thread I keep from post to post – whether it be ecofeminism, liberal feminism, global feminism – or other areas of feminist thought that apply.

I work hard at providing quality content for my blogzine. I do not use it as an “online diary.” I do not publish anything unprofessional. I do not bitch. I do not take pot shots at people. Although there is more leeway in blog writing – opinion pieces are clearly labeled as opinion. And yet, I try to leave room for fun and humor. I believe it is also important to have layers within the content. That’s why I offer audio as well as components to fully utilize this medium.

The great feminist bell hooks, in her book “Feminism is for Everybody,” says we need a feminist media network – not just a women’s network or a women’s channel – but a feminist one – with the goal of taking the feminist movement back to the general public.

I agree.

My personal goal is to combine my journalism major and my women and gender studies minor to keep feminist issues in the forefront of the mind of the public. There are many misconceptions about what feminism is and what it is not. I want to share with others what I have learned – that feminism isn’t just one thing. There are liberal feminists, conservative feminists, socialist feminists, ecofeminists, and global feminists – just to name a few. Additionally, there are further subdivisions within those areas.

The media is changing. It is a brave new world for journalism. I am taking steps to prepare myself for convergence – a coming together and crossover of all media forms. Because of my carefully chosen curriculum, I am prepared for print, radio, television, as well as web media.

I see my blogzine as an important first step into this brave new world. I see it as an important tool for reaching the general public on a level it can understand. Currently, I have labeled it a “mini-blogzine.” I hope to continue to keep it growing and evolving into a prominent, respected feminist forum.

I try to blog at least twice a week. The blog can be found simply by “googling” my name, Cherie W. Rolfe. I have named it “I Advocate Feminism,” also following the wisdom of bell hooks. She says by saying, “I advocate feminism,” we leave the way open for discussion of other forms of oppression that are connected.