Feminist Theory: The crash course

I am liberal.


I am a feminist.


But, I'm not a liberal feminist.


Say what?

Two years ago, that's what I said, too, until studied feminist theory at Oakland University in Rochester, Mich.

This is where I learned that feminism isn't just one thing -- and "one size does not fit all." And yet, since the majority of educational institutions do not include feminist theory in their curricula, stereotypes centered around beliefs of what has come to be known as "mainstream feminism" persist -- and some of them are true.

During the class, I began to question if I wanted to be identified as a feminist. Some of the models are "out there," and even though they contain interesting ideas and valid points, I would say to myself, "If this is feminism, I don't want it."

That was until I found a model I identified with.

But you don't have to limit yourself to one specific model either.

I 'd like to introduce a new occasional series: "Feminist Theory: The crash course." Since I'd like to explore the state of feminism today, its prominence in society and whether it should be reinvented or scrapped in favor of a new social movement, I think it's important to look at different models and what we can learn from them.

I will be drawing on the writings of Rosemarie Tong, bell hooks and other great feminist minds. But my goal is to write in terms that everybody can understand. It's theory for "the rest of us."

So join me back here for the crash course. It should be interesting and enlightening.