It's all in the words

One thing that has weaved it's way in and out of all of our conversations this week is the idea of language at the root of everything.

From using it to define what type of feminists there are, to using it as a tool to change the way the world looks at women, and even to change the way women is described.

Post modern feminists and radical feminists both are saying that in order to liberate thinking and change things on a cultural level rather than a political one that we must first change the way we talk before we can change the way we think.

But how/ what is going to change the way we talk? Where does it all come from and how can you begin doing it? While there are modifications in speech all the time due to generational differences how can we spark one that will change the face of the whole movement? And what do you change?

In chapter 6 of Tong's book about multicultural, global, and postcolonial feminism there is a lot of focus on feminism and who defines themselves as a feminist and what those connotations mean. Often times a feminist is seen to be a middle-class, white, heterosexual, woman from a certain group.

If self proclaimed feminists can't decide on what to call themselves how can there be a shift in the language. In Tongs chapter she also talked about the term "women of color" and how at first some women embraced that term to liberate them and take them away from being placed in categories such as black, brown, or yellow. They embraced this term to show how they were seeking their liberation from their color, the same way feminists embrace feminism to show that they are arguing against the social inequalities. However, many began to question whether the term was oppressing them and placing them in the "other" category. This parallels with the fact that feminist has in some cases garnered such a negative light. Feminists are seen as crazy or all having radical opinions with hairy legs etc. It was never the intention to gain that stereotype, it just all happened because of one word.

So how can we change the language if those who are trying to change it cannot even agree on where to begin or what a proper definition of a word really is.