What’s strange about this speech is that he’s identifying a problem that a lot of women, especially women of color, have been talking about for years. He acknowledges that himself at 10:36, but of course, coming from a straight white male, suddenly this all sounds groundbreaking and has everyone talking. Huh. Wonder why that is… It’s almost like sexism and racism are inherent in media coverage of sexism and racism or something. WEIRD.
Personally, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with labeling yourself a feminist. It’s a label I apply to myself, after all. And it’s not a dirty word. But not everyone is comfortable labeling themselves as such for a lot of different reasons. A new word to explain what it is we, as feminists or not-feminists, are trying to move past is actually not a bad idea. Whether you agree or disagree with his speech overall it’s, at the very least, good food for thought.
