Review: I Was a Teenage Feminist
Graphic designer and film maker Therese Schecter first learned about feminism in 1974 at the age of thirteen. At that time, feminism meant to her that she could be herself, saying “it gave me power—the power to be smart, to be independent, and to be myself.”
Fast forward to 2005, when Schecter turned forty. Feeling as though she’d left her feminism behind, she was determined to reclaim what was once lost — a sense of self-worth and the knowledge that she could be whomever she wanted to be. So she made “I Was a Teenage Feminist,” a short documentary. Watching it, the viewer is able to feel Schecter’s confusion about how she stood in society.
Schecter notes that she didn’t fit in with societal expectations of a wife or mother, nor was she like a supermodel. How did she fit into this new world and whatever had happened to her feminism? Did she still have the drive and ability to want to be herself in a world where there was so much pressure to conform? She wanted to know what had happened to the power of her feminist beliefs, and she asked the question: “Did I lose it or did it lose me?”
On her quest, Schecter went to the streets of New York and asked average people what they thought about feminism. She asked college guys who thought feminists are all lesbians; middle-aged men who thought feminists are angry and hateful; and clueless women who knew very little about feminism at all. The viewer gets a sense that the people interviewed only know of the negative stereotypes of feminists, and had no idea what feminism was really about.
Schecter also interviewed active feminists what they understood feminism to be, including Jennifer Baumgardner, co-author of the book Manifesta: Young Women, Feminism and the Future, and Grassroots: A Field Guide for Feminist Activism. Baumgardner says that feminism is about the power to make a choice and having enough information to make a good decision for yourself. Baumgardner adds that being without choices “is a very oppressive place to be.”
In one part of the film, Schecter attends a gay pride day where she admitted to being uncomfortable and self-conscious, wondering if people would automatically assume that she was a lesbian. Later on, she admitted that the environment actually made her feel more comfortable about identifying herself as a feminist. Gay pride day, Schecter said, is one of the most political and feminist environments to be in. One of the most sold out bumper stickers at the rally was, “I’ll be post-feminist in the post-patriarchy.”
The highlight of the film was when Schecter went to Washington for an event called the “March for Women’s Lives,” which brought in over 1 million marchers. The event included discussion of various issues, including class and race, health care, abortion, immigrant rights, gay marriage, and the war in Iraq, but was centered on women’s rights and choices. Men and women of varying ages and backgrounds wore “This is what a feminist looks like” t-shirts, providing a light comical moment, and, at the same time, a look at the diverse faces of those who claim the label of feminism.
The film contains some surprises. At one point, Schecter interviewed a pro-life demonstrator named Vicki. Vicki defined herself as a feminist, yet she believed both abortion (even in the situation of rape) and contraception were wrong. Vicki believed that abortions were psychologically damaging to women and even went as far as to say that women who kept a baby after a rape would go on to fare better and accept what happened than women who did not. Schecter admitted she was surprised to know that this woman identified herself as a feminist, as this did not fit in with her definition of feminism.
By the end of the film, Schecter has a new sense of what feminism is about, at least for herself. It may not have been the same definition as when she was thirteen-years-old, but Schecter happily identifies herself as a feminist, saying that she would be labeled no matter what, and that she might as well choose one that she liked.
Even if you don’t call yourself a feminist, this is a documentary that many of the childfree can relate to, as one of the key themes of the film is choice, including reproductive choice. More than that, Schecter gives real insight into what third wave feminism is and should be about. This film is highly recommended to those who care about issues of all sorts, be they directly related to feminism or not. Perhaps, even by the end of the film you’ll be saying the f-word.
Copyright . Published 1 April 2008 in What’s New.
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