Phoebe Robertson (she/her)
Before we get into this issue, I want to address the elephant in the room. There’s probably a large portion of you who have picked this issue up in the stands, looked at it, maybe flicked through it, and rolled your eyes, thinking, ‘Why are we doing this again?’ It’s a fair question, one that I’m sure many of us have asked ourselves at some point. The term ‘feminism’ has become so laden with connotations—both good and bad—that it’s easy to dismiss it as something outdated or overdone. But here’s the thing: feminism is not a static concept, nor is it one that we can afford to sideline, especially in a contemporary New Zealand context.
Let’s start with why feminism often gets a bad rap. In recent years, the alt-right has taken it upon themselves to reshape the public’s understanding of feminism. This is not just a fringe movement; it’s a calculated effort that has seeped into mainstream discourse. The alt-right has weaponized terms like ‘social justice warrior’ (SJW) to discredit and ridicule anyone advocating for equality, especially feminists. What was once a movement associated with the fight for equal rights has been twisted into an image of a shrill, unreasonable person, screaming at the top of their lungs about imagined injustices. This is not an accident. Alt-right groups have strategically used online platforms to distort and diminish the feminist movement, framing it as a threat to traditional values rather than a push for equality. The result? A generation of people who hear the word ‘feminism’ and immediately think of conflict rather than progress.
But it’s not just the alt-right that has complicated the narrative around feminism. The movement itself has had its share of issues, particularly during the second wave of feminism in the 1960s and 70s. This era, while pivotal in many ways, was deeply flawed in its inclusivity. The second-wave feminist movement was overwhelmingly dominated by middle-class white women, and it often ignored the experiences and struggles of women of colour, working-class women, and LGBTQ+ individuals.
So, with all these complications, why are we dedicating an entire issue of Salient to feminism? Because, despite its flaws, feminism remains a crucial lens through which we can examine the world around us. It’s not just about gender equality; it’s about recognising and challenging the systems of power that perpetuate inequality in all its forms. And here in New Zealand, these discussions are as relevant as ever. From the gender pay gap to the ongoing debate around sexual violence and consent, the issues that feminism seeks to address are far from resolved.
Moreover, this issue of Salient has received more pitches than any other this year. That’s not a coincidence. It reflects a growing recognition that these conversations are vital, that they resonate with our readership in ways that other topics might not.
So, to those of you who might still be wondering why we’re doing this again, the answer is simple: because it matters. Feminism, with all its flaws and complexities, still provides us with one of the most powerful frameworks for understanding and challenging the inequalities that persist in our world. And as long as those inequalities exist, so too will the need for feminist discourse. This issue of Salient is our contribution to that ongoing conversation, one that we hope will inspire, provoke, and, most importantly, encourage you to think critically about the world we live in.
This is why we’re talking about feminism again—and why it’s more important than ever.
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