SEMESTER REWIND:
what is feminist rhetoric?
Let’s talk
This course has taught us about a new rhetorical strategy that was once unknown to me - feminist rhetoric. Feminist rhetoric is one of the most impactful tools in literature. It is found all around us, but you must learn what it is and how to identify it. It has been used by scholars, activists, students, artists, and more to portray societal issues through a feminist lens. Feminism has become prominent all around the world. In short, feminism is a “movement to end sexism, sexist exploitation, and oppression” (Hooks, Feminist Theory from Margin to Center). Feminism has dominated social, economic, and political spaces by paving the way for women to succeed and change the course of history. It has made its way into literature and created a genre of feminist rhetoric. As defined by Kate Ronald and Joy Ritchie in their piece, “An Anthology of Women’s Rhetoric(s), “not just one definition of rhetoric exists, nor one definition of feminist rhetoric(s) (xviii). It’s fluid. It’s ever-changing. It’s reflexive (xvi).” There are different strategies and appeals used in feminist rhetoric(s). In this reflection, I will be exploring the concept of feminist rhetoric. That will include defining what feminist rhetoric is, what kinds of strategies are involved in it, and how we see feminist rhetoric in the Twenty-First Century.
Firstly, feminist rhetoric is a plethora of different ideas. According to Ronald and Ritchie, feminist rhetoric(s) use traditional methods while demanding “different appeals, forms, evidence, and rhetorical ethos” (xxiii). What makes feminist rhetoric different from traditional rhetoric is how it appeals to women’s experiences. Examples of this can be recollections of racial, classist, sexual, and other historical events/traumas. One of the most common occurrences portrayed in feminist rhetoric(s) is misogyny/sexism. Societally, women are subject to discrimination based on sex, and this comes with many stereotypes. In past assignments, we have read and written about women who wrote about these topics. Bringing in all of these ideas, my definition of feminist rhetoric is the practice of rhetoric plus the combination of feminism. Feminist rhetoric is vital because it conveys the experiences and traumas of women that often go overlooked. Ronald and Ritchie write about strategies that make a strong argument for feminist rhetoric. One is “new topoi,” which means new topics or places of argument. These can include “claiming the right to speak, women’s yearning and determination to acquire the right to literacy and education, re-representing and validating the diversity of women speakers/writers, and redefining traditional notions of speaker, writer, and woman” (Ronald and Ritchie, xxv). However, feminist rhetoric is not limited to these things. It can be as simple as a feminist speech or an essay promoting gender equality for women. This means that feminist rhetoric can come in different kinds of verbal and textual mediums. The underlying message is the portrayal of women’s experiences. Everyone’s story is different, but there will always be someone who can relate to it. I think that is a large aspect of feminist rhetoric because relatability brings people together. There are many different issues that most women can relate to in one way or another. The idea of feminism alone brings a wide audience of different groups of women together. When this is combined with the power of rhetoric, it becomes an unstoppable force of connection. In my own words, feminist rhetoric is a tool used to connect people with feminism through literature, music, movies, or any other kind of medium.
Feminist rhetoric can take many forms, including (but not limited to) music, speeches, advertisements, social media posts, and literature. Feminism is in advertising, and many companies have included it to attract new audiences. One example is in the Always’ “Like A Girl” campaign, which started in 2014. The company brought several generations of young girls and older women together to define what it means to do things “like a girl.” This advertisement gained immense popularity. It showed how society has imprinted certain stereotypes onto women from a young age. Young girls, teenage girls, young adult women, and older women came together to end harmful gender stereotypes. Always wanted to showcase how self-confidence changes as women get older. They used ethos and an appeal to women’s experiences with sexist stereotypes to approach their audience. Those strategies invoke emotion and philosophical thought about how we, as a society, can do better. Advertising has the power to impact large audiences. Another advertising example is Dove’s “Real Beauty Sketches" Campaign. In 2013, Dove brought a group of women together to show them the differences between two portraits - one was created by them and another was created by another person describing them to an artist. Dove hired a forensic artist to draw these two illustrations. This ad portrays how women see themselves - low confidence, self-deprecation - and how others perceive them - perfect as they are. Ethos is an extremely powerful tool in advertising that excellently works together with feminist rhetoric. The Always and Dove ads show how large corporations can participate in feminist rhetoric and actively show support for women. It can be used by anyone in any type of context, but it must be used correctly. Feminism is a powerful tool whose purpose is to unite.
Music has many examples of feminist rhetoric. Artists like Lizzo and Ariana Grande employ feminist strategies in their songs, as we saw in this class. Taylor Swift is another artist who often uses feminist rhetoric throughout her songwriting. In her song “I Did Something Bad,” Swift writes about women who have to put up with manipulative men. This song represents reclaiming power and confidence. When public figures utilize feminism in their work, it is an excellent example of how prominent women’s issues are in society. There are universal struggles that women face, like sexism, racism, and trauma, no matter how much fame or success a person might have. Representation in the media is a way for women to feel seen and heard. Many people resonate with a particular artist or song. A strong connection brings people together for a common cause or idea. Music is a universal language that everyone can understand. It can bring different cultures, demographics, and parts of the world together. That is why it is a great medium that can be used to channel feminist rhetoric.
In conclusion, feminist rhetoric is in literature, society, and modern media. It is a means of empowerment by allowing women to reclaim their voices through many different mediums. It includes analyzing how language and discourse contribute to the marginalization of women while giving them a space to reflect on distinct issues. Feminist rhetoric is in textual, verbal, visual, and other forms. Learning to identify it helps to make us more aware of its prominence in society. Rhetoric has been a part of society since Ancient Greece, and it continues to infiltrate our world today. When combined with feminism, it can become even more powerful. Feminist rhetoric can be defined in many ways, but the underlying theme is feminist ideologies. No matter how big or small, feminist rhetoric impacts the way we learn about women’s experiences. In this way, we can support women and the feminist movement.
Works Cited
Always. “Our Epic Battle #LikeAGirl.” Our Epic Battle #LikeAGirl | Always®, www.always.com/en-us/about-us/our-epic-battle-like-a-girl. Accessed 8 Dec. 2023.
​
Genius. “Taylor Swift – I Did Something Bad.” Genius, genius.com/Taylor-swift-i-did-something-bad-lyrics. Accessed 8 Dec. 2023.
​
Hooks, Bell. Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center. 1984.
​
“Real Beauty Sketches.” Dove, Dove, 31 Oct. 2022, www.dove.com/us/en/stories/campaigns/real-beauty-sketches.html.
​
Ronald, Kate, and Joy Ritchie. “Introduction: A Gathering of Rhetorics.” Available Means: An Anthology of Women’s Rhetoric(s), 2001.