Using Gay as an example, answer these questions: Can individuals contribute to social movements while retaining their own definitions of their identity, not the group’s? What happens to the power of the group (its solidarity)? What happens to the individual?
Individuals can contribute to social movements while retaining their identity but not publicly. This can be done by fighting for specific causes, or several, such as gender wage equality, rather than feminism as a whole. Gay quotes Marissa Mayor, the current CEO and president of Yahoo, on this perspective: “I don’t think that I would consider myself a feminist. I think that I certainly believe in equal rights, [and] I believe that women are just as capable” (171). This issues with individuality within social movements often come when a person is labeled. Feminism specifically is a term that has been given a negative connotation, with Gay saying that there are “grossly inaccurate myths about who feminists are – militant, perfect in their politics and person, man hating, humorless” (175). Even though this stereotype is inaccurate, it is easy to believe, especially when the definition of feminism is subjective. When a person identifies as part of a group, such feminists, who are fighting for a cause, anybody who finds this out automatically associates them and their beliefs completely with that group, whether the idea that they conjure is accurate or not. This label and connotation takes away the individuality of social movement members. People, even those with slightly different ideas, are needed to bring power to a group and its movement. The best way to keep a group united and fighting for the same cause is by directly identifying the group’s beliefs and defining terms that they intend to use. This can be done easily by selecting leaders and educating prospective members. People still may be absorbed by their groups, with some individuality lost, but that is worth it, if they believe that the group is creating change that is worth fighting for.
