Opinion Piece on Millennial Feminists Written by Barbara Risman Appears in Chicago Tribune
An opinion/commentary piece entitled “Are Millennials Feminist?” by Barbara Risman, professor and Head of the Department of Sociology, appeared in an article on the Chicago Tribune. The article discusses the supposed “lack of feminism” in the millennial generation (as perceived by older-generation feminists), and Risman speculates what the root cause of this might be.
“[Older-generation feminist] women grew up in an era when gender stereotyping was so pervasive it organized the course of every woman's life, whatever her class, race, education or politics. …
“That's changed for young women. In my interviews with millennials for a forthcoming book, I found that it was the young men, not the young women, who told painful stories about their experiences with gender stereotyping. Feminism has so changed the world that young women no longer feel constrained in their girlhood even during their transition to adulthood. Research suggests gender consciousness will develop later of course, as women face the motherhood penalty at work and the growing pay gap with men as they age. But right now, everyone tells them ‘you go, girl.’ ”
To read the full article, visit the Chicago Tribune website here.