March 12, 2013
“Bring your feminist self to work every day”(Courtney Martin)
In a guest essay for Feministing, Courtney Martin, a former editor of Feministing says that feminists need to carry their feminism with them wherever they work —not only in cases where they are employed by organizations specifically devoted to advancing women’s equality and working for women’s causes. Feminists need to be represented in occupations of all kinds. Martin provides helpful tips on how women can live out their feminism on the job..“First and foremost,” she writes, “you have to overcome your own inevitable sense of ‘imposter syndrome,’ take up space, and speak up. When I’m at a meeting in an intimidating place with what I perceive to be lots of smart, successful people, especially if the room is mostly populated by men, I force myself to say something at least once. . . . That’s not just for my own advancement; it also helps the team get used to hearing women’s voices and perspectives, in general.” Martin presents additional ideas and encouragement in her article. (Christian feminists will see a parallel here in living out the principles of our Christian faith no matter where we work as well.) To learn more about Courtney Martin’s reference to the “imposter syndrome” that sometimes afflicts high achieving women, you can read this 1978 journal article (a pdf file) by Pauline Rose Clance and Suzanne Imes, who first researched and wrote about the phenomenon.)
