Like many New Yorkers, I grew up without an intimate relationship with an automobile. Some of the aunts and uncles had cars, so you might say that I had a sort of in-law relationship of the automotive variety.

And then there was Betsy, the chubby, used, navy blue Ford that was attached to our household very briefly.

I was so enamored of Betsy the moment I laid my eight-year-old eyes on her that my parents let me  Continue reading →

Sometimes, feminists will hear comments like this: “I support women’s equality, but I am not a feminist — I’m a humanist.”

This topic comes up in class discussions from time to time.  Last semester, one of my students asked how to respond to a co-worker who saw a book she was reading for class, and dismissed it — and the idea of women’s and gender studies — with a similar comment.

So here is the reason that, if you are committed to gender equity, humanism is not the point.

One generally acknowledged definition of humanism is this: “an outlook or system of thought attaching prime importance to human rather than divine or supernatural matters. Humanist beliefs stress the potential value and goodness of human beings, emphasize common human needs, and seek rational ways of solving human problems.”

As you can see, there is nothing in that definition about equality between women and men. 

Humanism is not a political/social movement; it is a philosophical stance (although, as with any philosophical stance, it may lead to political action).

Feminism is not only a stance; it is also movement with a long history, many variations in how it has been expressed and experienced, and a strong political component. That political component has worked and works to change systems and cultures in order to improve women’s and girl’s lives, and to break down gender stereotypes for both women and men.  

Also: feminists may be people of faith, while the definition of humanism from the American Humanist Association states: “We strive to bring about a progressive society where being good without a god is an accepted and respected way to live life….Humanism encompasses a variety of nontheistic views while adding the important element of a comprehensive worldview and set of ethical values” 

So one can certainly be both a humanist and a feminist; there is no contradiction whatsoever. But one does not equal or substitute for the other.  

© Rhea Hirshman 2015

Sophia Loren, now past 80, wound up near the top of the list when 2,000 women were asked recently to select the 10 most beautiful women in the world. Also named in a 1999 British poll as the world’s most beautiful woman when she was a mere 65, Loren has been quoted as asserting, “Everything you see here I owe to spaghetti.”   Continue reading →

When I was growing up in Brooklyn, a significant rite of passage for my friends and me was being allowed to ride the New York City subway for the first time without the presence of any of our parental units.

Among the intricacies of subway riding, eagerly dissected by our adolescent set, were the rules associated with subway reading. One had always to consider the impressions created by the selection of reading material, and to choose items that showed one in the best possible light while not drawing too much attention.

But one day, some years later, I inadvertently broke that rule. I took Tillie Olsen with me on the D train, and found myself sobbing uncontrollably on the subway. Continue reading →