BagongPinay - Pinay Ngayon (Filipina Today) April 2000

By Perla Daly

A few years ago, a major U.S. publication had an issue with the arguable frontpage headline that read “Is Feminism Dead?.” I have discovered for myself that it is alive. And growing.

This March 2000, NewFilipina attended the FAWN2000 Conference in San Francisco. (see www.fawn2000.org) Along with hundreds of other Filipinas in the U.S. we participated in a progressive forum event. Being part of this conference has made me reflect on the exciting fact that more and more Filipinas today are becoming part of a pro-women movement. We Filipinas are coming face to face with that F-word, that is, feminism. Feminism is many things to many people. And to a number of people it is an F-word---so much so that there are people who support women’s causes but would rather describe themselves as “pro-woman” and shun the word feminist. Is feminism really dead or are the growing ranks of “pro-woman” groups using a soft term for feminism? I believe that the women of today are defining feminism in their own ways and calling it what they feel comfortable with.

Filipina women are seeking to define their own kind of feminism.

With the formal incorporation of the NewFilipina organization in 1999, one year after the web site was launched, I came face to face with the fact that although I had never identified myself personally as a feminist, I was, in fact, one. I had founded a web site and an organization that seeked to promote the positive identity of Filipina women as individuals and as a group entity. I was seeking the upliftment for Filipinas. I went into this whole thing starting a little web site with a pro-Filipina, pro-woman stance. And although I was not a political or even vocal activist I discovered that because of how I felt and what I wanted to do, I WAS a feminist. It almost felt like an accident. But it wasn’t. It is what has become a part of me.

Pinay power, Filipina empowerment, FWN, FAWN2000, Isis International, Gabriela, Kilawin Kolektibo, Ugnayan ng Kababaihan so Pulitika and many other Filipina women’s networks around the world… even when we just have coffee with our girlfriends and talk about our problems and cheer each other on to overcome them... here are proponents of a Filipina Feminism! The most exciting realization for us all is that it has only been our ignorance and society’s collective forgetfulness that have ever chained a Filipina down. We don’t need to take back our power as women because we Filipinas have always had the power! We only have to look back on our ancient babaylan (priestess) and our history’s heroines such as Gabriela and the women of Malolos. We have a matriarchal society. Filipina feminists are merely reminding themselves and each other of that inner power. We are helping each other use that power in our lives.

From my personal efforts to push NewFilipina forward, I have come to define feminism for myself. It is a belief or philosophy that women have power over themselves. It is a movement where organized action seeks to help women realize and use their power in their lives. It is the hope that someday there will be gender equality and balance all throughout humanity’s consciousness and world. If you have always preferred to think of yourself as “pro-woman” or “pro-filipina,” and/or find yourself agreeing with these definitions, you just might be coming to terms with the realization that you are, in fact, a feminist, too.

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