Feminist Attire; Advocating for Gender Equality or Just a New Fad?

While shopping at the mall recently I came across a sweatshirt that said “Feminism: The radical notion that women are people” printed boldly on the front. A few days later as I shopped on Forever 21, I found a shirt that boldly stated that the wearer was a ‘Feminist’.

As a self-proclaimed feminist it is enjoyable to see support for feminism, especially by popular brands and within mainstream view. Except, I get this feeling as though these shirts are being made into more of a fad rather than a sincere support for gender equality. Are buyers acknowledging the issues revolving around gender inequality and the feminist movement, or is it just a fashion statement?

I am not being entirely critical of these shirts, but I also question if they are being made and bought for the right reasons. Feminism is an important topic that should be discussed more often, especially amongst millennials and the emerging youth. Are we making it into a fashion statement without talking about it? If this is the case, I feel as though the seriousness of the topic is therefore underplayed.

I am hopeful that maybe these shirts might be a step towards bringing the issues and the topic of feminism into the awareness of more individuals, and are not instead a spring trend that are going to pass as quickly as they came.