By Jaimianne Amicucci
Just a couple of months ago I was utterly entertained to see a blogging debate about going on about “Cupcake Feminism”. As we all know, Feminism has gone through a number decades with many labels (good and bad) and each step has brought some sort of argument. Numerous differences based on women’s thoughts, opinion and values has often created a fruitful dialogue about individualism. In the third wave theory, these multiple ideas are considered valid and accepted under the larger theme of feminism. Interestingly, a new term, trend, or theory if you will, has stirred up the pot once again.
So, what is Cupcake Feminism? Well, it was recently defined as the “cute-ified new face of feminism” 1. I know that just created some very concerned looks. I would say Cupcake Feminism is the subversive use of domestic stereotypes. Perhaps more importantly, this term is a new label of feminism. When recently explaining this concept in a college class, I was challenged by an unhappy student “How do know your not labeling someone who just likes 50’s clothing and has tattoos?” My response was that they had to self proclaimed themselves as a feminist.
Many feminist organizations have lost the “steam” of the second wave feminist and worse, many younger women have been brought up to think feminism is ta radical bad way of thinking. This term “Cupcake Feminism”, whether good or bad, is making its way into a younger generation women, who may have otherwise not considered themselves feminists. The term is new and still budding, but as it’s talked about and argued about it gets into the mouths of more women.
I would claim the idea of Cupcake Feminism stems back to the label of lipstick feminism of the early third wave movement. The idea has also been going in the art community with knit graffiti and the subversive stitch 2. In 2012 a UK-based author Meryl Trussler really started the conversation about Cupcake Feminism with an article titled “Half Baked: The Trouble With Cupcake Feminism”. In the article, she claims that the concept was started in a counter campaign to make feminism appealing “to these suckling lambs”. As you could imagine her strong words went on to stir up some international responses. One of the more well written responses can be found in a blog called Diaries of A Lipstick Terrorist. The author understands Trussler’s points but overall sees the movement differently. She claims, “It shows that, femininity, too, can be strong and loud and brave.”
The biggest argument over this new ideology is whether or not being domestic cripples the feminist movement? Is this a movement of strong subversive females, or is this lower middle class women who have to cook more and be craftier out of an economic need? Well the argument is up to you.
Regardless of why this new term has come about, it is undeniable that there are a lot of women who fit in this genre. Younger generations that may have found the second wave too aggressive for their taste, now have a comfortable niche to proclaim themselves feminist. Some women claim that by doing these domestic chores they are actually protesting consumerism. Others, who are strong feminists, are using their freedom of choice to enjoy a more domestic lifestyle. In the end, we are allowing a new developed interest in feminism that keeps the conversation lively.
Just a couple of months ago I was utterly entertained to see a blogging debate about going on about “Cupcake Feminism”. As we all know, Feminism has gone through a number decades with many labels (good and bad) and each step has brought some sort of argument. Numerous differences based on women’s thoughts, opinion and values has often created a fruitful dialogue about individualism. In the third wave theory, these multiple ideas are considered valid and accepted under the larger theme of feminism. Interestingly, a new term, trend, or theory if you will, has stirred up the pot once again.
So, what is Cupcake Feminism? Well, it was recently defined as the “cute-ified new face of feminism” 1. I know that just created some very concerned looks. I would say Cupcake Feminism is the subversive use of domestic stereotypes. Perhaps more importantly, this term is a new label of feminism. When recently explaining this concept in a college class, I was challenged by an unhappy student “How do know your not labeling someone who just likes 50’s clothing and has tattoos?” My response was that they had to self proclaimed themselves as a feminist.
Many feminist organizations have lost the “steam” of the second wave feminist and worse, many younger women have been brought up to think feminism is ta radical bad way of thinking. This term “Cupcake Feminism”, whether good or bad, is making its way into a younger generation women, who may have otherwise not considered themselves feminists. The term is new and still budding, but as it’s talked about and argued about it gets into the mouths of more women.
I would claim the idea of Cupcake Feminism stems back to the label of lipstick feminism of the early third wave movement. The idea has also been going in the art community with knit graffiti and the subversive stitch 2. In 2012 a UK-based author Meryl Trussler really started the conversation about Cupcake Feminism with an article titled “Half Baked: The Trouble With Cupcake Feminism”. In the article, she claims that the concept was started in a counter campaign to make feminism appealing “to these suckling lambs”. As you could imagine her strong words went on to stir up some international responses. One of the more well written responses can be found in a blog called Diaries of A Lipstick Terrorist. The author understands Trussler’s points but overall sees the movement differently. She claims, “It shows that, femininity, too, can be strong and loud and brave.”
The biggest argument over this new ideology is whether or not being domestic cripples the feminist movement? Is this a movement of strong subversive females, or is this lower middle class women who have to cook more and be craftier out of an economic need? Well the argument is up to you.
Regardless of why this new term has come about, it is undeniable that there are a lot of women who fit in this genre. Younger generations that may have found the second wave too aggressive for their taste, now have a comfortable niche to proclaim themselves feminist. Some women claim that by doing these domestic chores they are actually protesting consumerism. Others, who are strong feminists, are using their freedom of choice to enjoy a more domestic lifestyle. In the end, we are allowing a new developed interest in feminism that keeps the conversation lively.