Feminism is a Practice, Not an Identity

By TMP 43rd Editorial Board

At Milton, “feminism” is not an unpopular word. It appears in DEIJ workshops, classroom conversations, and assemblies. We learn to critique patriarchy in history class and reference gender equality in Harkness discussions with ease, and many students would readily declare themselves as feminists, yet— surprisingly or not—sexism still lingers in our social interactions. A peer who applauds a USP speech on feminism may still stay silent when a friend makes a degrading comment about a Ritmo dance or a joke about sexual violence. A classmate who insists they “support women” may describe a confident girl as bossy in the next breath. A student comfortable engaging in campus conversations about misogyny might be less respectful to female dorm parents.

Performative activism allows us to feel aligned with justice without the discomfort of reflecting. Declaring a belief doesn’t mean embodying it, and the gap between our self-perception and the reality of our choices enables the continuation of campus misogyny, even at a school chock full of appeals to women’s empowerment. Too often, Milton students proclaim themselves “feminists,” even “activists,” without actually engaging in the action necessary to contend with misogyny in their environment. This phony activism masks a continuation of casual sexism that––so far, at least––the efforts of campus feminists have failed to quell, and we must recognize the potential for criticism of our actions without hiding behind a label. We are all complicit in creating this culture by tolerating and excusing the constant denigration of women’s opinions, ideas, values, and efforts. Associating oneself with progressive movements should go hand in hand with an increased, not decreased, openness to critique. Even for issues beyond sexism, the attitude of “I am an activist, so treat me with deference so I can continue my ill-defined activism unfettered,” has set our discourse back.

Students often take pride in social awareness, yet when concerns about misogyny are raised, they often respond with defensiveness or annoyance. For example, repeated criticisms of Milton’s misogynistic culture have fallen on deaf ears, even amidst Milton’s predominantly progressive student body. Although the Paper published an editorial on the subject almost exactly a year ago, following the 2025 Winter Dance Concert, and the Nonfictions issue of the Measure has featured relevant pieces in each of the last two years, no noticeable change has been made. We recognize that not every editorial will reach as far as we might like it to, and that we ourselves are by no means paragons of feminism. However, these efforts at activism will make no difference as long as women’s articulations of the struggles they face are met with denial or apathy from self-proclaimed feminists.

The specific circumstances of performative feminism at Milton reflect a broader mismatch between self-identification and action. While the Milton community’s victories in the realm of feminism abound, whether through the creation of The F-Word or the introduction of a speaker for Women’s History Month, room for growth remains. In particular, many of us approach casual interactions and class discussion in a manner contrary to our claims of feminism, often framing women’s rights as a frivolous concern of a bygone era.

All the while, the label of being a feminist absolves us from policing ourselves. The choices we make in our daily lives are more important than how we describe our beliefs, and it is the smooth repetition of misogynistic everyday habits that enables more overt sexism. We could theorize about gender all we want, but making Milton more inclusive depends not only on what we think but also on what we put out into the world. Milton does not need more self-proclaimed feminists; it needs more students who are willing to practice feminism when nobody is looking and to look inwards and accept critique of their most inextricable biases.