The Faltering Feminist Identity: A study on feminist beliefs and identification for college students
Open Access
Author:
Mackintosh, Danielle Lindsey
Area of Honors:
Sociology
Degree:
Bachelor of Arts
Document Type:
Thesis
Thesis Supervisors:
Dr. Laurie Katherine Scheuble, Thesis Supervisor Dr. Jeffery Todd Ulmer, Thesis Honors Advisor
Keywords:
feminist identity college students stereotypes gender beliefs
Abstract:
The purpose of this study is to examine predictors of feminist identification in a sample of college students. The data for this research came from a non-probability convenience sample of 403 students at a large northeastern university in the fall of 2012. The survey included questions regarding the respondents’ beliefs on gender equality, gender roles, bodily rights, and feminist stereotypes. These factors along with sex, race, and class rank were used to analyze their relationship with feminist identity. The majority of the students do not identify as feminist and more students were unsure of their feminist identity than those who identified as a feminist. Major findings include that sex of respondent and holding feminist stereotypes play the largest roles in feminist identification. Females are more likely to identify as feminist than men and students who hold negative stereotypes are not likely to identify as feminist as compared to those who hold more positive views. Respondents who believe in non-traditional gender roles and gender equality are also more likely to identify as feminist. Implications are discussed.
