Laura Kennedy, a noted writer and journalist, delivers a forewarning to her audience before delving into her interpretations of contemporary feminism, acknowledging that her perspective might instigate a degree of controversy. This comes as she has reached a point of dissociation from the feminist tag. In a conversation with podcast host Róisín Ingle, Kennedy postulates the term to have lost its substance and no longer serves any practical use.
Kennedy’s perspective evolved in the course of her career in a predominantly female profession, beauty journalism. Despite her colleagues asserting their feminist identity, their lifestyle seemingly contradicted their declared support for the feminist agenda.
Kennedy’s latest work ‘Some of Our Parts’ sheds light on this inconsistency with anecdotes from her personal experience of the deceptive nature of the beauty sector. An instance includes the ironic situation of women celebrating body positivity and empowerment through plus-size model inclusion and public declarations supporting fat activism but succumbing to societal pressures around extreme dieting and fitting into small-sized clothes that brands would send over to curry favour.
This contradiction was not limited to her colleagues, but was evident amongst the celebrities she interviewed. On being asked about their interpretation of feminism, the repetitive and somewhat insipid response was “Feminism means to be kind”.
Kennedy recalls a time when discussions around gender matters were met with sensitivity, and public comments on the same would invite scrutiny. Speculating if there was a larger force at play, Kennedy wondered if these celebrities were being advised by their managers to provide this stock response as a safeguard from the mounting cultural sensitivity around gender topics.
Kennedy has found that identifying as a feminist is no longer a coherent expression of her beliefs. She voices that claiming one’s a feminist can encompass a range of meanings – anything from advocating radical views to promoting socialist feminism, dealing with gender criticism, or vying for equal opportunities or outcomes. Given the diversity of meanings, Kennedy feels the term loses its significance. Resultingly, she no longer identifies herself as a feminist as it fails to accurately represent her beliefs to those with whom she communicates.
In her book, ‘Some of Our Parts’, Kennedy uncovers the impact and connotations of various labels used in our lives, one of which is ‘feminist’. The book is a blend of personal memoir and exploration of identity. It delves into Kennedy’s identification with other labels such as ‘Irish’, ‘neurodiverse’, and ‘poor’. However, she contends that these labels offer only a glimpse into a more complex narrative.
The author carries the conversation beyond the pages of her book, sharing reflections on her early life in Limerick, battling mental health issues, and her later diagnosis of autism. The entire discourse can be accessible in the designated player or any preferred podcast platform.
‘Some of Our Parts’ penned by Laura Kennedy is available now.