Rachel E. Molkois a first-generation Venezuelan and Jewish feminist scholar-activist. Currently, she is the Assistant Director of the Writing Program and a 4th year doctoral candidate. Rachel’s research explores feminist rhetorical theory in the context of contemporary popular visual culture. Her dissertation investigates the rhetorical significance of feminist icons, particularly seeking to engage their potentialities for rhetorical agency and rhetorical citizenship. Her article, "SCUM Manifesto as a Rhetoric of Domination" can be found on the peer-reviewed scholarly web publication Peitho: Journal of the Coalition of Feminist Scholars in the History of Rhetoric and Composition at
cfshrc.org/article/scum-manifesto-as-a-rhetoric-of-domination/. Outside of work, she enjoys watching Jeopardy! with her partner, practicing hot vinyasa, and spending time with her cats, Simba and Weezy F. Kitty. |
Intersectional Feminism:
Resisting Oppression with Internet Meme Culture
Abstract
Written in my Proseminar course in the fall of 2018, I use intersectionality as a framework to rhetorically analyze three internet memes circulating in popular feminist discourse. I approach memes as a facet of media, often created for satirical, comedic, or commentative purposes. In 2018, popular feminist discourse has been informed by slogans such as “it’s not feminism if it’s not intersectional,” “feminism without intersectionality is white supremacy,” and “the feminism will be intersectional or it will be bullshit.” In understanding praxis as the unification of theory and practice, I note that feminist praxis has become critical of itself in the mainstream. For this reason, the slogans mentioned above represent a newly enforced standard in feminist discourse. By enforcing a new standard of feminism with iconic imagery, illustrations, and comedy, the memes in this analysis put viewers in a position to reflect on their own beliefs and behaviors. For social change, the reflection can lead to an increased self-awareness that informs agency, decision-making, and the creations of opportunities to center marginalized narratives and combat otheredness. Each of the memes in this analysis employed questioning in unique ways. Thus, I argue that perpetuating intersectionality as the standard for feminism through viral media represents social change on a level of resisting otheredness through critical reflection, especially by questioning.