#TheFWord: A SheKnows Media Study on Feminism

# T H E F W O R D

A Study on Feminism

A S H E K N O W S M E D I A S T U D Yi n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h R e s e a r c h N a r r a t i v e

M a r c h 2 0 1 6

@ s h e k n o w s m e d i a # T h e F W o r d2

TABLE OF CONTENTS

4 F E M I N I S M I N A N E L E C T I O N Y E A R

3 A S E L E C T I O N O F P E R S P E C T I V E S O N F E M I N I S M

1 M E T H O D O L O G Y & E X E C U T I V E S U M M A R Y

2 I D E N T I F Y I N G F E M I N I S T A R C H E T Y P E S

5 F E M I N I S M ’ S W A Y F O R W A R D

PART ONEmethodology & executive summary

@ s h e k n o w s m e d i a # T h e F W o r d

UNDERSTANDING WOMEN’S RELATIONSHIP TO FEMINISM TODAY:• Understand how women define and identify with

Feminism across lifestyle and demographic categories

• Reveal what sources influence a woman’s perspectives on Feminism

• Identify if women have benefitted from Feminism, and what work remains to be done

RESEARCH OBJECTIVE


M E T H O D O L O G YIn December 2015 – January 2016, SheKnows Media fielded a custom study

to its research panel of 7,600 members and to its online audience, generating 1,622 responses, 98% of which were from women. This data has

been third-party validated and analyzed by Research Narrative.

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RESEARCH METHODOLO G Y

F O R M A T : Online Survey

I N - F I E L D : 12.28.15 – 01.07.16

B Y R A C EB Y A G E B Y E M P L O Y M E N T

• 78% Employed Full or Part Time

• 12% Managing a Household

• 4% Retired

• 3% Student

• 2% Unemployed

• 77% White

• 9% African American

• 8% Hispanic

• 4% Asian

• 2% Native American

• 31% Millennial (1985-1998)

• 43% Generation X (1965-1984)

• 24% Baby Boomer (1946-1964)

• 2% Silent Generation (1945+)


1 F E M I N I S M ’ S S T A T E D P U R P O S E I S C L E A RWhether appreciated or not, people understand Feminism to mean gender equality, and older Millennials, not GenXers, have taken up the Feminism torch from Boomers.

2 F E M I N I S M ’ S A C C O M P L I S H M E N T S A R E N O T A S C L E A RThe vast majority of respondents have leveraged the gains of the Feminist movement…perhaps without realizing it.

3 N O N - F E M I N I S T S F E E L E X C L U D E DNon-moms are super Feminist, women of color and conservative moms feel alienated by Feminism due to their identity or chosen lifestyle.

4 T E L E V I S I O N T E A R S D O W N F E M I N I S MTV and celebrity influences create a dividing factor among Feminists and Non-Feminists. The more TV influences you, #TheLessYouKnow.

5 W E A L L P A Y T H E # F E M A L E T A XFeminist or not, we feel dismissed, criticized, even harassed to a startling degree.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: 5 KEY F INDINGS

PART TWOfeminists, non-feminists, and women on the fence

@ s h e k n o w s m e d i a # T h e F W o r d8SOURCE: #TheFWord, A SheKnows Media Study on Feminism, March 2016; Q. Do you currently identify as “feminist”? Base: Women 18+

IDENTIF ICATION WITH FEMINISM IS SPLI Tone-third of women aren’t committed either way

D O Y O U I D E N T I F Y A S A F E M I N I S T ?

46%

Y E S

32%

I T D E P E N D S / N O T S U R E

22%

N O

B R E A K D O W N B Y A G E

Yes53%

No15%

It depends

25%

Not sure7%

2 5 - 2 9

Yes44%

No23%

It depends

27%

Not sure6%

3 0 - 5 4

Yes54%

No17%

It depends

24%

Not sure5%

5 5 - 6 4


REQUEST THE FULL DECK TO REVIEW:• 7 PERSONAE: THE FEMINISTS THE NON-FEMINISTS

AND THE ON-THE-FENCE

- Their demographic commonalities

- The psychology and life stages that feeds into perspectives

FEMINISTS, NON-FEMINISTS AND THE ON-THE-FENC E

PART THREEa selection of perspectives on feminism


F E M . I . N I S M ( N O U N )The belief that women and men should have equal rights and opportunities.

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EMBRACING A UNIVERSAL DEF INITION

F O R A L L

The dictionary definition is understood by

feminists (72%) & non-feminists (42%) alike

F O R N O NF E M I N I S T S

F O R M E N F O R W O R K I N G W O M E N

#1 #2

The next most popular definition is “rejects

traditional values” (40%)

Feminists believe equality doesn’t have to

be at men’s expense, and in fact may benefit

them. Feminists don’t hate or want to be men

As women enter the workforce and focus on

careers, feminism’s importance is more

acute

SOURCE: #TheFWord, A SheKnows Media Study on Feminism, March 2016 Q. Which of following definitions matches your definition(s) of “feminism” (if any)? N=1,329

@ s h e k n o w s m e d i a # T h e F W o r d12SOURCE: #TheFWord, A SheKnows Media Study on Feminism, March 2016

Q. Which of the following have you done? Select all that apply. Base: Women 18+ N=1,089

ALL WOMEN BENEFIT FROM FEMINISMregardless of affiliation, women take similar advantage of the movement’s rights

W H I C H O F T H E F O L L O W I N G H A V E Y O U D O N E ?

96% 95% 92%

65%

20%

91% 90% 89%

63%

17%

Voted Gotten credit in your name

Used birth control Started your own biz Terminated a pregnancy

Feminists Non-Feminists


REQUEST THE FULL DECK TO REVIEW:

• The familiar monetary price women pay in the workplace.

• The less familiar emotional price we pay at work, and also in the world at large.

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WE ALL PAY T HE # F EMALET AX

PART FOURfeminism in an election year


The Millennial Vote

• It has been widely reported that Bernie Sanders is sailing past Hillary Clinton as the youth favorite

• Our study shows Young Millennials (25- to 29-year old women) lean towards Sanders

• Older Millennials (30- to 34-year old women) lean towards Clinton

Race Adds A More Significant Gap

• White millennials heavily support Sanders, while African American millennials heavily support Clinton1

• Important, because African American millennial women are the most likely millennial demographic to turn out to vote come Election Day2

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MILLEN IALS AND T HE ELECT ION

SOURCE: #TheFWord, A SheKnows Media Study on Feminism, March 20161. Source: NBC News, ”Clinton Maintains National Lead Over Sanders, 02/15/162. Source: The Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement

PART F IVEfeminism’s way forward


1 G O B E Y O N D # W O R K I N G M O M P R O B L E M S A N D C H O I C EGrowing the movement will require convincing women that Feminism is inclusive of women outside the workplace. #EqualPay and #Choice are two key Feminist issues, but not the only ones.

2 I N C L U D E M E NThe majority of women believe men can (and should) benefit from Feminism too. Helping families helps all members of those families.

3 W O M E N M U S T S E E I T T O B E I TAs frequent primary breadwinners, African American women have a lot to gain from Feminism’s fight. If white women forget about their sistren of color when fighting, however, they leave women of color, particularly African American women feeling excluded.

4 G O D I G I T A LReach women where they are online to offset television’s negative effect – especially younger women at the critical lifestage of being early in career and considering starting or growing a family, and African American women.

4 GO-FORWARD TACTICS FOR THE FEMINIST MOVEMEN T

#TheFWord: A SheKnows Media Study on Feminism

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