What exactly is a feminist?

There was an interesting conversation on a listserv that I am on about feminism.  Then I had another conversation with a very good friend who is involved with Spark A Movement working on stopping the sexualization of women in the media talking about the perception of feminism being hard core radicals.  

When did feminism become a dirty word?  Here is the definition of feminism in Wikipedia: A feminist is "an advocate or supporter of the rights and equality of women".  Is it that we need a new face of feminism?  Someone wrote that if more people identify themselves as feminists the face of feminism will change and expand.  That there is strength in being feminine yet being bold about who we are and the lives we want to lead. 

I would hope that technology is helping us redefine feminism.  Maybe we just have to rebrand the word.  I consider myself a feminist.  I support women.  I have figured out how to create my own path that might not be the norm but it works for me.  Isn't that what the women of our past generations did that we considered feminists?  Isn't that why we all look up to Gloria Steinem?  She publically broke the mold.   

Maybe it is time for a new revolution.  When I see commercials on air where women are nit picking  their friend about how she doesn't keep her house clean I want to vomit.  Stop judging and start applauding.  Women can choose their own paths but we need some new feminists who we can all look to as role models and those women need to say, "I am a feminist". 

Who are they and who should be leading this campaign?