FEMINIST IDENTIFICATIONS IN A TROUBLED SOCIETY

This article reports selected findings from a programme of postgraduat e research which examined women's identifications with feminism in Nor thern Ireland. This qualitative study used repertory grids and semi-st ructured interviews to explore the meanings of feminism with a total o f 31 women. It shows how women's perceptions of feminists have affecte d their decisions about whether or not to identify themselves as such. Tile dam reported here are from case studies of 26 women. The reperto ry grids uncovered perceived commonalities and differences between wom en's present and ideal selves and feminists, while the interviews reve aled some of the conflicts women negotiate in their daily lives and th e compromises they must make in attempts at conflict resolution. A con flicting picture emerges in which many women support feminist ideals b ut do not identify as feminists because of a negative stereotype of fe minists. While this stereotype has specific connotations in the contex t of Northern Ireland, it seems likely that certain aspects of it, and the ways in which it is used, may apply to other patriarchal and hete rosexist societies.