The gap between feminist theory and practice: Lessons from teenage women in California

To me it [feminism] means having respect for yourself and showing it and us ing it. Other girls my age commonly think it means being a lesbian and hati ng men, but I think men can be feminists as well, because if they have resp ect for themselves and show it and use it then they are being feminist. Oth er girls think it means Spice Girl 'girl power' but I think that is the opp osite of feminism (Teenage participant in an after-school leadership progra m, responding to the question: What does the word 'feminism' mean to you?).