Oh Lady O

All of this talk about feminism brings me back to last semester when I wrote my senior thesis, which was about Oprah Winfrey. Although the focus was not on feminism, I did address issues of intimacy among women, Oprah's influence among women, and her spiritual prescriptions...for women. My point is that talking about Oprah in one way or another can't really be separated from the concept of feminism.

Through the research and writing process, I remember thinking how odd it was that Oprah herself barely mentions issues of feminism and gender roles. She is undeniably one of the most influencial media figures in the world even though as a black female she has gender and race working against her. She has broken down barriers for women and African Americans alike. One of the interesting things that I pointed out in my thesis is how Oprah is so different from how women in society "should" be: she's black, unmarried, childless, and the epitome of a working, career-oriented women. Yet she still finds a way to be relatable to millions of women viewers, a good majority of which are probably stay-at-home moms. In my thesis I argued that this was due to her use of self disclosure and "girl talk," but could there be something more?

It isn't Oprah's means of communication with her audience alone that causes that relatability (uh, not sure if that's a word...). It's the characteristics that result from that communication. In addition to Oprah's determination, strength, and intelligence (which are mostly considered to be male traits) Oprah's viewers see emotion, generosity, and vulnerability in Oprah. For example, most women can relate to the weight battle that they've witnessed Oprah go through for the past 20 years. Oprah herself admitted last year that she is embarrassed that that is still an issue for her; after all of her amazing accomplishments she still struggles with her own body issues.
I wonder why Oprah rarely makes it a point to talk about feminism. Maybe she think that simply talking about womens' issues (i.e. sexual abuse, working moms vs. stay-at-home moms, weight issues, etc.) is enough, and that each woman should make her own decision? That's hard for me to believe, though, because Oprah has no problem making spiritual prescriptions! I personally think that she doesn't address the issue often because it can be a touchy subject, and she might risk causing controversy. Or maybe she just isn't passionate about it? Who really knows...

If I had to guess, and based on her life's experiences, I would think that Oprah falls somewhere between a liberal and social feminist. I mean, she might not necessarily call herself that, but based on van Zoonen's description of liberal and social feminism I see Oprah fitting in somewhere around there. She has broken many stereotypes of woman, and also attained equality with men (although she's definitely a few steps above the majority of men as far as success goes!). She also addresses broader social issues regarding race, class, etc. Although Oprah has not often blantantly addressed issues regarding feminism, I think that her show in itself, being an outlet and realm for women, has helped move feminist issues in the right direction.