Channels, Fall 2016

Channels • 2016 • Volume 1 • Number 1 Page 71 Feminist Theory and Technical Communication Olivia Duffus Communication — Cedarville University Introduction any individuals do not truly understand feminism; they hear the word feminism and roll their eyes because they associate the term with passionate women who think they are better than men and should therefore get more rights than men. Extreme feminists like this are actually in the minority of feminists. Unfortunately, rare cases like this have still tainted the way that many interpret the term feminism , and it has prevented some of us from researching feminist theory at all. While many individuals would benefit from studying feminism, technical communicators can especially benefit from researching feminist theories. Feminism and technical communication overlap in many areas because feminism has played and is playing a large role in the field’s development (Flynn 1997). Undergraduate technical communication programs should include courses that study feminist history and theories as related to the field. This article will discuss the three most common types of feminism, its history in relation to technical communication, and the impact of socially-constructed social norms on feminism. I will then discuss why feminist theories should be integrated into undergraduate studies, how studying feminism will improve user-centered design, and how it will ultimately broaden students’ spheres of influence as professionals. Literature Review Types of Feminism Most experts who study feminism recognize that there are multiple types of feminism. The most common approaches to feminism are postmodern, liberal, and radical (see White et al 2016; Gurak and Bayer 1994; Flynn 1997). Postmodern Postmodern feminists question how notions of gender have become part of “underlying structure institutions” (Gurak and Bayer 1994). They do not view gender or feminism as a stable entity but as a fluid idea that changes often. Flynn (1997) further explains that postmodern feminists focus more on the differences between women themselves, rather than categorizing females into one type of box or focusing on their segregation from men. M