Feminist Conversations is a regular feature at Feminists for Choice, where we talk to activists from across the interwebs to find out what feminism means to them. This month, we’re spotlighting the Feminists for Choice writers as part of our Season of Gratitude.

Roxanna joined our writing team late last year. She reached out to us from Canada, and we’re so lucky to have her on our team. When you read about how she discovered feminism, I’m sure you’ll understand why we love her so much.

1. When did you first call yourself a feminist? What inspired that decision?
I was 18 the first time I heard that phrase. I was a student in an arts-based high school which meant that I was very coddled, couldn’t count, but read a lot of philosophy. This was the mid 80′s and our department was run by men to whom the female teachers were entirely subordinate. The faculty had been working together a long time and were jaded, accustomed to their roles, and none seemed inclined to buck the status quo.

Then someone retired and a new teacher was hired. She had never taught before. She was a professional artist that had turned to teaching to help support her son; she was a single mother. Right from the start she seemed to have trouble fitting in with her colleagues and seemed perpetually nervous. But the year that she was my teacher was the year that changed the way I saw the world. She was one of those teachers. The kind you write a screenplay about later on in life. [Read more...]