ABSTRACT
I recently attended a reading from the latest edition of the classic (originally published in 1980) feminist book, This bridge called my back. As I heard some of the contributors speak about their experiences and read from the book, I was deeply moved, and was reminded of what an absolutely essential force feminism has been in the world, as well as in my own life, my academic career, and my research. I think back to my college days when I took some of the fi rst women’s studies classes, and joined a consciousness-raising group; I rejoice in all the victories that feminism has won since then, but I mourn all the sexism and discrimination still in the world. Along with many other academic women and men, I have worked for understanding and for the advancement of gender equality through my teaching, service, and research. Some believe that “feminism” is a radical term, and a form of advocacy, thus having no place in research. I disagree. It may be radical, but we need radical, open-minded thinking to address sexism and discrimination based on sex, gender, and sexual identity. Feminist research does not mean a predetermined set of beliefs, or only one kind of interpretation of research and fi ndings; it means that researchers are aware of the larger historical, sociological, psychological, and educational contexts of issues that aff ect women’s lives and careers, and investigate how these manifest themselves in language teaching settings. Of course researchers should do everything they can to act, write, and teach with fairness and scrupulous honesty. However, I cannot deny, and am happy to acknowledge, that there is a strong element of urgency and personal investment in feminist research. If we who have the privilege of being scholars/researchers do not advocate for our fi elds, our teachers, and our students through our research into important identity issues, who will?
