Check out this commentary from Bucknell’s Sam Soller about the Young Feminist Summit (part of the 40th anniversary NOW conference that Charlotte and I attended):
It was painfully apparent that at the Young Feminist Summit, a majority of attendees were at least well into their 50s. I would argue that young women like me, a 19-year-old Bucknell University sophomore, aren’t turned off by the political aspect of feminism. Many college students are actively involved in politics, but we are reluctant to join a movement dedicated to bashing men, degrading our bodies, and obsessing with sex.
Amidst NOW’s ‘soap opera of feminism,’ which included braless women, booths with banners declaring ‘I love female orgasms,’ women who used to be men, current and former prostitutes, open displays of intimate affection, people referring to NOW President Kim Gandy as ‘my leader,’ and an affirmative reply to a question asking if clothing is optional, the ‘veteran feminists’ just couldn’t seem to figure out what was scaring off young people.