University of Central Florida STARS Honors Undergraduate Theses UCF Theses and Dissertations 2020 Visual Rhetorics and Rally Signs: A Study of Feminist Theory and Progression Rachel Casey University of Central Florida Part of the Women's Studies Commons Find similar works at: https://stars.library.ucf.edu/honorstheses University of Central Florida Libraries http://library.ucf.edu This Open Access is brought to you for free and open access by the UCF Theses and Dissertations at STARS. It has been accepted for inclusion in Honors Undergraduate Theses by an authorized administrator of STARS. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Recommended Citation Casey, Rachel, "Visual Rhetorics and Rally Signs: A Study of Feminist Theory and Progression" (2020). Honors Undergraduate Theses. 813. https://stars.library.ucf.edu/honorstheses/813 VISUAL RHETORICS AND RALLY SIGNS: A STUDY OF FEMINIST THEORY AND PROGRESSION by RACHEL L. CASEY A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Honors in the Major Program in Writing and Rhetoric in the College of Arts and Humanities and in the Burnett Honors College at the University of Central Florida Orlando, Florida Fall Term 2020 Thesis Chair: Dr. Sonia C. Arellano ABSTRACT This research explores the current directions of the U.S. Women’s Movement and the beliefs encompassed by 21st century feminism through a study of participant rally signs displayed at the 2020 Women’s March on Washington. Currently, there is much ambiguity surrounding the values for which feminism stands and further contestation about whether a U.S. Women’s Movement exists at all. This study examines public feminist activism in an established social rally to extrapolate goals of the present women’s agenda and underlying manifestations of feminist philosophy. Through analysis of personal messages and examination of feminist directions, further implications concerning rational dialogue and understanding amid international diversification can be drawn, extending beyond academia for practical application and a move towards social equity. ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Dr. Sonia Arellano for stepping in to serve as my thesis chair. Her willingness to jump into this role not only allowed me to continue my honors thesis but also meant I got to work with a knowledgeable and invested mentor who showed me how to look beyond popular narratives for a more complete understanding of history. I would like to thank Professor Vanessa Calkins for her continued support of my research passions and her thoughtful feedback on my thesis every step of the way. A special thank you to all of the 2020 Women’s March on Washington participants who allowed me to photograph their rally signs and welcomed me into their march experiences. Lastly, I would like to thank my dad for encouraging my dream thesis topic even when I had doubts and for proudly joining me at the 2020 Women’s March on Washington. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................... ii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................... 1 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW ........................................................................................ 3 Origins of Feminism ................................................................................................................... 4 Feminist Progression in the United States .................................................................................. 4 The Women’s March and Research Directions ........................................................................ 11 CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH DATA AND METHODS ................................................................ 14 Study Focus ............................................................................................................................... 14 Data Collection and Analysis.................................................................................................... 14 Scope of Analyses ..................................................................................................................... 17 CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS ............................................................................................................ 19 Trump Administration .............................................................................................................. 19 ERA and the 1970s ................................................................................................................... 22 Body Rights .............................................................................................................................. 26 Past/Future Rhetoric.................................................................................................................. 28 Pop Culture ............................................................................................................................... 32 Unity ......................................................................................................................................... 36 CHAPTER 5: DISCUSSION ........................................................................................................ 40 Directions of U.S. Women’s Movement................................................................................... 41 State of 21st Century Feminism................................................................................................. 43 CHAPTER 6: CONCLUSION ..................................................................................................... 46 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................. 49 iv LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES Table 1. Thematic Elements in the Content Analysis of Rally Signs .......................................... 16 Figure 1. Sample signs which mention impeachment.................................................................. 19 Figure 2. Sample signs which remix “Make American Great Again” campaign slogan ............. 21 Figure 3. Sample sign which reference the position of “The People in Power” .......................... 22 Figure 4. Sample signs which directly mention the Equal Rights Amendment .......................... 23 Figure 5. Sample signs which include 1970s-inspired style and content..................................... 25 Figure 6. Sample signs referencing possession of one’s own body and rights ............................ 27 Figure 7. Sample signs which include female reproductive organ images .................................. 28 Figure 8. Sample signs which connect past women’s action to that of the present ..................... 29 Figure 9. Sample signs which connect present women’s action to that of the future .................. 31 Figure 10. Sample signs which include sampled song lyrics relating to feminism and the 2020 Women’s March action ................................................................................................................. 33 Figure 11. Sample signs which connect the Star Wars franchise to women’s action .................. 35 Figure 12. Sample signs which mention intersectionality ........................................................... 37 Figure 13. Sample signs which reference the general woman or girl .......................................... 38 v CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION With the increasing globalization and diversification of modern society, the questions of self- identification and means for activation have moved to a greater importance. This desire to determine values and goals of both individuals and groups involves the study of social philosophy, a discipline concerned with one’s view of society and the relationships extant in that social framework based upon one’s held ethical values. The study of social philosophy includes feminism, one set of ethical interpretations of society which, at its root, is concerned with addressing hierarchical structure in interpersonal and political relationships. On a larger scale, social philosophies can encourage movements when people with like values find themselves drawn together in response to a certain event. On a smaller scale, but arguably more important, social philosophies give one a sense of identity and self-efficacy; one possesses a foundation from which to live out her social ethics in daily life and practice. However, while social philosophies do provide means for security and self-identity, they too continuously undergo refinement and redefinition to fit within the context of changing times, and this process of change and situated evolution is notably evident within the aforementioned feminist philosophy and feminist theory which have evolved along with societal conceptions of what it means to be a woman and what it means to be human. Today, the mere mention of feminism brings rise to much contention and infighting as what it means to be “feminist” in the 21st century has become quite confused, and I argue that it is important to understand and create an accurate definition for modern, 21st century feminism. This social philosophy has undergone massive evolution in the past few decades, and in order to enact real change or simply live out personal beliefs in congruence with community, it is vital to have a solid conception of the values and ethics by which one claims