I've definitely encountered this hesitation to use the word "feminist." Sometimes it comes from a desire to think about social justice more broadly than gender issues (which I think feminism does, actually), and sometimes from a backlash against the media's negative stereotype of feminists.
Usually, I think it's important to educate people about the diverse definitions and images of feminists, to combat the negative stereotype. I think labels can be powerful organizing tools for movements. On other days, I wonder how important labels really are, and if we're wasting too much energy trying to get people to define themselves as feminists, instead of just focusing on the changes that need to happen in the world around us. But mostly I believe that people's ignorance about feminism and their fear of the label holds us back from doing the real work in the world, so it is an important educational campaign.
I've definitely encountered this hesitation to use the word "feminist." Sometimes it comes from a desire to think about social justice more broadly than gender issues (which I think feminism does, actually), and sometimes from a backlash against the media's negative stereotype of feminists.
Usually, I think it's important to educate people about the diverse definitions and images of feminists, to combat the negative stereotype. I think labels can be powerful organizing tools for movements. On other days, I wonder how important labels really are, and if we're wasting too much energy trying to get people to define themselves as feminists, instead of just focusing on the changes that need to happen in the world around us. But mostly I believe that people's ignorance about feminism and their fear of the label holds us back from doing the real work in the world, so it is an important educational campaign.