Emily Taylor Feminist Analysis

Emily Taylor was a pioneer for female students at the University of Kansas by devoting her life’s work to equity amongst the sexes. Kelly Sartorius’ book, Deans of Women and the Feminist Movement: Emily Taylor’s Activism, details Taylor, the history of Deans of Women, and the feminist movement in higher education. Throughout her education and career, Taylor modeled her practice after Deans of Women prior to her. This cultivated practice helped support and challenge young female students at universities across the country. Deans of Women, including Taylor, paved the way for great societal change at higher education institutions as seen with de-segregated housing, sexual assault prevention, and many other areas. Taylor struggled, though, to …show more content…
For a woman that fought so adamantly for equality by means of feminism in higher education, it is disappointing to see her implementing racism and classism in many of her practices. If a public servant does not understand how societal issues like race and class impact their constituency, how can they be an effective leader? To have a Dean of Women, like Emily Taylor who did so much for the University of Kansas, as well as national education, not fully understand how race and class impact her students, proves that she was not a true feminist leader. Taylor was blinded by her white privilege and failed to see how she was putting her students into the difficult situation of having to adhere to white, middle class mannerisms. The goal of education is to advance individuals. Taylor herself was a proponent of autonomy over your own decisions. Yet, she put her students of color and low income students in a situation where they had to act other than themselves to move ahead in life. They were not given a space where they could learn and grow, they were given a space where they were told to act a certain way, or else they would not grow. Taylor’s practices set a precedent for other female professionals in higher education as Taylor was someone who was looked up to. If Emily Taylor could engage in racism and classism in her leadership, why could other professionals …show more content…
For her it was important that her female students gain autonomy for themselves. Taylor gave these students opportunities towards equality that not many women were afforded during the 20th century. The women who were most afforded this, though, were white, middle class women. While Taylor became more educated on diversity issues as she grew older, it still stands that she engaged in racism and classism in her professional practice. For these reasons, I do not believe that Taylor can be considered a feminist by today’s standards. When we reflect on history it is important that we are critical and holistic when we are examining it. Emily Taylor was a crusader for women in higher education, but it is crucial that we examine who her practices most benefited, and who was hurt or ignored. During Taylor’s time at KU the practices she engaged in would be considered feminism for the time. Looking back at history, though, her feminist practices were not always inclusive to all demographics of women. Taylor will always be remembered for what she did for women in higher education, but it is important that we do not hold her to the standard of being a feminist by today’s standards, when she engaged in racism and classism in her professional work. By shrugging off a few of the violent practices Taylor executed in exchange for much of the good work she did,