Introduction
The word feminist evokes mixed responses in people. Take a moment and honestly reflect on the imagery, stereotypes, and feelings that arise when you think of feminism. For many, feminism is associated with angry protest, bra burning, and man hating. Although all of these things have occurred in the name of feminism, to only consider them is both limited and limiting. This chapter highlights how feminism, especially as applied to couple and family therapy (CFT), entails so much more. Feminism is about inclusion, accountability, mutuality, equal access to resources, respect for the value of all people, and promoting freedom of life choices. The Feminist Therapy Institute (1996) included this definition in the Preamble to the Feminist Therapy Code of Ethics:
Feminists believe the personal is political. Basic tenets of feminism include a belief in the equal worth of all human beings, a recognition that each individual’s personal experiences and situations are reflective of and...
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Van Ness, N. (2019). Feminism in Couple and Family Therapy. In: Lebow, J.L., Chambers, A.L., Breunlin, D.C. (eds) Encyclopedia of Couple and Family Therapy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-49425-8_530
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