There’s nothing like connecting with other passionate, inclusive feminists to make our day. That’s why we were so thrilled to learn about Aurora, host of It’s Just Feminism. On this show, which runs on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok , Aurora interviews other feminists from a delightfully dizzing array of backgrounds and explores what it means — and what it doesn’t mean — to be a feminist.
Aurora is an international PhD student of Feminist and Gender Studies who moved to Canada from her home country of Croatia—and we are so happy to have her here in Canada, and on this Power Q & A.
Welcome, Aurora!
Aurora, host of It’s Just Feminism.
Q: Why did you start the It’s Just Feminism platform?
A: It all started, as passion projects often do, as a result of procrastination and utmost frustration! Half a year ago, I was writing a journal for a PhD course in Feminist and Gender Studies. I was stuck, struggling to understand a specific concept in feminist theory, so I foolishly turned to YouTube on a quest to find an interview with the author who introduced it to contemporary feminist theory, or at least a video essay discussing it critically. And I did find it - after endless scrolling through content that was absurd, disturbing, and sometimes even dangerous.
A parade of infamous antifeminists, TERFs-who-must-not-be-named, trad wives, religious fundamentalists, and pick-up artists flooded my screen. There they are, promoting the return to traditional gender roles based on values of patriarchy, religion and nationalism. They don’t hide their discrimination towards queer and BIPOC communities, justifying it under the excuse of “protecting women” which is ironic as they try to undermine the frameworks of support and justice for survivors of sexual and domestic violence…because they believe the victim is always to blame, even though they are the ones sometimes openly calling for violence.
Their arrogance made me confront my imposter syndrome. If these people, who have never read a piece of feminist theory or research, seen a feminist meme, let alone participated in a feminist movement, feel confident to say that “feminism has gone too far” then maybe I, as a feminist academic and activist, have a right to take up space to talk about feminism too. With help from my friend Domenika, a new feminist platform was launched in July 2024.
“What is feminism? Who are feminists? What do feminists do? Can feminism change the world?”
These are the questions we’re trying to answer through “It’s just feminism” - a platform for anybody interested in finding out more about feminism from actual feminists who are sharing information rooted in scientific research and their lived experiences.
There is not one way to live a feminist life, just as there is not one feminist theory. Our guests come from different walks of life to offer nuanced perspectives and a wild variety of feminist principles applied to topics of mental health, sexuality, disability, wage equality, migrations, colonialism, art, war, ethics and much more. Some guests are feminist academics; others never studied feminism but use feminist approaches in their work as activists, artists, archivists, authors, comedians, therapists, professors, musicians, carpenters, lawyers... These feminists are community builders in countries around the world - from Canada all the way to Australia. Representation is so important to us, there is even an episode with a white cis straight man! This feminist platform is intended as a safe space for all to learn and grow together no matter
who we are. Collaboration based on empathy for the sake of bettering the lives of all is the vibe we’re going for!
Fun fact: The name “It’s just feminism” is connected to “It’s just fashion”, my other passion project on sustainable fashion. The sentiment behind it is the same as it symbolizes that many are quick to dismiss the importance of both. It’s not just fashion. It’s a way of communicating with the world around us, and giving ourselves a confidence boost, but it’s also an industry that pollutes the planet and exploits the workers. It's not just feminism. It’s a movement connecting generations of people trying to imagine a better world. Feminism helps us stay vocal and resilient in our efforts to claim and keep the rights we all deserve. “It’s just feminism” is here to amplify those voices and praise the efforts of those who are wholeheartedly doing their parts in the fight for human rights.
Feel free to join us every Feminist Friday at 5 pm EST for new episodes with feminists around the world!
Links for “It’s just feminism” social media:
YouTube
TikTok
More about Aurora:
Aurora is an international PhD student of Feminist and Gender Studies doing feminist ethnographic research with female survivors of wartime sexual violence and genocide. She recently moved to Canada with her husband and their dog, partially because feminist studies don’t exist in their home country of Croatia. However, she was lucky to study History, Sociology and Anthropology. This path unlocked an interdisciplinary approach to social issues and gained her a deeper understanding of systems that perpetuate them. To take a break from heavy-loaded PhD work, she paints mediocre fashion illustrations and feminist portraits, runs from the Canadian geese on dog walks, and watches the cringiest of TV shows with her husband. She’s also trying to learn French, but so far, it's all pain, sans chocolat.