Moon: Interview

Moon: Interview
Sitting in a smoke filled room, while looking at the gray haired lady before me, it is almost as if the word “feminist” is written across her forehead. Cigarette in hand, Hoap Benefield exemplifies all that every female should strive to become. Her strength echoes from her posture and bounces off the walls around us. We begin our conversation like two old pals gushing about our days. It is hard to imagine that this woman is 50 years my senior. Thirty minutes after my arrival at the ranch-style home, I finally get to the point of my interview; feminism. Hoap looks at me strangely for a second, then replies, “What do ya mean? Those bra-burning types?” It was hard to contain my chuckle as she said this, but I did my best to keep my composure. At that very moment I realized that this Alabama native had no idea that she was in fact a raging feminist.
Before getting straight into the feminist aspect of my interview, I took some time to get some information from my interviewee. Hoap Benefield was born and raised in Valley, Alabama. Her two parents divorced when Hoap was still a child. Hoap's mother was described as “way before her time,” because the woman went through five marriages before her passing 1986. Hoap's mother was a very interesting woman, and Hoap described her as a woman who “would rather be out partying than at home.” Her mother worked in a mill all her life. This was the same mill that Hoap worked in for four months before leaving because she couldn't stand the conditions. Hoap and her mother lived with her grandfather until Hoap married her husband, Wade in 1958. Six years ago, Wade experienced a massive stroke which left his right side completely paralyzed. Since the stroke, Wade has lost the ability to form whole sentences and communicate effectivly. However, that did not stop this spunky 69 year old. She has been Wade's primary caregiver for the past six years, and life has not skipped a beat. This is why Hoap struck me as an interesting interview candidate. Her ability to live as a strong woman in a difficult situation and still live life to the fullest. Hoap Benefield resonates what it means to be a feminist, and she uses her power as a strong woman every single day.
Our conversation flowed smoothly as we discussed some views that Hoap had about the word feminism. All of her words weren't foreign to me, for they were the same misconceptions that many had about feminists. When asked if she had any stereotypes of feminists, she did not skip a beat before answering, “Lesbian.” It was extremely interesting to hear Hoap's views because it gave me true insight on previous waves of feminism. While sitting at Hoap's kitchen table, I pulled out my WMST 2010 book and read aloud an excerpt from Rebecca Walker's article, Becoming the Third Wave, “To be a feminist is to integrate an ideoglogy of equality and female empowerment into the very fiber of my life. It is to search for personal clarity in the midst of systemic destruction, to join in sisterhood with women when often we are divided, to understand power structures with the intention of challening them.” Hoap's reaction was a little delayed, because I think she was a bit surprised by the words used to describe feminism. After a few seconds, Hoap said, “I think I like that definition a little bit better than the bra-burning one.” We continued chatting about what it meant to be a feminist and Hoap enlightened me on Bubba, her 12-pound pomeraninan's latest blunders. This woman was a trip.
We shared a few more laughs before continuing on with the interview. My next questions were centered around inequalities in the workforce, and these sparked great stories from the aged-woman. Hoap worked full time before her pregnancies, in major department stores. Working in management, Hoap worked closely with men whom were supposed to be her equal. She said that in her time women mostly worked as clerks and men were above them. “It was just the way it was,” she said, “No one questioned it.” I brought of the idea of sexual harrassment and Hoap chuckled at the question. She said that it was an everday thing. “Men felt it was their right to say and do the things they did,” she said. Hoap explained that throughout her lifetime, men had always made unwanted advances towards her, ecspecially in the work setting. This, she said, was a direct result of being a strong woman. It was something that had been happening to women for years. Women either “hid their face” or said, “Get your damn hands off me!” When I asked her what she did in those situations she replied, “What do you think? Of course I said 'Get your damn hands off me!'” Hoap continued to say that sexual harrassment was something that needed to be stopped not only in the workforce, but in the social world as well. When I asked her what it would take to stop these harrassment issues, Hoap replied, “Standing up for yourself, and letting everyone know about your experiences without the fear of what the response will be.” After her statement, I informed Hoap that she was highlighting every major feminist point in the book. She looked at me and smiled and I knew that this woman was starting to see feminism in a whole new light.
Before continuing onto a new question, I expanded on what Hoap had previously just stated about “letting everyone know about your experiences without the fear of what the response will be.” I questioned Hoap on if she had any experiences of receiving negative reactions to her outspoken disposition. She smiled and answered jokingly, “You get a lot more fingers in traffic.” We laughed for a few seconds before she continued more seriously, “Of course men think you're a bitch if you tell them what you think and why you think it. And some women see you too aggressive. But overall, being outspoken has only gotten me farther in life.” Hoap explained further that being as outspoken as she comes with responsibility. “If you say something, you have to back it up,” she says defiently.
Our interview was already an hour underway and I still had so many things I wanted to know about her. This woman had been through it all. From triumphs to tragedies, Hoap had succeeded with flying colors and still lived to joke about it. She was extremely interesting and full of stories that could make a person laugh out loud or burst into tears. There wasn't a dull momeny in out interview and I was reluctant to end our time. However, I knew that it was time to wrap up my questions and let the woman get on with her dinner. Therefore, I asked Hoap my final question, “Given the new difinition of feminism, and with all the we discusssed, do you think that you identify as a feminist?” Hoap looked at me and said, “I guess I do, just don't tell your grandfather.”
Hoap Benefield was extremely fun to interview and gave me an increased insight on different views of feminism. I chose her because I knew she would provide non-censored answers to the questions I asked. I also see her as an independent feminist, who fights for equality without even knowing it. She is what third wavers would call an “unintentional feminist.” Hoap doesn't stand in picket lines or march with crowds, however, she stands up for what she thinks is right and does the same for everyone else. What I admire most about Hoap is not just the she is my grandmother and has the kindest heart, but instead, it is her passion about life and liberty. Hoap Benefield, born and raised in Valley, Alabama and who once idenitfied feminists as “bra-burners,” is in fact a feminist in 2008.