Power of a Feminist Identity on Sense of Self and Purpose

This study centered on feminist-identified women and the meaning they made from their feminist identity. Using an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis design, eight women were interviewed to understand their lived experience and the influence their social or political identity had on how they experienced and made sense of their world. The overarching finding was that all participants exuded a strong sense of self, which seemed to provide resilience and empower participants to navigate sexism and other injustice. Themes that support this finding include exhibiting confidence and self-advocacy, confronting sexism, and describing a connection between feminist identity and career or activism. Implications are provided for counselors, counselor educators, and supervisors. Recommendations include recognizing the importance of clients’ feminist identities throughout the counseling process and drawing on a feminist framework to process lived discrimination and injustice, empower clients, and locate support systems.