On Waking Up One Morning and Discovering We Are Them

This chapter meditates on the issues of identity and pedagogy in a student-teacher relationship. The author's aspirations as an "invisible" mentor whose influence is deeply felt despite her position not being so easily defined, contrasts with the other extreme-that of being capable of confidence and of becoming the center of attention. Finding a middle ground between these styles of mentorship is preferable, however. There is no easy solution to a student's transition into the upper echelons of academia, let alone in retaining their interest in feminist philosophy. Being "one of 'them'" is a frequent concern, especially as the support networks in the field of feminist philosophy can often be marginalizing to other groups.