It is 2016. We can pull out a phone and find the definition of a word in seconds. So why do so many people still fail to understand what feminism means?
The Oxford English Dictionary defines feminism as
"advocacy of equality of the sexes and the establishment of the political, social, and economic rights of the female sex."
Real feminists don't hate men. The main idea of feminism is equality. Women aren't the only ones affected by sexism. Female offenders accounted for only 2% of death sentences from 1973 through 2012. Men also tend to receive longer prison sentences than women. The criminal justice system isn't the only place where men face gender inequality. According to the CDC, suicide is four times higher among men than women. Men are expected to behave a certain way, to uphold certain ideals of what it means to be a man, and society is hard on those who do not fit their ideal.
Men should be able to report being raped or abused and know they will be believed. Men should be able to stay home with their children part-time or full-time without being criticized. Men should be able to pursue careers traditionally reserved for women, such as nursing and childcare, without being seen as less of a man. Men should not be expected to pay for every single date. Men should be able to express emotions freely without criticism. Men shouldn't expected to be anything but good.
I am a feminist because I want my future children to grow up in a world where "boys will be boys" is not an excuse for sexual harassment or assault. I want my daughter to never worry about walking alone or wonder if she'll be the only woman in a conference room full of men. I never want her to worry about being too aggressive when negotiating her salary. I want my children to be able to wear whatever clothes they want and play with whatever toys they want without fear of criticism.
I am a feminist because women should be able to walk down the street without being catcalled or told to smile. I am a feminist because girls are forced to cover their knees, shoulders, and collar bones, even in the high temperatures of early fall, because their bodies are too "distracting". I am a feminist because thousands of underage girls in the United States are forced into prostitution. I am a feminist because women are viewed as submissive, people who need to be controlled. I am a feminist because all too often, women are made to feel responsible for their rapes or shamed for ruining their rapists' lives. I am a feminist for these reasons and a hundred others.
Being a feminist does not make me anti-men. I don't shame women who choose to fill traditionally female roles. I'm not asking anyone to burn their bras or riot. I just want equal opportunities for everyone. Why is that so hard to understand?
