Over the summer, Kim Kardashian and Sarah Jessica Parker came out and said that they would not describe themselves as feminists. Kim later said that she stands for everything feminists believe in, but she does not want to box herself in with a title. Sarah also embodies all aspects of a feminist, but still has yet to adopt the title. Unfortunately, other people in positions of fame or power have denied being a feminist or even put it down. But feminism is not a bad thing, and calling yourself a feminist is nothing to be ashamed of.
The term feminism began in France around the turn of the 1800s and it came to the United States in the early 1900s. While the word did exist, the usage was did not take off until the 1960s or 1970s. Women’s liberationist was a popular and preferred name for feminist, but was abandoned because of a bad reputation that was starting to come about. Once the term feminism was picked up it started to gather a negative reputation as well. Therefor, it is not the word that is so offensive, but the idea.
Feminism is a word that encompasses years of females fighting for their rights. One of the main problems that emerge around the word, is that it is relatively new. “Feminism” has only coming about in the 20th century. Before the word feminism existed, women like Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony were known as suffragettes. The term suffragette is nonthreatening, and the image of an outdated woman in a hoopskirt may come to mind. But the word feminism is new, and it sparks the image of a modern woman, which some deem threatening.
Many people seem to think that feminists are bra burning, men hating, millenials that only care about other women. But really, feminism is not only about women, but also about both genders and fights against all of the gender roles placed on people. Women should be able to have any job they want, but so should men. For example, there should not be a stigma around men being nurses or teachers. If a boy wants to be a cheerleader, or a girl wants to play rugby, he and she should be allowed to. The general assumption around the expected gender roles are outdated and should not be existent as time goes by.
It is about the equality of woman and man, and everything in between. There is no better sex, and one should not have more advantages over the other. Everyone should be held to the same standards and there should not be a more powerful sex. It should not be uncommon to see women in positions of power, or to see men in positions once deemed as feminine jobs. Men and women can both have the same hobbies with absolutely no judgment. For those of you that still think feminists are out trying to disrupt the balance of society or take over the world, I hope you eventually change your mind and realize what it is really about. It may not happen overnight, but by saying you are not a feminist, you are saying that you are not for the equality of all people.
Just ask yourself this one question:
“Are you a person who believes in the social, political and economic equality of the sexes?”
If you answered yes, then you are simply a feminist.
