When we all hear the word "feminism" there are a few different meanings that come to mind. Some people have this idea that if a girl in college calls herself a feminist it automatically means that we are opposed to men, that we hate them (a lot), or that we are attempting to become the oppressor in our society. The truth behind it is that us women in college don't feel the need to have feminism in our life to simply put down the males. We need feminism in our life so that we can feel comfortable in our own sexuality, so that we can feel proud to be women in society,
After asking a group of women to define the major barriers women are facing today, many responded that women seem to be measured by their sexuality. Women in college face a lot of decisions when it comes to sex, and with these decisions comes double standards that have been set by society. But women should not feel pressure from society about their sexual decisions or preferences. A woman's sexual life is one that belongs to her and should come with zero judgement from society. Kristina P., who is President of DePaul's Honors Program and the Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs on SGA, states, "Let's stop placing worth on each other that is measured by sexual experience. Everyone's sexual experience is different, and sexuality is just one sliver of the many pieces that make up someone's identity."
By having the burden of these sexual standards be countered by numerous double standards causes women to feel as though we need to tiptoe around our daily life and make our body something that pleases society, even though it's our body. Society seems to have an unrealistic understanding of what "beautiful" and "pretty" are, and when we don't meet these standards it can come back as "slutty" or "asking for it", or it can go to the other side of the spectrum where we are told we look "different" or "tired" for not wearing enough makeup. Lillian S. perfectly states "I don't like being told what I have to do just because it is considered 'pretty.'"
Being told that we have to live up to all of these standards makes life a little more difficult for us. This is why we need feminism. Feminism is important to feel confident in our society. It is a way for us to embrace our sexuality and say that it is our own, and no one else's. Feminism is meant for everyone, for supporting women in our world and allowing them to embrace who they really are. Sofia T. says: "Feminism is not about man-hating. Feminism is about everyone, including men letting go of arbitrary standards that are holding women back."
In order for us to change societal standards, we need to educate the world. We need to make sure that everyone sees the issues at hand. It is more than finding equality in our world, it's about getting respect from everyone and having the same basic human rights as everyone else.
Beatrice P., a recent DePaul Alum, says "Women need to start feeling entitled to basic rights and respect. We need to realize that we deserve just as much as any man and we can't just back down because a cute boy tells us to. Men, society -- and yes, other women -- need to stop judging women for speaking up, working, being confident and feeling entitled."
Women have so much to offer to this world. We need to realize that feminism isn't just a "girl's club": It's a societal club that everyone needs to join in order to make sure that everyone feels confident and beautiful by their own standards without someone telling them how they should look or feel.
