As a follow up to my previous article about my sentiments on the female perspective, it has began to occur to me that, put simply, why should anyone care? and even more importantly what can we do? Words are just words but they can be powerful, so let me empower you.
Top Five Things WE Can Do To Make Feminism More Than a Position:
1. Stereotyping feminism can be deadly.
If you want to be a "queen," be a queen, if you want to cook for your husband every night and be a stay at home mom, do that. Feminism doesn't mean you have to follow a certain label or way of life. I believe there is a thing called a "bad feminist" in fact there is a book by Roxane Gay titled just that, and at times I believe I am a bad feminist because I look at my life and realize I don't always fit the stereotype, and thats okay. Feminism isn't about telling "women what to do and how to do it" as Hannah from HBO Girls perfectly points out.
2. Lift up the next generation of girls
As I said before in this article, the world is advancing into a progressive state, there have been a lot of media addressing the hot topics of our humanity that where once brush under the rug--for example feminism campaigns. This one in particular is a GoldieBox commercial from 2014 really addresses that girl power thinking starts at a young age. Watch it here
3. Educate yourself
There is nothing more infuriating and irritating then someone who talks without merit or knowledge on what they are discussing. On the flip side of that it is also toxic to refuse to listen to where someone is coming from. I have loved writing this article because I found the Secret commercial that I really loved (which can be found here) on a personal blog, which argued this commercial did not do present feminism and profession in the correct way. Although I don't necessarily agree, I was good for me to understand there is a whole other side to how things are perceived. I also love reading articles on things I don't identity with in order to see what I'm missing! My favorite site is jezebel.com.
4. Get excited!!
Not all of this talk has to be about what women don't have or what they lack. It can also be about all the great wonderful things that come from being a woman and emphasize our power. For example another clip that was actually presented at the Cannes Lions Film festival this year perfectly showcases the celebration of women while also enforcing the powerful aggressiveness that we possess. Check it out here!!
5. Realize that the feminism comes in many forms.
You don't have to get published nationally or start an international campaign to support feminism. Disregarding the gif, I am not saying to flash a highway but instead to have the courage and knowledge to write/do things like this article, its small but important. It is important to realize "pro girls" exists in a multitude of topics and organizations that isn't solely a feminist campaign. On Instagram the other day, an account called Free The Girls @ UGA followed me, which is an organization that provides job opportunities for survivors of sex trafficking, which represents the empowering of women on a more vague level. Here's their website and Instagram if you want to check it out!
