It’s 2016. This really shouldn’t be problem. But, apparently the idea of “feminism” is being looked down upon.
If you look up the term “feminism” in the Oxford English Dictionary, it will read, “Advocacy of equality of the sexes and the establishment of the political, social, and economic rights of the female sex.” That’s it. That’s all that feminism means. Equality of the sexes. We’re not asking for men to be hung. We’re not asking to be paid more than men currently are. We’re not asking to be superior. We are asking for equality.
By saying you’re not a feminist, you’re saying you do not believe in equality of the sexes. You’re saying men are superior to women. You’re implying that being barefoot and pregnant is the only way for a woman to be. That a woman needs to be led by a man and cannot function on her own. That’s bullshit.
And I know most of you are specifically referencing the “bad parts of feminism.” This new wave of “modern feminism” is not true feminism. A real feminist does not hate men. A real feminist does not believe she is superior to a man. And, the idea that grinds my gears the most: A real feminist does not gang up on other women for not being “feminist enough."
I constantly hear “feminists” say “feminists shouldn’t get married because they don’t need a man.” Or, “if a woman gets married, she shouldn’t take her husband’s last name because that un-feminist.” No, actually as a real feminist, I can do whatever I want, because I am not oppressed and have free will. If a woman doesn’t want to take her husband’s last name, wants to hyphenate or combine names, etc., that’s fine.
On that same note, when I marry, I want to take my husband’s last name. Why? Several reasons. Partly because my last name is constantly pronounced and spelled incorrectly. I want to have the same last name as my children. It’s also tradition, and that’s important to me. But as a feminist, I can do whatever the hell I want.
And you know what else? I don’t have to explain myself to anyone in order to “prove” I believe in equality of genders. As a free woman, who does not have to answer to any man about how or why I do things, I also don’t have to be put down by my fellow women. A feminist who puts down other women represents the opposite of what feminism truly is about, and is the problem with today’s society.
As a feminist, I believe that if I have the same education level, the same skill set and the same job as a man, we should be paid equally. However, I do not believe that this pay should be handed down to a woman to fulfill an affirmative action requirement, just as I do not believe that a man should have a higher pay grade because of what genitals are in his pants. Women work just as hard as men do. This needs to be proven.
Lastly, a word on Hillary. No matter how you feel about her, or how you feel about the possibility of a woman president, the slogan #ImWithHer is a joke. Point blank. You can’t claim to be a feminist and vote for someone specifically because they’re a woman. I understand what this slogan means. I understand some people’s point of “we need a woman is office.” I believe we need the right person for the job. Shocking, right? And maybe Hillary is the right candidate and she is going to fix this country. She’s not going to fix it simply because she’s a woman. She’s going to fix the country because she’s qualified for the job. Being a woman (or a man) has nothing to do with it.
