A doe-eyed, ultra-girly, and seemingly naive 14-year-old girl is not the typical poster child for feminism. However, that is how some would describe Disney actress Rowan Blanchard. She has also been described as wise beyond her years and very inspirational as she has recently spoken out about her feminist ideology through public speaking and social media platforms.

Some who oppose the feminist movement like to picture all feminists as crazy, man-hating lesbians who don't shave their legs. Blanchard is simply a young girl who believes in equality. Growing up, I didn't know what it meant to be a feminist. I thought it was a movement some people believed in, but I didn't realize how much all women in this world need feminism. There was no Disney Channel actress to explain to me that being a feminist is not only okay, but good, or that feminism is simply the belief of social, political, and economic equality of the sexes.

It took me a long time to understand the fact that women are told they should be ashamed or embarrassed of being a feminist is the exact reason women need it. It is so important to start teaching young girls and boys about this from an early age. Exposing students to these concepts and ideas helps to create a more tolerant and accepting world. This can be achieved through the media choosing to support talent who also want to spread change and make the world a better place.

This past week as a part of WeDay, a convention about innovation and positivity, Blanchard gave a speech on feminism to 20,000 middle schoolers in Minnesota. During her speech, Blanchard spoke about feminism in a relatable and honest way that teenagers understand. Blanchard gave the teens a call to action telling them, "The point is, we can choose the language we use, we can question the media that surrounds us, we can take advantage that we have a voice and let it be heard loud and clear, we can create a world where you are safe to be yourself. And feminism is a belief that does just that. I am a feminist because I believe there should not currently be 62 million girls out of school, because I believe boys should not have to suppress their emotions for fear of being polarized by the public and their peers. Because I believe that gender and race are not boxes that should keep us from having the same equal opportunities" (Blanchard, 2015).

You can watch the full speech here:

Blanchard taking this stance is showing teens that fighting for social rights is important and that everyone is capable of doing it. It is helping to create a new generation of students who are ready to take the world's problems and face them head on.

This isn't the first time she has publicly spoken about her feminist beliefs. In response to a question on her Tumblr, Blanchard spoke about the dangers of a "white feminism" which is an agenda some might inadvertently support. Intersectionality is a subset of feminism that even some adults might not be aware of or educated on and it proves that Blanchard is truly taking her job as a role model to young girls very seriously. In an essay posted to her Tumblr, Blanchard shares, "Issues that are commonly thought of as feminist issues include sexual assault, rape, abortion, Planned Parenthood, domestic violence, equal education, and the wage gap. Feminists have also adopted marriage equality and gay/lesbian rights as their issue which is wonderful. However, with as many issues as feminists have succeeded in adopting, many of us seem to have not accepted the fact that police brutality and race issues are our issues too. “White feminism” forgets all about intersectional feminism. The way a black woman experiences sexism and inequality is different from the way a white woman experiences sexism and inequality. Likewise with trans-women and Hispanic women. While white women are making 78 cents to the dollar, Native American women are making 65 cents, black women are making 64 cents, and Hispanic women are making 54 cents. Kimberlé Crenshaw said it perfectly in 1989 when she said, 'The view that women experience oppression in varying configurations and in varying degrees of intensity. Cultural patterns of oppression are not only interrelated, but are bound together and influenced by the intersectional systems of society. Examples of this include race, gender, class, ability, and ethnicity'" (Blanchard, 2015). This is a very important aspect of the feminist movement that is too often overlooked. Other actresses, such as feminist, Emma Watson have tweeted out in support of her as well. Blanchard is refusing to dumb herself down in order to be accepted by Hollywood. She is speaking out and spreading her opinion no matter what backlash she might face.

You can read the full post here.

So whether you are a self-proclaimed feminist, still a little wary of the concept, or have never even heard the word, we can all learn from Rowan Blanchard and her feminist beliefs. It is so great of Disney to be supporting a young actress who wants to help bring about social change. Blanchard has been given a huge platform to speak from. Feminism is a loaded word. It is full of complexities and everyone experiences it differently. People share a wide variety of opinions on the topic and it is sad how often those opinions are negative. I believe the ignorance that comes along with hating feminism stems from a lack of education on the matter. Blanchard is truly changing what it means to be a Disney Darling; She is speaking out on important issues, unafraid of mainstream media, and perhaps on her way to becoming a feminist icon. With the backing of Disney, there is no telling how many young girls will be first exposed to and taught about feminism by Rowan Blanchard, and as a response, be proud to call themselves one.