Recently, there have been a slew of articles online, written by young women, denouncing feminism.
I’d like to reiterate that feminism, by definition, is economic, political and social equality of the sexes. That’s it.
Literally, that’s it.
It does not mean bra- burning, or hating men, or that women can’t be homemakers. It does not mean your date can’t buy you a drink. It does not mean you can’t accept a door being opened for you by a man.
It. Just. Means. Equality.
It means that women and men should have equal compensation for equal work. It means your opportunities shouldn’t be limited based on the anatomy between your legs. It means that everyone deserves to feel safe walking home alone at night. Are men and women different? Sure, but that shouldn’t have a significant bearing on our quality of life.
Still afraid to embrace the term? Here are 10 people that want to welcome you along to the “dark side”:
1. Amy Poehler, frankly, has had about enough of your shit:
“That’s like someone being like, ‘I don’t really believe in cars, but I drive one every day and I love that it gets me places and makes life so much easier and faster and I don’t know what I would do without it” Amy Poehler (on women who decline being called a feminist)
2. Aziz Ansari has a fool-proof method if you're confused:
“You’re a feminist if you go to a Jay Z and Beyoncé concert and you’re not like, hmm, I feel like Beyoncé should get 23% less money than Jay Z… Also, I don’t think Beyoncé should have the right to vote and why is Beyoncé singing and dancing? Shouldn’t she make Jay Z a steak?”
3. Nicki Minaj on the unrealistic expectations all women face:
“When you’re a girl, you have to be everything. You have to be dope at what you do, but you have to be super-sweet. And you have to be sexy and you have to be this and you have to be that and you have to be nice. I can’t be all those things at once. I’m a human being. ”
4. Zoey Deschanel says you can still be feminine and be a feminist:
“I rock a lot of polka dots, I have touched glitter in the last 24 hours, and that doesn’t mean I’m not smart and tough and strong.”
Phew, that was a close one.
5. Ellen Page, AKA Juno, and who doesn't love Juno?
“I call myself a feminist when people ask me if I am, and of course I am, ‘cause it’s about equality. So I hope everyone is. You know you’re working in a patriarchal society when the word feminist has a weird connotation”
6. TSwift lays it down pretty simple:
"To say you're not a feminist means that you think men should have more rights and opportunities than women."
7. Anna Kendrick thinks we all should use the f-word:
"It's practically become a curse word. Somebody says, 'Oh, you're being such a feminist,' and you're supposed to be like, 'No I'm not.' Why are we afraid of that word? It exists and we can't get rid of it, so let's fight for it and embrace it."
8. Lena Dunham thinks you should reconsider:
"Feminists believe that men and women should have the same opportunities. If you are a feminist you believe in equal rights as a whole. That's not a concept you can really shoot down…We're going to be compensated fairly for our jobs, we're going to be given the opportunity to make choices about our bodies and we're going to be safe."
9. JAMEES BOND. JAMES BOND WANTS YOU TO BE A FEMNISIT:
"Women are responsible for two-thirds of the work done worldwide, yet earn only 10 percent of the total income and own 1 percent of the property… So, are we equals? Until the answer is yes, we must never stop asking." Daniel Craig
10. And finally, the Queen B herself, wants you to be a feminist.
Need I say more?