It's time to talk about the "f" word. No, the other one. The even more inappropriate one, feminism. I want to address how a movement toward equality has somehow become hung up and impeded due to a word and not it's definition. A majority of Americans do not identify themselves as feminists but still agree that men and women should be equals socially, politically and economically. This is ironic considering that is quite literally the simplest definition of what a feminist believes. But the word has come to be associated with man hating and radicalism among other things.
All movements or organizations are going to come with groups of people who take it to an unrepresentative extreme. But if all small radical groups were seen as a representative of a whole then one could assume that Westboro Baptist Church represented all Christians, which is a far cry from the truth. You don't hate it, you just don't understand it. And that is where I come in. I've gathered several quotes about feminism, said by people far more eloquent than I, to help clear up any confusion.
1. "A feminist is anyone who recognizes the equality and full humanity of women and men." - Gloria Steinem
This one is here to clear up any concerns that feminism is about hating men or about making one sex more powerful than the other. This is the most bare bones definition and by far the most important. If feminism were a college degree this would be in 101.
2. "Feminism isn't about making women strong. Women are already strong. It's about changing the way the world perceives that strength." -G.D. Anderson
Yes,*gasp* the feminism focus greatly leans towards women and achieving equality for them in this world. But what needs to be better understood is that women gaining power and opportunities does not mean that men are losing anything. Similarly to how stating that black lives matter does not imply that lives of other colors matter any less. Like former President Obama himself said, "When women succeed, America succeeds." We are not trying to take your seat, we are simply adding more to the table.
3. "I myself have never been able to find out precisely what feminism is: I only know that people call me a feminist whenever I express sentiments that differentiate me from a doormat." - Rebecca West
You're not the only one confused on the exacts when it comes to feminism. It is a broad term that can be interpreted in many different ways. All that needs to be understood is that you are here and you matter just as much as anyone else.
4. "It just means that I love myself as a female and I also love men." - Katy Perry
People need to understand that declaring yourself a feminist does not mean you have to adhere to a strict list of guidelines. There is no feminist law. You do not have to be pro-choice, you do not have to be a female CEO, you do not have to grow your armpit hair out. Feminism is simply here to give you the choice. The ability to have an equal say over your own life. Thanks, Katy.
5. "We need to reclaim the word 'feminism.' I used to think, What do you think feminism IS, ladies? What part of 'liberation for women' is not for you? Is it freedom to vote? The right not to be owned by the man you marry? The campaign for equal pay? 'Vogue' by Madonna? Jeans? Did all that good shit GET ON YOUR NERVES? - Caitlin Moran, How to Be a Woman
That is exactly what I am attempting to do, reclaim the word. Take back the night. Help everyone, men and women, reach a better understanding and realization that we all want the same things.
6. "No woman can call herself free who does not control her own body." -Margaret Sanger
I don't think anything could make the need for feminism more clear than the image of a room full of all white males making life changing decisions about my body. No matter what your political beliefs are, I think we can all agree that these kinds of decisions should be being made by those who will be directly affected by them.
7. "I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own." - Audre Lorde
This one is for the women out there who claim they don't need feminism because they are already free and equal. How do you think you got to be that way? Do you think that privilege just fell out of the sky and smacked you on the head? No. It came from thousands of women throughout history fighting for you to have those rights. And it is our responsibility to continue fighting to maintain and improve them as well as fighting for the millions of women across the world who still don't have the same privileges we do.
I'll end it with a bang, because I could rant forever but still won't be able to put it as graceful as Emma Watson:
