“What is feminism?”

The notorious debate on who is a feminist and what qualifies someone to be one. And while normal, every day, people would say any women can be a feminist. Today’s extreme society believes in only one form of feminism. This extreme birth control-loving, pro-life-hating, build each other up, but tear others down ideal that has taken over and clouded what feminism should have really been about.

Being born right at the edge of millennials have found myself in quite the predicament. I want to support and fight for women equality, but how can I with the label that feminism brings? I personally do not identify with typical feminist qualities. In fact, I find it very not feminist to reject women with different opinions.

So often, feminists rage on the internet about how we as women need to stick together but then in their very next tweet is poking fun at a woman who doesn’t agree with all of the typical ideals of being a feminist.

So that leaves us to the actual question of what is true feminism?

It’s hard to agree on one solid definition because for some people its equality of all genders, while for others, like me, it’s more about being confident that I am being a woman and being happy with what I have as a woman. Being a woman is probably one of the best things that’s happened in my life. We have this amazing ability to carry a human being for nine months and successfully give birth to them. We can do what we set our minds too. Our possibilities are endless.

But some “feminists” have this notion that you can’t be feminist if you aren’t pro-choice. This idea that women are entitled to their bodies. And this is an entire own debate on itself, but what about all those girls murdered each day in the name of feminism? What about all those children that you have just taken their right to the opportunities you fight for? Sure, take your birth control, but just think about the little girls you deny their rights as well as you preach about your choice to murder the child inside you.

Then there’s the idea that feminism is standing up for all genders, but really female and feminine are from the same root. Both of the female gender. And again, a different debate, but some people believe there is only two genders. But when it comes down to it, feminism should only really be about females.

That’s why you won’t find me at these women marches because the messages are so skewed and inaccurate. And I’m not one of these “anti-feminist” people out there because I do believe there is still some injustices here in America when it comes to women. But I definitely think that we as women shouldn’t be upset by who we are by playing the victim card of how hard we have it, but use that as a way to grow and become a better person.

We as girls should be building each other up despite political boundaries and who stands for what issue or another and just be supportive as girls. There’s more hate between women then there is between women and men, but yet we as women still put all this blame on men. What have they done? Exist?

And so, the question still is: what is feminism?

I don’t think we will ever have a true answer. But, it should make us think. Why is feminism so debated when everyone thinks it’s something that should be normal? Why does there have to be defined lines and definitions to it? And why can’t we just agree that to be feminist is to be happy with being a woman? Why does it have to be such a negative and uphill fight of all the reasons being women sucks?

Why is feminism so hard to define?