In today's culture, there has been a recent spike in media coverage and overall discussion about discrimination. Today, I want to look at one of the biggest movements many of us have seen in our lives so far: the feminist movement. I think we tend to turn our head sometimes when it comes to issues such as this. "Why can't they keep their mouths shut?" "Things are fine just the way they are, can't they leave it alone?" Or, the one I am most guilty of myself: "These kinds of people can find something wrong with just about anything." We see people not conforming to the norm, to society, and often times discredit their view and opinions immediately. Feminists seem to be so in your face about this whole deal, and most times, this is a serious turnoff. No one wants to be yelled at while being called a bigot. However, today I come to you asking for respect and understanding so that I can maybe help just one person see that this movement really is a beautiful thing.
I want to begin by coming to you as a young woman who has most recently decided herself that it's OK to be a feminist. Before I opened my mind and heart, I thought being a feminist would mean hating men, never shaving my pits and being the most aggressive and loud-voiced person out there to get my point across. I figured I would be taking up arms in the grown up women version of the Little Rascals Men-Haters-Club, and it would be goodbye to one way of thinking forever. I would forgo my want to be a wife, or at least feel guilty for wanting it, and ultimately all things girly would be put to shame. I would be seen as a liberal, who wanted to dance in the woods naked while worshipping the Devil and all the mothers back home would begin saying "bless her heart," and maybe even start up a prayer group for me. All jokes aside, while I'm not afraid to voice my opinion, choosing the label as a feminist can be, at times, very scary.
Through some serious soul searching and through the help of one of the best Women and Gender studies class I've ever taken, I have come to the conclusion that I am ready to call myself a feminist, and there are some very critical reasons why. You should want to be a feminist because in no way is it about putting anyone down, but it's simply about equality. Feminism is all about choice. I think through the media coverage and overall stigma, we don't see the true meaning behind the movement. Women don't want a complete gender role swap, but there shouldn't be any gender roles that hinder people in any way! The one thing I truly want for someone to get out of this article is the fact that feminism's priority is the freedom of choice. If a woman wants to be a CEO of a company, she should be. If she wants to be a teacher with no children or husband of her own, she can be. If a woman wants to be a mother and caregiver, there is nothing wrong with that! This is what hit me the absolute most.
Women should be free to be who they want to be. It's not about ditching the children, laundry and dinner and picking up your picket signs and not wearing my bra; it's about my right to choose to do all or none of any of those things in the first place. I can still wear my lipstick and UGG boots, go to church and get married. I can be whoever I want to be, and there should be no shame in the way I choose to lead my life. There's so much pressure from the media, the society we were raised in and even our home lives to look a certain way, grow up and be certain people. There are double standards in the workplace, about sexuality, and even simply existing in this world. By joining this movement however, we can begin to embody the spirit of choice, and pass it down to future generations. Through them, and our children's children, we can begin to reshape the way society looks at women forever.
Whether you wear makeup or don't, put on converse or high heels in the morning, you should be empowered, feel important and know that no matter your choices, who you are, or what you do, you are here for a purpose and no one can ever take that away. I hope this article has helped inform someone out there and has let them know that in this society, it truly is all right to want to stand for yourself and say that you're proud to be a feminist!
