I’m sure many of you have seen in the news all the attention the Women’s March On Washington has received, and I’ve seen all sorts of mixed ideas on different media platforms, especially social media, discussing ideas of feminism and whether or not this march was worthwhile. I wrote this response after reading some of Tomi Lahren’s tweets after the march, and was hesitant to post it at first but I feel somewhat obligated to share my views and to (hopefully) open the eyes of those of you who may think feminism is a joke or just a fad of a bunch of whiny democrats who are sad that they lost the election.
So without further ado, feminism.
Here are a few things feminism is NOT:
- Feminism is NOT about hating men (Some men are feminists).
- Feminism is NOT all about free-bleeding, not shaving, burning bras and wearing pussy hats (some people like to protest in that way, but not all of them).
The definition of feminism is “the advocacy of women’s rights on the basis of the equality of the sexes.”
Feminism, contrary to popular belief, does not require wearing a pussy hat, and it doesn’t even require that you march with the women and make your voice heard about pressing issues that DO matter.
There is just one thing that qualifies a person as a feminist: Believing that women (and everyone for that matter) deserve equal rights.
If you do share this belief (whether you are a woman or a man), you can not deny the irrefutable fact that you ARE a feminist (whether you want to call yourself one or not). Welcome to the club, pussy hats are optional.
However, I can understand why, based on the stereotypes associated with the term “feminist”, you could be scared off. There are some women out there doing crazy things, making feminism the punchline of many jokes. I understand why a woman would not wish to fall under the same category as someone who doesn’t shave their armpits or use feminine hygiene products during her time of the month. But honestly, there is only a small fraction of women practicing those radical movements. You don’t have to burn all your bras and throw away all your tampons (in fact, I implore you to please keep them).
I’ve struggled with this idea myself, and once thought how annoying feminists can be and how whiney they are. But I’ve come to this grim conclusion: it is 2017 and everyone is whiny. Everyone has something to complain about. I mean, those of you who “don’t identify as feminists” because you think feminists are whiny are complaining and whining that feminists are whiny. Whether it’s Donald Trump, GMOs, giving out participation trophies, wearing school uniforms, not giving out participation trophies, or Harambe, everyone has something to complain about.
I can’t help but do my part and complain. Silence is compliance. I want to be seen as equal to a man and be paid equally for doing the same amount of work as a man. I should retain the right to choose what to do with my body. I demand respect, not because I’m pretty or because I have money, but because I deserve it. We all do. I am not “playing the victim”. I am standing up for what I believe in, and what I believe in is equality.
For those of you who, after reading this, still really truly think you aren’t a feminist, let me just leave you with one last thought. These feminists that you do not wish to identify with are the ones who fought for your right to vote, they are the ones who have given you opportunities to hold positions like “CEO”, “Senator”, “Judge”, and “Doctor”, and have paved a path for you so that you feel like you don’t “need to” be feminist. The feminists today are fighting to ensure you retain those rights, and are given other rights that women still don’t have, like the right to have equal pay for equal work. You don’t have to identify as a feminist (even though by definition you probably are), but you damn well better appreciate the work that’s been done for you by those who do.
THE EARTH'S AGENDA 