Recently on social media I have noticed that since Emma Watson's speech at the UN regarding the #HeforShe Campaign, that celebrities and people alike have been either showing their support for the movement, or pointing out the flaws it has.
I am personally ecstatic that so many people are getting behind this movement. While I agree that Emma Watson's speech had some problems at it's core, it made a lot of great points.
Feminism has become a dirty word, Feminists of the 60's and 70's were radical, and to be fair, many of them did promote man-hating. I do still see a lot of self proclaimed "feminists" blaming the entire male gender for the actions of a few horrible men. These people are not feminists. The same way you cannot blame "Muslims" for 9/11. Blaming a group of people for the actions of a few who fit in that group is unwarranted and isolating.
To me, being a true feminist (a word I am proud to use. I have hope that in the future this word won't have such negative connotations) is being someone who believes that women should have equal rights to men.
I am a feminist for so many reasons. The list is literally never ending, but I would like to include a few to help you understand why I feel so strongly about this.
I am a feminist because female children are still being sold as child brides. It is almost 2015, how are we still allowing this to happen?
I am a feminist because when women that I care about are sexually assaulted, other men and women ask what they were wearing as if wearing a mini skirt gives you a right to touch someone's body.
I am a feminist because when I say I am excited to be a stay at home mother, other women laugh or tell me that my dream is stupid.
I am a feminist because the men and boys in my life are made to feel like less of men when they show emotion, while women are made to feel like less of women when they don't.
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I am a feminist because I am tired of gender roles. I am tired of there being "girl" toys and "boy" toys in happy meals. When I was younger I enjoyed playing with trucks and super heroes and my brother occasionally played with Barbies. Let children be children, and play with what they want.
I am a feminist because in some countries, women are still played less for the same work as their male counterparts.
I am a feminist because when a female has a short haircut it is "dykey" or "boyish". The outdated idea that women must have long hair and traditionally feminine features to be a women is stupid. What makes you a woman is how you are inside, not what you portray on the outside.
I am a feminist because women are sexualized by the media and in their daily lives. Because when I was in high school I was told that the shirts I wore, exactly the same as the other girls, were inappropriate because I was well endowed. I was a child. It was not my fault that my body grew much more quickly, and I was made to feel ashamed of it.
This is a extremely short list and just a handful of reasons why I identify as a feminist.
I could sit here and point out that Emma Watson's speech could've had some rephrasing. I understand that she aimed some of it at men (which some people were offended by) but to me, much of the talk of feminism needs to be aimed at men. We need them on our side. They make up 50% of the population, and whether or not we like it, right now they fill up most of our leadership roles. We need them to be fighting for our cause. Like Emma said, it is their cause as well. What I need is for me, and all the other humans on this planet to be free. Right now, gender inequality is imprisoning us, and we all need to be fighting to break from it.
I understand that this topic is controversial (though to me that seems ridiculous) but I felt that I had to say something and join the conversation. To bring the conversation back to what made me write this post, Emma Watson's speech, she said that it is not the word feminist that is important, but the feelings behind it. What I hope is that although you may not brand yourself with the label of feminist, that you commit to joining a fight to improve all of our lives, and the lives of generations to come.
xx
To me, being a true feminist (a word I am proud to use. I have hope that in the future this word won't have such negative connotations) is being someone who believes that women should have equal rights to men.
I am a feminist for so many reasons. The list is literally never ending, but I would like to include a few to help you understand why I feel so strongly about this.
I am a feminist because female children are still being sold as child brides. It is almost 2015, how are we still allowing this to happen?
I am a feminist because when women that I care about are sexually assaulted, other men and women ask what they were wearing as if wearing a mini skirt gives you a right to touch someone's body.
I am a feminist because when I say I am excited to be a stay at home mother, other women laugh or tell me that my dream is stupid.
I am a feminist because the men and boys in my life are made to feel like less of men when they show emotion, while women are made to feel like less of women when they don't.
'
I am a feminist because I am tired of gender roles. I am tired of there being "girl" toys and "boy" toys in happy meals. When I was younger I enjoyed playing with trucks and super heroes and my brother occasionally played with Barbies. Let children be children, and play with what they want.
I am a feminist because in some countries, women are still played less for the same work as their male counterparts.
I am a feminist because when a female has a short haircut it is "dykey" or "boyish". The outdated idea that women must have long hair and traditionally feminine features to be a women is stupid. What makes you a woman is how you are inside, not what you portray on the outside.
I am a feminist because women are sexualized by the media and in their daily lives. Because when I was in high school I was told that the shirts I wore, exactly the same as the other girls, were inappropriate because I was well endowed. I was a child. It was not my fault that my body grew much more quickly, and I was made to feel ashamed of it.
This is a extremely short list and just a handful of reasons why I identify as a feminist.
I could sit here and point out that Emma Watson's speech could've had some rephrasing. I understand that she aimed some of it at men (which some people were offended by) but to me, much of the talk of feminism needs to be aimed at men. We need them on our side. They make up 50% of the population, and whether or not we like it, right now they fill up most of our leadership roles. We need them to be fighting for our cause. Like Emma said, it is their cause as well. What I need is for me, and all the other humans on this planet to be free. Right now, gender inequality is imprisoning us, and we all need to be fighting to break from it.
I understand that this topic is controversial (though to me that seems ridiculous) but I felt that I had to say something and join the conversation. To bring the conversation back to what made me write this post, Emma Watson's speech, she said that it is not the word feminist that is important, but the feelings behind it. What I hope is that although you may not brand yourself with the label of feminist, that you commit to joining a fight to improve all of our lives, and the lives of generations to come.
xx
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