So over the last few weeks, I have been shocked to learn how many people disagree with feminism. When I would mention that it is the belief that men and women should be equal, they agreed with the notion, but continued to disagree with me about labeling yourself as a "feminist" because in their mind, it was about women superiority. I would go to explain that there are women out there who pervert feminism, making it seem like its this"let's hate men" fiesta, but that is far from feminists are trying to achieve. Their response was a faint nod of casual agreement, and I just gave up on trying to make them care.
So, how about we talk about feminism, shall we?
1. Feminism is the belief that both sexes should be equal socially, politically, and economically. THAT IS IT.
It is not about women being more powerful than men. It is not about proving women are the better sex, and all men are horny douchebags who need to be "taken down" (please, if you call yourself a feminist and seriously believe this, you need to rethink how that is not hypocritical). It is simply the belief that men and women should be treated with the same amount of respect, given the same pay, and not be oppressed by society or our government. If you agree with any of these concepts, guess what my friend, you are a feminist.
2. It fights for the rights of both sexes, not just women.
Yes, feminism is not just for women. It supports the rights of men as well. Men should not be subjected to sexual harassment, assault, or domestic violence. Neither should women. If a woman hits her boyfriend, she should be given the same treatment as a man who hits his wife. No gray area. Just like women should not be slut shamed for being sexually active, or harassed for not enjoying "feminine" activities, a man should not be labeled as "weak" or called a "pussy" for not being good at football, or deciding to remain abstinent until his wedding day. Feminism is all about not letting one's anatomy dictate how he/she should be treated. We are all human beings. We should not be treated differently just because of what is in our pants.
3. It's all about respect.
If a girl is walking down the street near a busy intersection, don't shout at her. If a guy is running in a park with his shirt off, don't catcall. If a woman has given herself the consent to drink and is quite intoxicated, don't take advantage of her. And if a man doesn't want to be intimate one night, don't force him to. This is what feminism is all about. Respecting each other's personal space.
So, awesome! Equality is great. But, this is 2015. Why do we still need to be active feminists?
Regardless of how simple these concepts are, they are not being practiced. Women are still being paid less than men. Rape cases for both sexes are still not being taken seriously. Women and young girls are still being asked "what were you wearing?" when reporting a sexual assault. And domestic and sexual violence against men is treated as a mocking display of their masculinity. We have fought so hard, and are still so far. So what can we do as individuals to truly reach the goal of gender equality?
1. Don't mock feminism or feminists. Yes, like every thing good in this earth, there are people out there who pervert the main concept. Become educated, and learn how feminism protects the fundamental rights of both men and women.
2. Understand that every time you make a rape joke, or categorize either sex with a derogatory label, you are being part of the problem.
3. Respect each other's choices, and if you don't, keep your mouth shut. How a person decides to live their personal life (as long it is not harmful to themselves or others) is none of your business.
4. If you are a witness or victim to a violent act of any kind, take action.
5. If you see someone being sexually harassed, speak up.
Basically like our kindergarten teachers taught us: treat others how you want to be treated.
Feminism is more than just a movement, it is a basic human right. We all deserve to be treated as equals. And it is time more than ever to start taking serious action, and understand that feminism is not about "taking the man down". It is about fighting for our rights as human beings.
