I was like you once. I believed the myths I heard about feminism and I dismissed it as a radical viewpoint led by man-haters. My viewpoint was based on ignorance. So I am writing this letter with the hope that I can educate women who, like I did, dismiss feminism and speak against it.
So what is feminism? In Women’s Voices, Feminist Visions by Susan Shaw and Janet Lee, there is a great definition of feminism which, I believe, encompasses the basis of what feminism is: “First, feminism concerns equality and justice…Second, feminism is inclusive and affirming of women and expressions of femininity; it celebrates women’s achievements and struggles and works to provide a positive and affirming stance toward women and expressions of the feminine.” There are many subcategories of feminism, such as radical feminism or new-age feminism, that differ on certain subjects and viewpoints but this definition covers the universal understanding of feminism.
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Now let’s debunk some of the main myths that surround feminism. 1) Being a feminist does not mean that you hate men. Feminism is about equality. Feminists believe that women are equal to men, not that we are better than men. 2) Being a feminist does not mean you are required to be a lesbian (gasp!). Feminists are a diverse group that is made up of women (and men) of all sexualities. 3) Being a feminist does not mean that you hate marriage. Feminism is about empowering and educating women to reach their full potential and to have the choice to do what they want in life. For some women, this means working in construction, or as a scientist, for others this means having a family. 4) Being a feminist does not mean you have to agree with everything all other feminists believe. Diversity in opinion among feminists is a common thing and a good one. It is important that we constantly challenge each other to be better, and civil disagreement is often where that process begins. 5) Being a feminist does not mean that you have to be pro-choice. While this is a hot topic in the western world today, this is not the only focus of feminism. In fact, there have been many famous feminists who were pro-life – Elizabeth Cady Stanton is one of them. As I said before, feminism is diverse and opinionated. Â
Being a feminist DOES mean that you believe in equality. Being a feminist means that you see women as humans, and not objects. Being feminist means that you believe in the protection of women. Being a feminist means you believe women in dangerous situations and relationships should have safe havens. Being a feminist means that you believe a woman has the right to her own body. Being a feminist means you believe a woman should have the same access to education as a man. Being a feminist means you believe in wage equality. Being a feminist means that you believe that you and your sister, or daughter, or mother deserve to be given the same opportunities as a man. Being a feminist means you want equality for women of all colors, all ages, all sexualities and all classes worldwide.
When women speak against feminism, they dismiss all the effort and sacrifice that has been made to get us to where we are today. There are so many other places in the world where these luxuries do not exist. When women speak against feminism, they dismiss the American women who fought for our right to vote, our right to drive, our right to birth control, the illegalization of marital rape, even our right to wear pants.
I hope you now understand what feminism is about and may reconsider your viewpoint.