“I believe in the unadulterated advancement of women. And we have so far to go still,” Rashida Jones said in 2013. Advocating for the social, political and economic equality of the sexes is not a sin. Believing in equality is not something to be ashamed of. Women have come a long way in history, from suffragettes to feminists of the 1960s. But just because we got the right to vote and won Roe v. Wade doesn’t mean that gender discrimination has been “cured.”
There used to be a time when one would cower in fear of the “extremist feminist agenda,” a phrase which would bring to mind images of bra burning, man hating or the outlandish notion that female ambition would lead to the demise of public morale. I am here to tell you that you can keep your bra, your boyfriend and your ambition because those are not prerequisites for participation in the feminist movement.
All you have to do to be a feminist is simply recognize your own self-worth and want the same opportunities and rights as those of your male counterparts (or for men to want that for women), because your aspirations should not be limited by the constraints of a society that worries what will happen when your voice is heard. I’m here to tell you it’s okay to want more or to dress creatively or to want a promotion because that is a norm our society should accept and embrace.
Though it wasn’t until recently that the feminist label became acceptable, some have a long way to go before truly understanding the intersectionality of it that all come down to wanting equal opportunity and rights. Unfortunately, some women have gone far enough to proudly say they weren’t feminists, which is mainly attributed to their lack of knowledge on the subject.
Last year and again this year, Shailene Woodley made headlines when she adamantly denounced feminism. Her reason? She loves men.
“I love men, and I think the idea of ‘raise women to power, take the men away from the power’ is never going to work out because you need balance … My biggest thing is really sisterhood more than feminism,” Woodley said.
Woodley went on to tell Time that she didn’t want to be defined by a singular label and goes off tangent by saying that people should be more focused on the genocide occurring in Africa rather than scrutinizing her comments.
What Woodley failed to recognize is that she is a public figure and that the misinformed statements she makes do matter, especially when it comes to a social movement. Her misconception that all labels are negative and limiting is ignorant to all the benefits she is reaping from feminism. She has constantly acquired leading roles and paychecks that would not have been possible without feminist activism. Moreover, feminism also advocates for the rights women in Africa are stripped of, especially regarding the common subjection to abuse, like sexual violence during the Rwandan genocide.
Even Amy Poehler is perplexed by how many women refuse to say that they’re feminists. “But then they go on to explain what they support and live by — it’s feminism exactly,” she told Elle magazine in January.
“That’s like someone being like, ‘I don’t really believe in cars, but I drive one every day and I love that it gets me places and makes life so much easier and faster and I don’t know what I would do without it,’” Poehler said.
And yes, men too can be feminists. Guys, it’s not a bad thing to want your mothers, sisters, aunts, daughters and friends to be afforded the same respect you receive. Emma Watson made all the right headlines with her UN speech for the HeForShe campaign last year by saying that gender inequality is an issue for men too.
“If we stop defining each other by what we are not and start defining ourselves by what we are—we can all be freer and this is what HeForShe is about. It’s about freedom. I want men to take up this mantle. So their daughters, sisters and mothers can be free from prejudice but also so that their sons have permission to be vulnerable and human too—reclaim those parts of themselves they abandoned and in doing so be a more true and complete version of themselves,” Watson said.
I cannot stress enough the importance of the feminist label. In a time of constant change and progress, unity is needed to get the people’s voice heard by politicians and to create a more open environment that welcomes equality. Because if you don’t speak up, you won’t be heard.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, a.k.a. the voice behind Beyoncé’s song “Flawless,” also has an inspirational TEDx speech you need to hear if you ever have doubts about your feminist ways or if you just want to feel the girl power running through your veins. Just remember, ladies: It’s okay to be a force to be reckoned with.
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