No one ever said that a fight is supposed to be easy. However these days, it seems that fighting is all we do. Right now, America seems more divided than ever, but this is no reason to back down.
What do you think of when you hear the word “feminist”? Do you think of hippies, older single women, and the color pink? If you do, then that’s a problem. Unfortunately, the term “feminism” has been skewed through time to be something bad or extreme. The reality of it, is that feminism is all around us.
Just like everything else, people are commonly afraid of the things they don’t understand. So many times when people hear you say that you’re a feminist, you will likely be greeted with a roll of the eyes or a sigh of bother. This is the result of an extremist image that’s been engrained into people’s memory.
Some people think that feminism is related to hating men, but that is not the case. Being a feminist means that you stand with your fellow females, strong and proud of who you are. It means fighting wage gaps, and traditional female scripts. Feminism isn’t a fight against men, it is a constant battle FOR women.
You may think that women have it great. What’s there to fight for? Well, think of all the times that people have told you that you don’t have to do something because you’re a lady. Think of the times you have heard someone say that ladies shouldn’t cuss, or play sports, or become lawyers. This is the war we wage against. Our fight is not with another sex, it’s with the gender scripts we’ve been taught to believe in since we were born.
Of course there is nothing wrong with loving the color pink, or wanting to be a stay at home mom. No, the problem lies within the belief that those are things that you are required to be.
So, next time you hear a news story about a feminist march or protest, think about their motivation. Think about all the things that you are, and will be. Don’t ever let someone tell you that standing up for women’s rights is not important. There will always be people who will want to stay traditional and keep us “in our place”. Just keep in mind that these are the people who we want to show otherwise.
Do not confuse standing up for what you believe in with hating other people for believing otherwise. It is not our purpose to hate others, it is to show them what we believe and why they should too. You can’t change everyone’s mind, but you can always make up your own.