The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
After seeing my fellow Her Campus love, Kelly Chartrand, write a response article to “I Am Not A Feminist, And That Is Okay,” I felt compelled to share what “checking my privilege” means to me.
First off…
“Feminism is the belief that all people are entitled to the same civil rights and liberties and can be intellectual equals regardless of gender.”
This is my favorite definition of feminism. If you were looking for man-hating elitists, perhaps you were looking for the word misandrist. Now that we have cleared that up, let’s talk about what it means to check your privilege.
You might not think you ‘need’ feminism, but I can assure you millions of girls do not lead the life of privilege you do. You might not feel oppressed, but millions of girls are. Just because you are content with where your rights stand does not mean that you should be complacent when it comes to the rights of others. In a world where women are raped, trafficked, sold, cut, burned, beaten and bruised is a world in which women are NOT seen as equal. I would hope that you would not need to have experienced any of these horrific and ghastly crimes to understand that.
But this is what we mean when we say, “check your privilege”—to empathize and attempt to understand the plight of others. If you are reading this, you were probably born or now live in the land of the free, home of the brave. Am I saying that we as American females do not experience prejudice? Absolutely not. We live in a nation where the gender wage gap is very real. Women are trafficked each day. And the amount of sexual assault occurring on college campuses is enough for you never to want to leave your dorm again.
I am simply saying that no matter the difficulties we have faced and the battles we have fought, we are, in some way privileged. As a Caucasian cis female, I have rarely, if ever been judged by the color of my skin or my sexual orientation. I have had the opportunity to attend college where I have been extended jobs and internships based on my resume, not on how short my skirt was, but I know others have not been so fortunate. Checking my privilege is my acknowledgement that others will only dream of receiving an education or marrying someone they actually love. So I ask, if you really think that you do not need feminism, consider the millions of girls that desperately do. The girls who are so incredibly bright and full of promise, but will be told they are worthless. The girls who long to read, but will never so much as see a book. The girls who are sold off like livestock because that is their only option.
This world needs feminism, which I will say once more, is defined as equality among the sexes. Do not let uninformed and misguided souls redefine what feminism is or is not. And do not let your own life experiences determine whether this movement is necessary or not. As my fellow peer Kelly Chartrand has so kindly asked, please, check your privilege at the door.