If I earned a dollar for every time I heard a negative statement about feminism, I’d be rich. But if I earned a dollar for every time a feminist inspired me, I’d be richer. It is no secret that feminism is experiencing a recent surge in popularity, largely due to prominent figures such as Emma Watson, Lena Dunham, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Malala Yousafzai, and prominent movements, such as No More and He For She. Inspired by these people and institutions, more and more women are realizing that it is time to stop waiting around for social equality; rather, to stand up and demand it. Collegiettes, get excited! I promise that embracing feminism will equip you with the confidence and aptitude to take this arguably male-dominated society by storm. Not sure where to start? No problem! Here is a short guide to becoming a feminist.
1. Open your mind. There’s no point in trying to think differently if you are trying to do so for someone else, be it your friends, the media, the outspoken HerCampus journalist writing this piece…You have to make the individual, personal decision to explore this new area of thought. Once you make this decision, it is necessary to immediately shake any preconceptions you have about feminism. Doing so will help you understand the actual meaning of the movement — not just the anti-feminist rumors that float around on the Internet. (Case in point: see number 2.)
2. Educate yourself to know what a feminist is. This is probably the most important step in the process. A feminist is not a man-hater. A feminist is not a bra-burning radical. A feminist does not seek female supremacy. A feminist is a strong, confident woman who believes in the total social equality of men and women. She is appalled that American women on average earn 77 cents for every dollar earned by men (just ask the U.S. Census ). She is frustrated that we live in a culture that focuses more on teaching daughters how to not be raped rather than teaching sons not to rape. And she is passionate in her thoughts, words, and actions about ending these injustices once and for all.
3. Avoid female bashing/slut shaming. We all know how tempting it is to use female-negative slurs, such as bitch, slut, whore, and even basic, especially when these words can be brushed off as jokes. The truth is, if we as women want to gain respect from the rest of the world, then we have to start with ourselves. It is unfair (and illogical) to expect men to stop using derogatory descriptions of women if we also use these terms when talking about each other. An important aspect of feminism is the acceptance of all people and their life choices. This means that if another female chooses to act in a promiscuous, unkind, or plain-vanilla manner, it is best to just let her do her thing. You gain nothing by trash-talking her.
4. Challenge what you hear about women and feminism. Don’t be afraid to question gender roles. Who says your boyfriend has to pay every time you go out to dinner? Who says you can’t send the first text to that cute boy in your bio class? One of the best things about being a feminist is exercising the autonomy to do these things like a, for lack of a better term, grown-ass woman. Not only will you feel more confident in yourself, your man will admire you as well: according to a Glamour magazine survey, four out of five men appreciate when his date at least offers to pay. (*disclaimer: being a feminist does not mean haughtily waving your credit card at your boyfriend’s face to remind him that you are an independent woman who could drop him like a hot potato and still be just fine. Use tact.)
5. Inspire others. As mentioned above, part of the reason that feminism is on an upward climb is the dazzling female figureheads that are championing it. Be confident, be respectful, and be yourself — and never be afraid to challenge the status quo. By giving feminism a good name, you can inspire others to follow your footsteps and help the movement grow.
Sources:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/23/joseph-gordon-levitt-feminism-video-hitrecord_n_5868608.htmlhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/09/paycheck-fairness-act_n_5118254.htmlhttp://www.glamour.com/sex-love-life/blogs/smitten/2009/10/five-guys-reveal-what-they-thi