Even as a child the F word is a big no-no. You wouldn’t say it in front of your boss, your professor, or even on a first date usually. Oh no, I’m not talking about the expletive; I’m talking feminism. Why is feminism such a taboo topic? It’s because the general public is incredibly uninformed what feminism is and thinks it is about burning bras and being more powerful than men. But they are way off.
What is feminism?
The belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities. It is the theory of the political, economic and social equality of the sexes.
Even today those who have feminist expressions are seen as too strong, too aggressive, isolating, anti-men and, unattractive. But this is likely because many people don’t understand what feminism is. Many celebrities are scared of the word feminism, but that doesn’t mean you should be. Feminism means you want everyone to be equal but you can understand that men have more privilege than women currently. Feminism includes everyone who doesn’t identify as a man; no matter size, race, sexuality, socioeconomic status, age, or personal choices. Feminists aren’t just butch lesbians who hate men; they include housewives, mothers, asexuals – everyone.
But it may surprise you what big names have to say about feminism:
Two years ago, Taylor Swift was quoted saying “I don’t really think about things as guys versus girls. I never have. I was raised by parents who brought me up to think if you work as hard as guys, you can go far in life.” But more recently, about a month ago, in realizing her mistake changed her standpoint by saying, “For so long it’s been made to seem like something where you’d picket against the opposite sex, whereas it’s not about that at all. Becoming friends with Lena – without her preaching to me, but just seeing why she believes what she believes, why she says what she says, why she stands for what she stands for – has made me realize that I’ve been taking a feminist stance without actually saying so.”
Emma Watson said just last week “I think it is right that as a woman I am paid the same as my male counterparts. I think it is right that I should be able to make decisions about my own body. I think it is right that women be involved on my behalf in the policies and decision-making of my country. I think it is right that socially I am afforded the same respect as men. But sadly I can say that there is no one country in the world where all women can expect to receive these rights.” She demonstrates her support of feminism by being involved with the groundbreaking United Nations called HeForShe, inviting men to join the fight for gender equality. http://www.heforshe.org/
Amy Poehler understands feminism and loves powerful women, (see Leslie Knope, her character on Parks and Recreation). But what she doesn’t understand is why celebrities are denying that they are feminists because, “they go on to explain what they support and live by — it’s feminism exactly. I think some big actors and musicians feel like they have to speak to their audience and that word is confusing to their audience. But I don’t get it. 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.” Amy Poehler also has a great online community called Smart Girls. Smart Girls is a positive space for girls and women to learn and be empowered by their peers. It engages the followers in volunteerism, civic activism, cultural exchange, and self expression through the arts. With the slogan, “change the world by being yourself,” it’s no wonder why Smart Girls is a smart idea. http://amysmartgirls.com/
If you saw Queen B’s VMA performance, you were a part of some of the 12 million homes that saw her reclaim the big F word. And not only did she display that word loud and proud, she also projected the definition by Nigerian feminist author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. If you weren’t sure what feminism was before then, you had a pretty good idea then. But even better, Beyonce used a single performance to debunk every feminist stereotype we’ve ever heard. Bey can’t be a man-hater – she’s got Jay-Z. Her relationship is a kind of model for equal relationships: dual earners, adventurous sex life, supportive husband and an adorable child held up on stage by daddy while mommy worked. Beyonce has the confidence of a superstar but the feminine touch of a mother. And, as a woman of color, she’s speaking to the masses.
Feminism is a simple concept, but it definitely goes way deeper than just equality. Now that your favorite celebrities are starting to understand what this means, a bit more understanding on our community’s part could do nothing but make us stronger and more informed.
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