So like many of you in this world, or maybe even just a few of you, I’ve been watching the news. As I’ve grown older, I notice a lot of things, and the hardest thing that I have had to see is the sexism against women. There’s so much back and forth about women’s rights and day by day it’s like it’s being stripped Away. From people mocking sexual assault victims because they can’t fully recall a traumatic event, to trying to tear away a woman’s right to abort a child that she did not want or many other things. This one’s my favorite: if you’re against people who side with these make you a feminist, which is something else that has gained a bad reputation over time. I’ve come to set the record straight on what a feminist is.
1. We want to have the right to our own body.
Source: Giphy
First of all, I didn’t know that I have to check in with someone else about choosing what I want to do it myself. On the news, there’s talk about people trying to take away birth control and even abortion. Birth control isn’t for everybody, and neither is an abortion, but you have to look at the methods that people went through when they couldn’t go to the hospital and get an abortion. Women were desperate enough depending on their situations to go to back alleys and get a homemade abortion in risk their lives in the process. Also in regards to birth control, preventing a child isn’t the only reason people take a contraceptive. Some people use the pill to help tame their periods because they have severe menstrual cramps that prohibit them from doing daily activities. Overall it should always be the individual’s choice. Point blank.
2. Work Equality Does not matter Strip Mean Men of Employment.
Source: Giphy
Not every woman is after a man’s job; we’re after the acknowledgment that we can do what any other person can do. Recognize how I use the word person and not man. We are all people. Just because a male has a physical strength does not mean that woman cannot build up to that level. Also in the employment world, we’re supposed to be a team. Not even in just employment but any aspect of the world that we have to interact with other individuals. Nothing can be accomplished with only one person, and nothing can be achieved with just one sex.
3. Equal pay. Equal everything.
Source: Giphy
At this point, the money thing is just ridiculous. There’s no way in the world that a woman should be working the same type of job as a man and still be making less than them. Where’s the equality? What is a man doing that’s so special to make an extra dollar? The last time I checked, women have bills, responsibilities, things that they need to take care of just as a man does. Why is society still making it difficult for a woman to gain a reasonable income or that they have to work harder to be close to the same level as a man but still not make it? Also, emotion is a big thing. Feminists equality in all aspects and believe it or not we’re big supporters of wanting men to show emotion. Society tries to paint the image that all men need to be emotionally closed off, but women want that! In relationships, both sides need to be strong but also need to have the willingness to be vulnerable to each other. Feminists want to break social stereotypes and stigmas. Most feminists believe that men not being able to show emotion is a significant stigma that needs to be cut. Male bravado is kind of a big reason why feminists exist.
4. Sexual assault
Source: Giphy
I hear you! It is not okay for a woman to slander of man’s reputation or anyone for that matter by coming up with a horrible I know there have been lies about sexual assault, however, for every individual who lies there are people who are telling the truth, so no matter what a victim should NEVER be treated like they are wrong! Survivors should not be penalized, judged. Or made fun of because of someone else’s childish prank! By developing such a hostile mindset towards people who come forward about sexual assault, it makes it harder for them to want to talk about it and in worst case scenario they may never want to talk about it! Also going further, no woman should have to worry about how they’re dressed, be paranoid walking home at night, or have to be a guard dog for themselves at a party! Situations like this get disregarded A LOT by males because they don’t have to worry, and a significant amount of females in the world know I’m talking about those scary scenarios!
Without going into a rant that can turn into a book of what feminist look for, do you see the main correlation? There’s nothing about wanting dominance over men. There is nothing about thinking that women are superior. Feminism is really about wanting control over ourselves because so many factors in the world are trying to keep power away from us, not dominance over others. Feminism is wanting equality that the women before us have fought for us to have. Feminism is that I am not just a woman, I am a human being.