A feminist isn’t hard to spot. She’s usually that over-opinionated, butchy, aggressive girl who can’t keep her mouth shut about how women are so much better than men. Spotting a feminist is pretty easy, right?
Right??
We all think we know what feminism means and most people have an image in their head that they associate with a feminist. She’s a lesbian and a man-hater. She’s aggressive or “butch”. With these descriptions of what a feminist is, no wonder we tend to run away from the term altogether. But what does feminism really mean?
According to the Merriam Webster dictionary definition, feminism is the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities. Not such a radical concept after all, is it? Most men and women would agree that both sexes should have equal rights and opportunities. But ask a woman if she considers herself a feminist and she may often respond with a defensive, “No” or admit, “Yes”, and then somehow end up apologizing for it.
Women are hesitant to admit that they are feminists because of the negative stereotype society has created. Lena Dunham of “Girls” comments in Glamour magazine, “It’s not like we’re a deranged group who think women should take over the planet. Feminism is about having all the rights that men have.” And yet people still run away from calling themselves a feminist. Katy Perry was quoted saying, “I am not a feminist, but I do believe in the strength of women.” Hmmm… So you probably don’t believe women are inferior to men then. Seems like you’re a feminist, Katy. Embrace it!
Being a feminist is about internal beliefs and ideals. It is not in any way a physical description of another person. Would you be able to distinguish a Republican from a Democrat just by glancing at the crowd around you? Could you tell that the guy next to you thinks puppies are better than kittens just by looking at what he’s wearing or how he’s carrying himself? Obviously not. In fact, when you put it in those terms it seems rather ridiculous doesn’t it. So, if a woman says she’s a feminist does that mean she’s an angry lesbian? Or a scary man-hater? NO! It means she believes in equal opportunity.
The first step is admitting it. True, women aren’t jumping out of their seats to announce they are feminists, but why aren’t they?? If being a feminist means you believe in the equality of men and women, why would anyone be embarrassed to admit that? Sadly the term has been radically stigmatized. A woman may feel more comfortable saying she believes in feminism in a classroom or academic setting, but may be cautious to do so in front of a group of people who may not understand the ideals of a modern feminist. If someone can proudly say, “I believe in God” or “I am a democrat,” then there should be no shame in a man or a woman saying, “I’m a feminist!” (Yes, men can be feminists too). And saying it out loud is the first stride for change. The more comfortable people become with saying it, the more we can hope to truly achieve equality between men and women.
So, is the lesbian in your class a feminist? Maybe; maybe not. What about that fashionista girlfriend of yours? That hot guy you always see in the gym? You can’t spot one just by looking. But they’re out there, and they shouldn’t be embarrassed to admit it.
Some proud feminists:
Keira Knightley
Ryan Gosling
Zooey Deschanel
Lena Dunham
Stephenie Meyer
Beyoncé
…And many more!