Because not being a feminist is not okay.
It does not discriminate.
Feminism is not limited to white middle-to-upper class straight women living in America. It is also meant for men, people of color, the LGBTQA community, people of non-binary gender, people in different countries, effeminate people, masculine people, politicians, writers, and students. You shouldn’t have to fit a certain image to fight for equal rights for women. Everyone should be a feminist.
It is necessary all over the world.
Even if you do not experience inequality, discrimination, danger, or bias as a woman, there are others who do. Female genital mutilation, arranged and early marriage, human trafficking, child prostitution, slavery, abuse, and sexual assault are atrocities that happen to women all over the world at alarming rates and with horrifying implications. If you are not a feminist because you don’t personally feel oppressed or see the need in your everyday life, your view is myopic; we must learn to acknowledge and act on the issues facing every woman in every part of the world.
It gives you the power to choose.
You can be a stay-at-home wife/mother and still be a feminist. You can be a man and support equal rights for women. You can live in the United States and fight for causes the improve the lives of women on the other side of the globe. You can make changes that you care about and attend protests that speak to you. Feminism does not limit your options, it expands them.
It acknowledges the work and aspirations of women (and all feminists) throughout history.
Though the word “feminism” did not appear until the 19th century, the fight for social, political, and economic equality for women has been going on pretty much forever. By subscribing to feminism, you are acknowledging the struggle that women have faced in a demanding and patriarchal world, and you are promising to continue the effort.
It is the right thing to do.
Because equality is the right thing to promote. Feminism does not mean dominating other genders or hating men, and it does not create constraints that will keep you from pursuing what you love whether you want to be a scientist or a mother. Men should be feminists, women should be feminists, agender and non-binary people should be feminists. It’s the right thing to do.