1. Not all feminists are bra-burning hippies. The most basic definition of feminism is advocating equal rights for women. So why do so many people cringe when they hear that word? I think it scares them. It scares them that change is coming and that women are the ones bringing it. Feminism is all about stomping out those useless stereotypes. The best way to do that is by learning from one another.
2. Men can be feminists too! Why can’t a man be feminist without being judged by other men? There are so many people who think that feminists can only be women. I met a guy over the summer who shook my hand as though it was a dead fish. Excuse me, but what? I asked him why he didn’t shake my hand as a real person and his response was, “You’re a girl and girls are delicate.” LOL BYE, FELICIA. I was appalled. So I said goodbye and began talking to his friend. His friend identifies as a feminist and also told me that as a queer he felt it only right to fight for all civil rights. Now, with people like that in this world, it’s hard to believe that things are still so unfair and unequal. But then you have those idiots who think a girl’s hand is a dead fish…
3. Chivalry is not actually dead because of feminism. It’s funny though, because people think that chivalry died as a result of feminism. But in reality, it stopped because people stopped respecting one another. I open a door for a man if I’m in front of him, just as I would hope the man in front of me would do simply because it’s a nice thing to do. Maybe I’m biased, because here at JMU we hold doors for everyone. Double standards aren’t fun for anyone. But unfortunately, if we’re being honest, this isn’t a new thing.
4. Women in history are kick-ass. This started with women’s suffrage and we’ve been fighting to get equal rights ever since. Women alongside Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton fought for everyone to see women as valuable, opinion leaders and simply to get us the right to vote! In today’s society, we have people like Sheryl Sandberg; she wants everyone, including women, to reconsider gender roles and let everyone do what they want to do free of judgment. That’s really not that hard to do, it’s called being respectful.
5. The Queen B is a feminist. Just listen to her songs. She gives so much power to women through her music. She has a voice and she’s proving that we can use it in whatever way we were blessed.
Bottom line: we create the new world we want it to be. If we want something to change, we have to be that change. It starts with one. Be that one. Feminists are NOT anti-men, we are just pro-women!