What does it mean to be a feminist? It is one of the few terms which seems to have a unique definition to each individual. For a lot of people, the word is synonymous with hippy. They picture a woman with grown out body hair, attending protests, and demanding rights that she apparently already has. While a feminist may certainly have grown out body hair if she damn well pleases, and may attend protests if she believes that it is important to put her voice out there… she also doesn’t have to. She may also be a he for that matter.
It doesn’t mean that you can’t like getting dolled up, a lot of us genuinely do. If you are a feminist you realize that there are insane beauty standards in the world set up for girls that would be impossible to live up to. We should all strive to be our best selves, but by our own definitions and rules. We shouldn’t be sad that we don’t have the same unattainable look as the airbrushed super model who has an expensive personal trainer and glam squad. You are beautiful the way you are!
If you are a feminist you believe in equal rights between males, females and all that lies in between. This means that you believe in overall equal treatment, equal pay, equal opportunities, and all of the same, shared privileges.
As women have historically been expected to stay at home and bear children, more and more female millennials are putting their careers first and foremost. If you are a feminist, you support other females’ decisions to live their lives the way they want to, without judgement.
If you are a feminist, you acknowledge that sexism exists. Even if you have never experienced it, or you as a man have never disrespected a woman, it doesn’t mean that it doesn’t happen. Millions of women have for a fact experienced being sexualized by men, or having been talked down to, or having missed an opportunity because nobody took them seriously. These are real problems, and real experiences, and being a feminist means that you care about the feelings of your fellow human beings.
A feminist acknowledges the struggles of his or her peers. There is a grey area (or white, I should say) in feminism, where those of other ethnicities feel that they experience the extra struggles that both their race and gender bring. If you are a feminist, you acknowledge each individual’s hardships, even if that means that you are acknowledging that they are going through something a little more difficult than you have to go through.
Obviously, these issues can go deeper and deeper, but as this is a place most people go to escape their problems, I will end on a semi-nice note. If you are a feminist, don’t be afraid to stand up for what you believe in. We can do this, ladies and gents. Our generation has what it takes to make a change!