For a long time, I was scared to be labeled as a feminist. It’s shocking to think about that now, knowing how outspoken I’ve become on social media and in my daily life. I am no longer shy about the fact that I am a feminist, but it took a while to get to this point. In middle and high school, there was always a negative connotation associated with being a feminist, and I was never someone who wanted to stand out. Often, there still is a negative connotation tied to being a feminist, but I have come to realize that others’ opinions of me are truly meaningless if I am standing up for a cause that I wholeheartedly believe in.
For the longest time, blending into the background and going unnoticed was my priority. I never wanted to draw attention to myself, so I shied away from controversial topics and avoided labeling myself as anything that might spark a debate. Basically, I was nothing like who I am now.
I’m still not sure why (I mean, I know why, but I don’t understand why) feminism was seldom talked about or mentioned in classes growing up. Whenever I heard the word, it was a mystery to me. All I knew is that people chose a side: you either are or you aren’t one. Yes, women’s rights were briefly mentioned in middle school history classes and there were some special lessons planned for Women’s History Month every year, but it wasn’t nearly enough. It still isn’t enough, but I believe that with the rise of feminism, more students will be exposed to it in classrooms, and they will reap the benefits of it as they grow up.
It wasn’t until high school that I learned more about it and came to understand what it is, in a sense. I still wasn’t aware that the term intersectional feminism existed, but I’ve always unknowingly been an intersectional feminist. Junior year, I had an incredible English teacher, Mrs. Ball, who taught us all about feminism and representation of women in the media. From that moment on, I have never been the same; it’s almost as though a fire was lit within me in that class, and I now have a passion and deep love for activism and for educating myself, and others, on women’s rights. Learning about feminism from such an inspiring and strong woman like Mrs. Ball was awe-inspiring, and I’ll never forget that feeling.
So, what is feminism anyway?
Feminism is the advocacy of women’s rights for equality of the sexes. Bell Hooks’s definition is much more in-depth and describes what feminism is and isn’t: “Feminism is the struggle to end sexist oppression. Its aim is not to benefit solely any specific group of women, any particular race or class of women. It does not privilege women over men. It has the power to transform in a meaningful way all of our lives… Feminism as a movement to end sexist oppression directs our attention to systems of domination and interrelatedness of sex, race, and class oppression.”
There are many types of feminism, but the feminism that I believe to be most powerful is intersectional feminism, which takes all kinds of people into consideration rather than just white women. Intersectional feminism is the most inclusive and advocates for the rights of more than just one type of woman. One of the most important aspects of intersectional feminism is that the movement also supports issues related to women’s rights such as reproductive rights.
Because of the overlap in support of other movements, I believe that if you support one non-feminist then you are not a feminist. If your feminism is not all-inclusive, it’s not truly feminism. Even more so, if your feminism isn’t intersectional, then it’s not really feminism either. Supporting one subset of women, but not all women as a whole is a bit contradictory.
Common stereotypes
There were always many stereotypes associated with feminism, and truthfully, I never wanted to be associated with any of them. Now, I could not care less about any stereotypes that people might associate with me based on the fact that I support women’s rights, but it’s still important to acknowledge that these stereotypes do exist.
Many people believe that all feminists hate men, which is untrue. Women just want the same rights and opportunities as them. I can’t speak for all feminists because I’m sure there are some women who do hate men, but feminists as a whole do not.
Another common stereotype associated with feminism is that there’s no real need for it and that women are just making it all up. Well, that’s just completely inaccurate. From the wage gap to the simple fact that men hold more power over women in almost every institution in the world, there is a very pressing need for feminism. Issues such as toxic masculinity are pervasive in our society, and they perpetuate the idea that women are lesser than men for the simple fact that they are women. Feminism is all about working to change that and establishing equality between all groups of people.
Many people also accuse feminists as wanting to become more powerful than men, which is a lot to unpack. I’ve seen multiple comments about how “women are taking over” with regards to women running for President and getting elected to office. The number of men who have previously held these highly-esteemed positions is unmatched to the number of women are currently holding them. To say that women are taking over is ignorant of the fact that men have always had the upper hand. No, women are not trying to take over; we’re just trying to create a more equal society.
Self-growth
Over time, I have become a very outspoken person who no is longer afraid to voice her opinions or talk about controversial topics with others. In fact, I now enjoy these things, and it’s funny to think back on how much my younger self absolutely despised the thought of disagreeing with others. I’ve always been a fan of following rules and blending in with the crowd, but I no longer feel the need to be shy about what I stand for.
Two years ago, I would have hesitated before saying that I’m a feminist. A year ago, I was getting into arguments with my economics teacher when he claimed that the wage gap doesn’t exist. I’m proud to be an intersectional feminist and to fight for such a worthy cause. Women of all kinds deserve the same rights and opportunities that men have been granted throughout history, and I will not stop advocating for it until those needs are met. It may not happen within my lifetime, but if the feminist movement continues to make positive changes for future generations, then it will have been worth it. As Gloria Steinem said, “the future depends entirely on what each of us does every day.”