I was scrolling through my social media one day when I kept seeing a recurring theme: feminism. I never really understood what it was exactly, but I knew that being a feminist had a lot of backlash. A person that called him or herself a “feminist” was also called things like a man hater, a problem starter, a crazy and unstable human being… anything negative like that. Anything positive that dealt with feminism was few and far between.
So, in my mind, I did not want to be a feminist. I did not want to be considered a part of this group of people that society did not respect.
But, I researched it some more. And the more that I looked into feminism, the more I understood what it was about, and the more I understood, the more I agreed with the message that it spread.
Feminism is defined as “the advocacy of women’s rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men.”
But what does it really mean to be a feminist? Why does it even exist?
Well the short answer is: Women are feminists because it is important to fight for the equality to men.
But the long and complicated answer is so much more than that.
To really respect and understand what it means to be a feminist, we first have to realize and celebrate the people who work for this equality. There are women and men in the world that spend their lives fighting for equality in the workforce, the political realm, and any situation where women are considered inferior to men. There are multiple types of feminism: Marxist, postmodern, liberal, and even radical feminist. Each of these are tailored to a specific way to earn equality with the sexes. Regardless of what type of feminist you might be, it is important because it supports, empowers and liberates women in their ventures.
As I started writing this article, I wanted to get the opinions of some people who I know to see their opinions on why feminism exists:
“Hmm… I think feminism exists to raise awareness for the inequalities that women around the world have been facing for a long time and to fight for a more equal world for girls to grow up in and feel comfortable in”
– Katie, 19
“Feminism exists to fight for gender equality and to raise awareness of the problems women face due to expectations placed on them by society”
– Lexi, 19
“Feminism is needed to empower women and give them the courage to be prominent members in society. However, I feel as if Feminism is only effective when it encourages women, and DOES NOT simultaneously condemn men.”
– Brittany, 19
“Because throughout history women have been treated as ‘less-than’ or more subordinate to men, but most people have realized, that shouldn’t be the case because it is not true. Many people today are feminists because they want those who are living in the last century to wake up and realize that women and men, though different, are equal, and deserve the same rights and treatment in society.”
– Conary, 19
“Feminism exists because it has to, plain and simple. In our society, it is not safe to be a woman. Women are murdered for rejecting men; 1 in 4 women are victims of sexual assault; and women who try to take a stand are met with death threats. I believe that feminism is a necessity to put a stop to these atrocities and so many more.”
– Jude, 19
As you can see, feminism may mean something different to everyone–but it affects everyone in its own way. It allows women to vote, to have jobs, to be CEO’s, to break down the walls of inferiority that women feel. Feminism is not about hate, or anger or women being ungrateful. Feminism focuses on something that every person should want and care about: equality.
Equality is a process and a journey that will be forever on going in our society. Change does not happen with time. It takes an action, some willpower, and overall perseverance. And sometimes even all that will only make things a little bit better.
So, what does it mean to be a feminist?
It can mean anything that your heart desires. It can carry a positive meaning, a negative meaning, or even a neutral meaning. But, in my opinion, if you are a feminist, it means you are strong individual working for the equality of the sexes. An equality that will bring human beings together, and make the world a better place.