10 Ways to Be a Better Feminist | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

10 Ways to Be a Better Feminist

2869
10 Ways to Be a Better Feminist
http://images.hellogiggles.com

Last week I was listening to a very important woman talk about gender equality in the United Nations. After learning that things aren't as good as it seems, I was washed over with a sudden desire to overthrow the patriarchy and fulfill the entire feminist agenda on my own. Sadly, I am not capable of doing such a thing, which is why I will content myself with sharing ten tips for everyone to be better feminists.

1. Don’t interrupt when a woman (or anyone, really) is speaking.

Interrupting is just rude, period. Don’t you hate when you are in the middle of explaining an idea and someone decides to cut you off so that they can rephrase what you were just saying? Studies show that men (and other women) are more prone to interrupt when a woman is speaking than when a male is talking.

2. Stop with the misogynistic jokes already.

They are not funny. And even if they were funny, making sexist jokes is only a way of normalizing abuse towards women. If we are supposed to find domestic violence funny, then why should we stop it from happening?

3. Educate yourself.

If you think that feminism isn't needing because women in your country have the right to vote, then it is time to think again. It's about time we all learn the true meaning of feminism and gender equality, so we can start advocating for them.

4. Support females.

As every item of this list, this tip goes for both men and women. It's about time that we stop putting women down, and being surprised when they succeed. It's about time we stop asking actors about their experience with a role, and actresses about what they are wearing. It's about time we tell small girls that is okay to be a scientist, that it's alright to not like the color pink. It's about time we support everyone who identifies as a woman, and we allow them to thrive.

5. Understand your privilege.

Almost everyone has a privilege, whether it is class, religion, sexuality, gender or race, odds are you have a privilege of some sort. This means you do not get to speak for those who lack this privilege. Instead of pretending to understand someone's struggle better than they do themselves, it is time for us to use our privilege to make a change.

6. Speak up.

If you see someone telling a sexist joke, if you hear someone catcalling a young girl in the streets, if one of your friends is dismissing feminism. Speak up.

7. Be intersectional.

All oppression is connected, and it's important that we feminists understand that. Our feminism must be intersectional, it must include the voices and stories of women of color, transgender women, lgbtq+ women, women from different religions and different countries. It must take into consideration that we are all powerful, unique and beautiful, and we all deserve to be taken into account.

8. Be kind.

To girls, to boys. To women, to men. To puppies, to kitties. Be kind to everyone.


9. Call yourself a feminist.

Don't shy away from the word, don't ever ever ever say "I support women's rights, but I'm not a feminist." We have to stop giving feminism a bad connotation, and we have to do it now.


If you believe in the radical notion that women are humans too, then don't be afraid to call yourself a feminist!

10. Be patient with yourself.

Being a feminist is hard. There is nothing worse than rewatching your favorite chick flick and realizing it is nothing but a sexist film with a really cheesy soundtrack. I get it: having a social conscience sucks. But that is absolutely no reason to beat yourself up, and we have to understand that.

So make yourself a cup of tea, embrace your feminism and listen to Roxane Gay's Ted Talk on how to be a Bad Feminist, but mostly remember:

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Entertainment

Disney magic for New Year!

The "Happiest Place on Earth" has a lot of characters with some pretty great advice.

3909
Disney magic kingdom castle on new years
StableDiffusion

Disney movies are well known and very popular in today's world. Although many people appreciate the plot and the storyline, not many people appreciate the wisdom these characters possess. Every Disney movie has unique advice that can be applied to everyday life. Here are 11 Disney quotes to help start your New Year off right:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

40 Gift Ideas for the Indecisive

It's a time of love, family, memory-making, and gift-giving. But also a time of stressing over the perfect gift.

118378
Christmas gifts around a tree
StableDiffusion

It's officially December. There is less than a month of 2024, and I still feel like yesterday was summer. Now comes the merriest time of the year, the Christmas season.

Everyone has been waiting for this time of year since mid-October (which is way too early, in my opinion) or before. It's a time of love, family, memory-making, and gift-giving. A lot of times when I ask friends and family what they want, I get a lot of "I don't know" or "I don't care."

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Bucket List To Live In The Now

Find excitement in your life and start exploring wherever you are right here, right now.

607
mu bucket list

I was sitting at my cubicle, now that I am an adult, looking at the rain pouring down on the windowsill, bumming on life, wishing for the rain to just stop for a full day.

There are moments where we count down the hours until work is over and how many more days till the weekend, and this many weeks until something exciting. Or something like that? Well, I was bumming because my next day off from work is not until Memorial Day weekend, which is not until the end of May. And since this is my first year out of college being a “real person,” I am totally missing the winter, spring and summer breaks. I am sure all of us have felt this way even if just for a hot minute…

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

11 Ways To Survive Finals As Told By Leslie Knope

Because you know you're going to be stressed out, and Leslie knows exactly how to survive.

441
Everything hurts and I'm dying

So finals are on their way. That's right everybody, finals are about to start.

But hey, don't panic. Start getting your affairs in order and prepare for a week of hell. Here's a few things Leslie Knope wants you to do to make your finals week just a little bit less stressful:

Keep Reading...Show less
Kent State University
Great Value Colleges

If you go to or went to Kent State, then more than likely you have done or will do some of these things.

1. You’ve slipped and fallen on the ice at least once.

The winters at Kent are brutal, and while the heated sidewalks and some great snow boots are always a help, there’s no chance you won’t bust it on the ice at least once in your four plus years at school.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments