First and foremost, let me begin by stating that I am feminist. I believe in gender equality, and when I look at the definition of the word "feminism," I do not see the stereotypical favoritism toward a certain gender. No, I see the radical notion that a woman is equal to a man in all aspects of this society. Lately, the word feminism has held a negative connotation, because apparently we are all extremists, who believe that women are better than their male counterparts. This in itself is a fallacy, and it's inception has not only halted the progress of this movement, but also threatened it's validity. I think this ideology comes from being uneducated about this movement and what women are attempting to accomplish by being apart of it, so here are 17 quotes to describe what we fight for on a daily basis.
1. "A feminist is anyone who recognizes the equality and full humanity of women and men." - Gloria Steinem
2. "Feminism isn't about making women strong. Women are already strong. It's about changing the way the world perceives that strength." - G.D. Anderson
3. "After all those years as a woman hearing 'not thin enough, not pretty enough, not smart enough, not this enough, not that enough,' almost overnight I woke up one morning and thought, 'I'm enough.'" - Anna Quindlen
4. “Some people ask: 'Why the word feminist? Why not just say you are a believer in human rights, or something like that?' Because that would be dishonest. Feminism is, of course, part of human rights in general—but to choose to use the vague expression human rights is to deny the specific and particular problem of gender. It would be a way of pretending that it was not women who have, for centuries, been excluded. It would be a way of denying that the problem of gender targets women.” -Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
5. "There never will be complete equality until women themselves help to make laws and elect lawmakers." -Susan B. Anthony
6. “Girls need to know that being a feminist is a good thing. It doesn’t mean that you hate men. It means equal rights. If you’re doing the same job, you should be compensated and treated in the same way." -Charlize Theron
7. “I said on the equality side of it, that it is essential to a woman's equality with man that she be the decision-maker, that her choice be controlling.” -Ruth Bader Ginsburg
8. "Equality is not a concept. It's not something we should be striving for. It's a necessity. Equality is like gravity. We need it to stand on this earth as men and women, and the misogyny that is in every culture is not a true part of the human condition. It is life out of balance, and that imbalance is sucking something out of the soul of every man and woman who's confronted with it. We need equality. Kinda now." - Joss Whedon
9. "Feminism is not just about women; it's about letting all people lead fuller lives." - Jane Fonda
10. “I do not wish them to have power over men, but over themselves.” -Mary Wollstonecraft
11. “The power I exert on the court depends on the power of my arguments, not on my gender.” -Sandra Day O'Connor
12. "You don't have to be anti-man to be pro-woman." -Jane Galvin Lewis
13. "I'm a feminist. I've been a female for a long time now. It'd be stupid not to be on my own side." -Maya Angelou
14. “Feminism is the radical notion that women are human beings.” -Cheris Kramarae
15. “Feminism has fought no wars. It has killed no opponents. It has set up no concentration camps, starved no enemies, practiced no cruelties. Its battles have been for education, for the vote, for better working conditions, for safety in the streets, for child care, for social welfare, for rape crisis centers, women's refuges, reforms in the law. If someone says, 'Oh, I'm not a feminist', I ask, 'Why? What's your problem?'" -Dale Spender
16. "I want women to control their own health choices, just like I want my daughters to have the same opportunities as your sons." -Barack Obama
17. "When there are no glass ceilings, the sky is the limit." -Hillary Clinton
Do not tell me we are already equal, that there is no discrimination based on gender in this world. If you believe in equal rights, you are feminist. If you believe that skill is not defined by gender, you are a feminist. If you believe that women should be paid the same wages, you are a feminist. If you are a man who holds a woman to the same accountability as yourself, you are feminist. If you are a woman who wants other women to succeed, you are a feminist. It is time to stop living in the past, and thinking of the future. Everyone should identify themselves as feminists, because we have fought for everyone else's rights, and now it is time for everyone else to fight for women's rights.
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