I am not a feminist. Or rather... I'm not a modern day, woman marching, man bashing, masculine, whiny chick. I don't go on rants on Twitter, or announce the title "FEMINIST 4 LYFE" on my Insta bio. I'm not liberal, I didn't vote for the first and only woman presidential candidate, and quite often I hated her guts. Can I even be included in the same category as some of these women?
This week, I found myself scrolling through news articles and rolling my eyes because the angry complain-y feminists were at it again. But I don't like the feeling of disgust in me for any other person or being, ever. Call it a personal rule.
So, like any intellectual, I took to Google. Keep it simple.
First search: "Feminist"
Result? "A person who supports feminism."
...Well fuck me, Google. Thanks for that.
New search: "Feminism."
Result? "The advocacy of women's rights on the basis of the equality of the sexes."
Equality of the sexes.
Do I believe women should have the right to vote? Yes, I do. Shoutout to Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony.
Do I believe women should have equal pay for equal work? Of course. That just makes logical sense.
Do I believe that a woman can do anything a man can do?
Brace yourself.
No, I don't.
I believe that God created men and women not to be perfectly equal in all areas, but to fill in the gaps of each other perfectly! What they can't do, we can, and vice versa!
Upper body strength? Not our forte.
Anything involving emotion, communication, affection, honesty, or showing weakness? Not theirs!
As for jobs...
Hmmm... here is where it gets a little tricky. See, I am among a small group of woman (but potentially larger than we may have you think) that would love to be a mom, full time. A homemaking wife to watch the kids and a hard-working husband to pay the bills just doesn't seem like a bad idea! If you have ever had a job, even temporarily, and you're at my level of lazy you'll know that the workin' life just isn't for you. And I don't personally see anything wrong with being the person in charge of cooking or cleaning, despite my utter lack of skill in those two areas.
I know some girl in a pantsuit somewhere is gasping, but I'd like to believe that equality means that I can accept her desire to want to work all day, and she can accept mine to not (again, lazy).
Am I a feminist by modern-day perception and all that weirdness? Nope.
Am I a feminist by true definition, though? I'd like to think so, yes.
I simply don't think that that we need a label, as I have told all the gentlemen in my prior relationships.
Feminist or otherwise, or even undeclared, women should/need to support women. Always. And whether you think I qualify and make the cut or not, I will always be there to support and admire the amazing and powerful women around me.