I attend a small Christian university.
This means I attend a school full of stigmas and stereotypes that generally reflect the commonly typified mindset of the conservative, middle-class part of our country. Now, whether our families support Trump or Clinton is beside the point. Either way, we were brought up seeing the world through the lens of our parents and, though we may strain to go against it, we will always, to some degree, be left with lingering ideals and morals that derive from that lens.
More than anything, the one residual stigma that I resent is the demonization of feminism. In my often narrow-minded community, feminism is seen as a bad thing or a bad word. Without consciously realizing it, many of my fellow students have pre-conditioned ideas about the space in which women should operate. In my experience at a Christian university, feminism doesn't mean "the equality of the sexes"; feminism means you are radical, reckless, and, often, even somewhat undesirable. My community of fellow students is full of incredibly bright minds that will one day change the world, and yet, my community is full of people who are afraid of the power of words. How is it that a simple word can inspire so much contention, fear, and resentment?
My school is home to many students from unbelievably privileged backgrounds, but I still sit in classes with young men who tell me that my paper on feminism is pointless, because feminism is "just complaining." I have female classmates who tell me I shouldn't be a feminist because it hurts my chances of "finding a husband." I have professors that neglect to discuss feminine or gender studies because they fear "being attacked as a man." I have female professors who get told to be less abrasive because their male counterparts don't appreciate it. I have administrators that set policies which instill fear in the hearts of victims, effectively silencing their struggle. If I encounter a rejection of feminism every single day on my campus, what does that say about the larger American microcosm we represent, the aforementioned conservative middle class?
We need to redefine feminism. Feminism is not an attempt to undermine manliness. Feminism is not an attempt to usurp traditional values. Feminism is not a bad word. Feminism is a tool for establishing equality for anyone and everyone, no matter their gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, etc. And if you don't think that in and of itself is a valid reason to be a feminist, I probably lost you after the first paragraph, anyway. As a man, feminism should not be seen as a threat. Being a male feminist doesn't denote anything about you, except a desire to live in a world where your sisters, mothers, aunts, cousins, friends and significant others can live safely and are afforded every opportunity you are. Perhaps most importantly, feminism is a way for women to lift up other women, not a signifier of desirability. (Because that should never be a factor in how you see yourself.)
I was not a feminist from birth, nor did I have some insane spiritual revelation that led me to it. Instead, upon discovering all of the implications of being a feminist, I realized that it embodied everything I already felt as a young woman--deserved equality and respect. It's not hard to embrace the title when you realize all of the weight that it holds.
As women, we need to constantly remind ourselves that, while we may be beautiful, we are not simply objects of beauty. We are smart and strong and bright and inspiring. We cannot allow ourselves to abandon our dreams in deference to anyone else and must always put ourselves first in a world which so often considers us second. We cannot allow the opinions of society to shape our opinions of our self worth; the cost of pursuing societal ideals are too great to tacitly allow them to happen. We must be patient with older generations who misinterpret our enlightenment and remember that, when they were younger, it was surprising if women worked outside of the home. We cannot allow ourselves to be shamed for anything, whether it be our sexuality or our prudence, our boisterous sense of humor or our adventurous spirit. We would do well to never allow ourselves to be anything but equal.
From my small Christian campus to the rest of the world, feminism should never be considered a bad word.
Fuck that.
If you feel passionate about feminism or causes that support it, check out these sites to further women's rights:
http://www.halftheskymovement.org/
http://amberroseslutwalk.com/
