Picture this:
It's getting late on a Saturday night and my article is due when the clock strikes midnight. I'm out for ice cream with my parents, and I remember that I haven't even started writing yet. As I work away at my dessert, I start to panic. I have zero percent ideas and about two percent time left to come up with one. Then I remember something that someone who I honestly do not remember said to me this one time: write about what you know.
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So, folks, buckle up, because it's gonna get pretty feminist up in here ... and I am not in the least bit sorry about it.
There are so many things I could say, so many things I could rant about until the sun comes up, and so so so many things that I wish I could convey to those who do not consider themselves feminists. Let me start off with one of my favorite quotes, that someone on Tumblr so conveniently made into word art.
To further illustrate the confusion that Ms. Spender is addressing here, let's reference some facts. I live for concrete evidence, don't you?
In 2015, Vox (a digital media company) ran a poll, and found some interesting feedback. When asked if they believed women should have the same rights as men, 85 percent of respondents said yes. When asked whether they considered themselves a feminist, 52 percent said no, 26 percent said they were unsure, and only 18 percent said yes (the other 4 percent refused to answer the question). Now, don't get me wrong, I'd rather the public believe what feminists believe and refuse to label themselves as such than have them rooting for inequality. But why are people so wary to consider themselves a feminist? Again, like Spender asks, why, what's their problem? I don't know a whole lot, but I am fairly observant of the world around me, and I think we can identify a misconception about the feminist movement.
Feminism is not a synonym for misandry.
In order to clear things up and ensure that our vocabularies are in a parallel state, let's go over some definitions, courtesy of our dear friend, Merriam-Webster.
Feminism. noun. The belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities.
Misandry. noun. A hatred of men.
In my opinion, feminism is an antonym for misandry, and yet so many people see them as a package deal. Whether they have been swayed by the small pockets out there that feel women are superior to men, rather than equal to, or they simply do not understand what feminism is about, we are here to clear things up. Feminists aren't asking to be better than men, we're just asking to be seen as equals. We're asking to be taken seriously whether we're wearing a tight skirt or overalls. We're asking to be treated as if we're capable of more than popping out babies and looking pretty. Heck, we just want a chance to show the world what we can do without being laughed at because, "it's so cute when women actually try."
I say "we" because I happen to be a woman, but feminism is by no means exclusive to females. That is the heart of feminism: men and women coming together to achieve equality. So, yes, we need male feminists--men who are willing to stand up for their sisters and friends and wives and daughters and acknowledge that the world we live in is not equal, and do something about it. Nobody is asking for favors or special treatment, that's exactly what we're fighting against. Personally, I want to climb a business hierarchy based on the fact that I am intelligent, clever, and can make a difference, not because a CEO finds me attractive and needs a few more ladies on the board to meet corporate diversity requirements. All we're asking for is open minds, hearts, and eyes.
Honestly, I understand why so many are shaken by the concept of feminism. I understand that the simplicity of equality is, unfortunately, pretty radical. We can change a lot of things with less difficulty than changing peoples' minds.Laws can be made and initiatives can be taken, but nothing will truly advance until we stop allowing the notion that women are not equal to men to innately guide the way we live; we need a shift of mindset. Some fear that feminism is the true death of chivalry, and to that I say, fine. Maybe. Sure. But I'd much rather be paid the same amount as the man in the cubicle next to me than have him open the door for me on the way into the office. And, regardless, chivalry shouldn't have to be a man-woman interaction. Believe it or not, people can be nice to people without possessing an ulterior motive.
Many ask, "well if it's about everyone being treated equally, why isn't it just called humanism?"
My answer is to look at the world around you. Watch the news. Read the papers. Scroll through your Facebook newsfeed and click on more than just the puppy videos. Learn about how poorly women are treated in this country, and become nauseated by how terribly women are treated outside our borders. Here is a perfect example, courtesy of the Los Angeles Metro Rail.
This sign was put in a public place, because these were real problems that had to be brought to attention. Every day women are harassed, mistreated, and discriminated against simply because they are female. Women are over-sexualized and then punished for it. Women are told that they will never amount to anything if they cannot reproduce. Women are periodically shunned for menstruating. So, no, this isn't a human problem, it's a woman problem. The human problem is the fact that anyone ever felt that men were naturally entitled to more than women, or that women were naturally deserving of less than men.
Feminism fights to eradicate my fear that I will be treated as lessor because I am a woman, and I sincerely hope that you will join that fight.
*end rant*
