This article is getting talked about a lot this week on the Internet, and for good reason. I'm going to take some time and dive in to some issues I see with this, so buckle in, friends!
I'm going to start this article by stating what I see as the obvious: feminism is not about women being superior. Feminism is about seeing all genders as equal. Honestly, I don't know why this is such a hard concept for people to wrap their brains around. I don't know how many times I have to shout it, but that really is what feminism is, I promise. Look it up. Research it. Yes, you are going to find extremists and you may even find some who do find women to be superior, but that is going to happen when you look in to anything that people are passionate about. You are not allowed to judge an entire movement off of one person you know, and you definitely aren't allowed to judge it based off of assumptions.
Have Your Voice Heard: Become an Odyssey Creator
Now that we've discussed that, I would like to point out some things in Gina's article that didn't quite make sense to me.
"We are not equals."
I don't even know where to begin with this statement. I cannot process in my mind how someone could not see two people as equals. I am aware that men and women are genetically different, but I do not need a man to fix a flat tire for me. If he offers will I say yes? If I would like the help, then I will gladly accept. If I know how to fix my own tire and it would be an inconvenience for my friend or boyfriend to come fix it for me, of course I'm going to handle it on my own. It's not about "chivalry"; it's about me being a decent human being and not asking others to go out of their way to do something that I am totally capable of doing on my own.
"Though there is still considered to be a glass ceiling for the working female, it’s being shattered by the perseverance and strong mentality of women everywhere. So, let’s stop blaming men and society about how we continue to “struggle” and praise the female gender for working hard to make a mark on today’s workforce."
It states here that the glass ceiling is still there. I don't care if it's being shattered. If we don't continue to fight for it and make sure that it is completely gone, then what are we doing? Do not sit there and tell me that the wage gap between white men and Hispanic women is not a problem. Making 55 cents to a white man's dollar is totally unacceptable and we, humans as a whole, should not be standing for it.
I think this is where I need to mention that I do understand a teacher is not going to get paid the same amount as an engineer. However, I also understand that male teachers should not being making more compared to female teachers that are just as qualified. The wage gap is a problem and it is not made up to make women become superior. White men have always had the upper hand. To quote our new president, "My father gave me a small loan of one million dollars."
Some people won't even make one million dollars in their entire life.
"It’s OK to be vulnerable. Men and women are meant to complement one another—not to be equal or to over-power."
Here we are again. Equal. I don't need a man to compliment me. I need a man to treat me with respect. I need a man to acknowledge that I am just as smart as he is. I need a man to understand when I tell him "I can do this on my own." I need everyone to grasp the idea that everyone is equal. Everyone also needs to understand that not everyone is going to have the same opportunities. Some are more privileged than others, but that is an article for another day.
So here I am.
I am a female.
I am a female and I am so a feminist.
