Over the past week, or more specifically, since Donald Trump became president, feminism has been a hot topic. In a show of the advocation and need for feminism, the Women's March took place on Jan. 21, 2017, just a day after the president's inauguration. The march took place in Washington and other large cities across the nation, as well as around the globe. The march received mixed feedback from citizens around the world, some praise for women standing up for their equal rights, and some backlash. The march was mostly questioned by the opposition. What was the march about? What rights don't women have in the United States? We don't need feminism in the united States, what is the issue?
Well, the issue is that you think we do not need feminism, because we do.
To answer the first question, the march was about, well, feminism. It was about the fight for equal rights for women, which is what feminism is. There seems to be a large misconception of what feminism is, and many believe that feminism's goal is to overpower men and become the superior gender, which is not at all true. Feminism is not about hating men or being better than men. Allow me to clear it up. Feminism, by definition, is advocating social, political, legal and economic rights for women equal to those of men.
Equal.
Feminism is fighting for equal rights on all grounds. We want our input to matter just the same as men's. Women should be treated as equals, and nothing less, and frankly, it is quite preposterous that this is not happening in the 21st century. Yes, it is understood that women have never been treated better than in the 21st century, but that does not mean there is not still work to be done all around the world, because feminism is not just fighting for the United States but for the women of the world. The Women's March did take place on all seven continents, after all. There are women in other countries still being forced to marry at the age of 12. There are women in other countries being forced to have babies. There are women forbidden from receiving an education. There are women being abused because domestic violence is normalized in these countries. There are women being sex trafficked. There are women having their genitals mutilated.
That is not equality, and just because it is not happening to you or affecting you in your country, does not mean that it is not happening, because it is.
As mentioned previously, feminism is not just fighting in the United States, feminism is fighting for women all over the world, and it is clear that we still need that.
So, if that is all in other countries, what is the movement in the United States fighting for? Women are still underrepresented in many areas, including governance, leadership, and management positions. Women are still fighting for their rights to safe abortions and birth control. Women are still fighting for equal education and job opportunities.
Women all over the world are still fighting to be heard.
So, yes, to answer the questions, we need feminism. The entire world needs feminism. We will always need feminism, because feminism means equality.
And we will not stop fighting for feminism or equality, until every woman on this planet gets it.
