I think it was the second week of FRO. We were doing a lesson about things we value. Someone mentioned brotherhood. I promptly chimed in with- “sisterhood”. That was followed by some giggles and someone saying “she’s a feminist “. I said yes, I am a feminist. I could tell that suddenly, some people were taken aback by my admission. A few laughed, and not in a mean way but, just as anyone laughs when someone expresses their interest or passion in something that isn’t necessarily correspondent with majority. So then, one of my male classmates politely approached me and said “Well what exactly is a feminist?”.

 

So?

Feminism is the movement towards equality between men and women. That’s what feminism is to me.

 

We live in a world where widespread equality between men and women does not exist. Yet, for some reason, there is such a stigma attached to feminism and that is partly due to those that misrepresent the true value and meaning of the movement.

Yes, there are feminists who burn their bras, don’t shave, and detest men. That doesn’t mean all feminists are the same or that those feminists are right.

 

Additionally, just because I’m a feminist doesn’t mean that it’s all I care about. I have other interests and passions. I’m just like anyone else. I don’t hate men. I actually love men and women, and I think it’s important for us to work together and create a more equal world for each other. That would only help us all in the end. I’m not necessarily going to stand here and talk about statistics and news headlines that detail the vast disparity in the standards women are held to, the salaries we receive, and our overall treatment as human beings compared to men. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you already know about all that. Those are facts.

I want to talk about the role of feminism in my everyday life. I’ve become less timid about stating that I am a feminist. Whenever I do mention it, nearly everyone’s reaction is to try and draw the distinction between my level of feminism and that of “radical feminists”. I’ll say it again, because I feel like no matter how many times I say it, no one believes me. I don’t hate men. A person that claims to be a feminist and also “hates” men, is not really a feminist at all. In my opinion, men are at the top of the list of people that need to be on board with the feminist movement in order for it to be successful.

 

That brings me to the subject of women and feminism. I want to remind all women that it’s not only important to envision our own success, but to encourage fellow women to also reach their goals. To support and protect each other. I think it’s called something like sisterhood…

 

Women from such a young age are conditioned to compare each other, to slut shame, and put each other down. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, go home and watch Mean Girls. When I see a girl that maybe others would be quick to label as slut, or a bitch, I remind myself that I should love and respect other women, because if we can’t work together, neither will feminism.

In far fewer words, I explained to my classmate what feminism is about. He actually had no idea that men can be feminists too. By the end of it, he actually said “Wow, I think I’m a feminist.” It made me sad to know that someone didn’t even realize that they understood and agreed with feminism simply because they didn’t know what it was. My hope is that with this brief speech, I can paint a clearer picture of what it means to be a part of feminism. You don’t have to believe in it, but at least remain enlightened and aware, if not for the movement, then simply for me. As I would hate for anyone to associate me with a stigma that in no way accurately represents my values and character. So, in the event you ever find someone spreading false ideas or statements about feminism I would greatly appreciate if you could simply remind them that feminism is really only about one thing- equality. 🙂

-Soffiyya