Why I'm a Feminist

I am a feminist. I say this not because I think women are better than men or because I hate men, I don’t. I simply believe in gender equality.

The Cambridge English Dictionary gives the definition of feminism as "The belief that women should be allowed the same rights, power, and opportunities as men and be treated in the same way." More simply put; the idea that men and women should be treated equally. If you believe in gender equality, you therefore are by definition, a feminist. Considering I can’t think of a valid reason as to why someone would not believe in gender equality, I undoubtedly believe that by these grounds, everyone should be a feminist. Whether you actively involve yourself in the modern feminist movement is a choice, but equal rights shouldn’t be, and never should have been a debate. Obviously there are ingrained, biological differences between men and women and we are clearly not the same, however this does not mean that either gender should be treated with any less respect or fewer rights. I’ll admit, the feminist movement has its flaws, but so does any movement, and there are varying degrees of extremity to the views held by those involved in and leading it. But this means we all have a choice; in what we believe and how far we believe it, and this choice is what makes feminism such a positive association.

Why anyone, particularly a woman, would actively reject the label of "feminist" frustrates me. Being a feminist is not shameful. Standing up for women’s rights is not embarrassing. The stigma associated with being a feminist needs to be eliminated, and young girls, as well as boys need to know they can safely call themselves feminists without facing backlash from society. Anyone who shames feminists or discredits the feminist movement is essentially belittling all that women have, for centuries, endeavored so incredibly to achieve. I’ve heard arguments from women who prefer to be housewives on why they can’t support feminism, but wanting to take care of a family and being a feminist are not mutually exclusive. The belief that a woman cannot be both stems from a misconstrued view of feminism. Just because women have fought for the rights to be employed in positions of authority, doesn’t mean they have to be exercised; they exist so that those who want to pursue careers in the same way that men have always been able to can. Housewives who refuse to follow feminism are frankly depreciating themselves and what they do, and I believe that all women should take pride in themselves, whatever their position. The suffragettes didn’t fight for equality so that women would feel undervalued doing what they love and feminists have always advocated for choice. We need to realise that it’s okay for women to hold high working positions, just like it’s okay for women to stay at home. It’s okay for women to take whatever role they want to take, and to take pride in it and themselves. All roles should be viewed at equal value. The fundamental message is that owing to the feminist and suffrage movements, women are now closer than ever to having unlimited freedom to choose their own career paths. Without them, women would never even have earned their right to vote, let alone to become politicians, lawyers, doctors, soldiers, and so on. It is of the utmost importance that we all have this liberty to choose what we want to do, and that whatever a woman’s choice is; it’s her own.

Another erroneous belief of feminism and an apparent argument for anti-feminism is that feminists attempt to excuse women from parts of life that don’t appeal to them. This is not an accurate representation of feminists and what they stand for. The manipulation of rights to favour women is not something that true feminists would ever advocate for, and any genuine feminist knows this. An integral part of a feminist’s ambition is for both genders to be regarded as equal in society. This means eliminating the fragility associated with femininity whilst also liberating the perception of masculinity as a confinement for men to adhere to. Feminism intends to eradicate damaging expectations for both genders.

Personally, I look forward to the day when feminism can cease to exist; the day when we no longer need to fight for gender equality because treating people equally becomes a natural instinct. I hope that, in the future, equal rights will no longer be something that causes debate, but an accepted part of life, and that we can all hold the same respect in society regardless of gender. But right now, while it may not be perfect, feminism undoubtedly needs to exist and it is all we have in the direction of eliminating gender bias and inequality. Arguing over whether or not we should be feminists is beside the point. At a fundamental level, feminism is an essential part of the fight for equality and, as a necessary movement it cannot be overlooked. This is even more prominent at a time when the president of the most powerful continent in the world is a misogynist who openly objectifies, sexualises, and finds amusement in harassing women. Disregarding feminism only amplifies the problem of gender inequality, and in the words of Andrea Dworkin; "Anti-feminism is a direct expression of misogyny; it is the political defense of women hating." Essentially, it comes down to values of respect for all people in society, and in the world we live in today, it is arguably more crucial than ever to stand up for equal rights and put an end to gender discrimination.