I'm One, Are You?

I'm a Feminist

But what does that mean?

According to Dictionary.com

"feminism

[fem-uh-niz-uh m] 

Spell Syllables

·        Word Origin

noun

1. the doctrine advocating social, political, and all other rights of women equal to those of men.

2.(sometimes initial capital letter) an organized movement for the attainment of such rights for women."

• What does it mean to be a Feminist? 

• These questions have been answered by politics, people of both sexes, teachers, websites, blog posts, celebrities and more. 
• And surprisingly enough not everyone agrees. 
• And so because I live in a country where as a woman  I can speak my mind 
• And not end up in jail 
• Or on some watch list with my government, 
• I'm going to speak my opinion on this matter.

• Feminists agree that woman have value and importance.  
• That women should have rights and freedoms that are granted to men.  
• That women are not lesser, for being female.

• News Flash: Feminists do not all agree on all things. 
• We come from different political views, religious beliefs, and cultures.  
• We are not united by one specific platform.  
• We are united in our belief that women are important, and that society should improve the way women are treated.

• We believe there is a power dynamic that is off between men and women, that has shown it's self worldwide throughout time and history. 
• And this power dynamic needs to be shifted.
• Human trafficking still exists...in America. 
• Women are being mutilated in other countries because of tradition.  
• Women report abuse, and are not believed because the man denies it, or worse blames the woman for his own actions. 
• "I didn't want to touch her, but she wore that dress." 
• These are atrocities that should be talked about, addressed and made right.

•  So I'm a feminist. 
• Our political views, religions, and choices,  may differ from each other, but our cries match in volume when we ask for change.  

• And I thank the feminist movement for the gifts it has given me in my country:
• I have the right to vote (my great great grandma did not have this right).
• I have the right not to marry a man who raped and impregnated me (a relative of mine a few generations back didn't have this choice)
• Even if I had married young I still could've gone to college and received financial aid.
• Both of my grandma's worked so that their husbands could go to school, partially because the generation before them saw little value in supporting them so that both sexes could have an education.
• I had the right to wear pants in school for the entirety of my time there (my mom didn't)
• I'm thankful for these things and someday I want to leave my granddaughters and children with other positive  changes.

• Do I agree with every single change feminists have made to society? 
• i.e. Prohibition?
• No. 
• But it's made up of people, 
• And truthfully, no organization or group, of any gender has ever done everything perfectly.
• We are people, sometimes we get things wrong, and sometimes we get things right. 
• We celebrate the successes and hope\strive for more.

I'm proud to call myself a feminist.