You Might Be a Feminist If…
Feminist. Somehow, that’s become a dirty word. Mostly due to a backlash from the male population who probably feel somehow threatened, many people perceive feminists as man-hating, masculine, angry women. This is clearly demonstrated in one of the popular anti-feminist movement terms: “femi-nazi.”
What’s surprising to me is that there are women out there who also say that they are anti-feminist. The only thing I can think of as far as an explanation to this phenomenon is that these women have bought into this myth about what feminism actually is.
Feminism is a movement that’s founded upon the belief that everyone is created equal – including men – and as such, everyone deserves the same rights, across the board. The term “feminism” might be a misleading one but, it has nothing to do with hating men.
In fact, men can and have identified as feminists, too. There are even some male celebrity feminists out there. Patrick Stewart (Professor X of the X Men franchise), Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter), Eddie Vedder (Pearl Jam front man), David Schwimmer (Friends), Prince Harry (UK), Ryan Goseling, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and the Dalai Lama are just a handful of men who identify as feminists.
So, if you’re still in doubt as to whether you’re a feminist, let me help you out.
You might be a feminist if…
#1. You believe that the main objective of a society is to gain equal rights for men and women
That goes for equal pay and equal opportunity when it comes to the work sector of life.
#2. You believe that modern societies should be reformed rather than transformed by revolutionary means
Only limited social change is necessary to achieve feminist goals. This is directly opposite of what the misinformed think about the feminist movement, which believes that people who identify as feminists are radical and aggressive.
#3. You believe that women should enter all male dominated occupations
That is, you believe that women should be able to engage in athletic and other cultural activities that are generally thought of and exclusively reserved for men. The idea of and practice of gender integration is vital to the achievement of feminist goals. Think about it like this, feminists also believe that this goes both ways; men should be able to enter careers that are generally thought of as “women’s work,” such as nursing, homemaking, and teaching, without judgment or bias.
#4. You believe that achieving change will be best done through legal avenues
The emancipation of women – that is, their ability to enjoy the same rights as men, should be accomplished through the passage of new laws that award equal rights to all and that the structure of the state or country doesn’t need to change. Again, this is quite the opposite of what anti-feminists believe; people who subscribe to feminist theory don’t believe that the country needs to be turned upside down, so to speak.
Hopefully this has cleared some things up for you. Maybe you still don’t want to label yourself a feminist and that’s OK. But, hopefully, you do believe that everyone should be treated equally and protected equally under the law. In my opinion.
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