What Is My Feminism?

I haven’t always called myself a feminist.

“There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish” – Michelle Obama

For a long time I never called myself a feminist, not anything politically charged, but because I just never knew what it meant. We never learnt much about the Suffragettes, and I was never aware that the 60s involved a New Wave of Feminism that would bring about birth control, freedom of abortion and other rights that had been remarkably unattainable for women. I would say that the first time I felt that I was a feminist, I was in college, exploring the possibility that the world Was Not Okay. Did I know then, that I would be a feminist? A champion of women, and men, to achieve equality that had long since not been given to us? No. I honestly didn’t.

Now, though, I know I am.

Some people choose to be a feminist when bad things happen to them. The curse of this unequal world finally thrusts itself upon them and they see it as their mission to protect themselves, and others, from the same fate. Nothing ever bad happened to me. Not as a woman. Not really, anyway. Things had occurred, past events where I felt uncomfortable in situations as a woman, but it wasn’t until I was much older that I realised that it wasn’t right. I shouldn’t have felt like that, should I? I shouldn’t have had a leering look at the age of 15, or a comment made about my body, nor should I have been told not to go out at night because I was in danger. That’s not fair.

I suppose the main issue that I faced was the use of the term: Feminist. The word elicits a negative response from men and women alike. People see us as the new wave of SJW’s (Social Justice Workers) looking to belittle men, to stop them from doing what they’ve always done. “But we can’t even look at women now!” “We can’t say anything for fear of the response.”

I couldn’t walk home alone when I was eighteen because my parents were afraid of what might happen to me. I used to carry this fear with me. There’s inequality in what I choose to do with MY body, what I choose to think or feel or say. I can’t do certain jobs because we’re not ‘made’ to do it. I think our plight is worse than not being able to tell someone they look good.

My Feminism came to a head when I was at university. I was surrounded by some strong women, who taught me everything I needed to know. But I was also surrounded by history dominated by men. I couldn’t count, on one hand, the amount of women whose name’s we were taught. History has far removed these women, and in some ways it is our fault. We let them die out. By my third year I was having none of that. I focused most of my assignments on something to do with women, and my final dissertation was looking closely at viewing feminism in historic movies. What I discovered finalised my feminism.

There wasn’t much. There was a lot of women, and a lot of strong women, but whilst their historic counterparts were strong, they weren’t often portrayed well. I wanted to know more. Soon enough, the word Feminism became less doused in negativity. I didn’t care that people called me a ‘lesbian’ for believing in equality. I wanted to be free. I wanted other women to be free. And I wanted to end the concept of patriarchy. Which is why I became a feminist.

So what is my feminism?

1. Equality. For everyone, no matter the age, gender or race. We seek to be free, but to remain equal, to allow men to do what they want, say what they want and to, most importantly, move away from the concept that women are ‘weak’.
2. Being kind. Feminism is about standing up for one another, but not necessarily agreeing. Good debates are not one sided. We shouldn’t love one another just because we are women, but we shouldn’t be cruel. We should try to be kind at all times.
3. Fight for the rights of women across the world. We are so close to a breakthrough, in the Western world, but there are many countries that refuse to allow women to be free. The fight can’t stop just because we’re doing good. We have to keep going.

My feminism isn’t this power-hungry movement, it’s not afraid, but it’s not stupid. My feminism doesn’t seek to belittle but to explain, and to teach, and to learn. We cannot hope to be free if we don’t try.

My feminism is for all.