When I tell people I'm a feminist, the very first reaction is aggression, aversion, or the classic, "why?". Then, the typical, “do you hate men?”, or, as in response to my tumblr bio, one anon concluded that “She must be ugly (if she’s a feminist)”. My experience is not unusual, all over feminists are shamed, with #feministsareugly trending on twitter earlier this year.
So why on Earth would I self-identify as Feminist, facing all the stigmatism from society? First off, it’s important to recognize that many take contention with the term "feminism," jumping to the conclusion that the principle of feminism is anti-men. Being a feminist is simply the notion that women, and those possessing feminine traits, are equal to men. If men were the oppressed gender, and male traits were shamed by society, we would simply campaign "menism." So calling for a new term for this equality that strikes out any specific connection to women or femininity calls attention away from the issue at hand.
Note, also, that I say "feminine traits," as in not simply those with female genitalia. As Feminists, we defend against the oppression of any of those identifying with the female gender, as well as female traits in men. They are criticized for being sensitive, emotionally intelligent, for giving heedance to their appearance, hygiene, and for carrying themselves with grace, all feminine traits. In this way, I hold in high regard the duality between feminine and masculine traits that exists in everyone, and see it as my duty to defend everyone's rights to these vital aspects of their personality.We can vote, what more do we want? The main issue with this is the misunderstanding that having the capability of voting leads effective representation on issues of oppression of women and feminine traits. In the 1923, and again in 1972 the United States government attempted to pass the Equal Rights Amendment, that would combat all other issues associated with gender discrimination.
The Falling House of Femininity