There are many different ways that people define the word “feminist”. For example, Merriam Webster defines it as “a theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes”. Keep in mind I do consider myself a feminist, also meaning I do support the equal treatment of males and females, but day after day I continue to see unacceptable standards set for women by not only men, but the media as well.
I really do believe that it is hard to be a woman in today’s society. We are constantly being compared to certain beauty standards, such as having a big butt to be desired by men or having a large chest. We are told that we should be smart, but not smarter than our male counterparts. To be confident, but not overbearing. To be successful, but to never outshine a man in what we are participating in. It is statistically harder for us to find equally paying salary jobs in comparison to our male co-workers. It is harder for us in society to be respected overall.
So, I go back to the drawing board. I ask myself, when did this happen? Why is this still an issue when we are living in a much more progressive society than the rest of the world? Often times in school history textbooks, you’ll see men working in fields or working in general; while the women were taking care of the household. That was the accepted standard. A white man always had the right to vote, but women didn’t possess that right until 1920. Of course, that was back then. But why does “back then” feel so similar to today? I will admit I’m thankful for the many female empowerment leaders, like women such as Michelle Obama, Hillary Clinton, Carly Fiorina, and Oprah Winfrey, and I’m proud of the many advancements that women have made in the workforce. However, I don’t appreciate a man gawking at the idea that a woman should get equal pay, or that a woman is scared to walk on the street alone, or that a woman is doing better than them on a soccer field. We, as women, have every right to be as successful as they are, as strong as in body and in mind, and appreciated for what we contribute to the world.
The fact that a majority of young men these days do not know how to properly treat a woman with kindness and give her the respect she deserves is very aggravating.
So yes, if you tell me that women have it easy in today’s society, I won’t believe you. And while I do remain a feminist in some aspects, the truth is that men do not truly know what women have had to endure in society, or how our rights have been revoked and laughed at. Know that women fear being the 1 in 6 women to get raped in their lifetime. Understand how frustrated we are by the wage gap. Comprehend how difficult it is to live in a society where our bodies are objectified and our minds disrespected. Men won’t know because they aren’t in our shoes, and that’s fine, but don’t be surprised when a woman becomes the leader in a sea full of men. Don’t act like just because we have menstrual cycles we are too weak, too emotional and too fragile to do anything that a man can. Females are gaining confidence and I only hope this confidence will grow tremendously throughout our society. We have every right to be successful, to be respected, and to be leaders. If one doesn’t believe that, then your perception of women is one of ancient beliefs. Welcome to 2017.
