So I know New Years is like, a month away, but I've decided to start my resolution early this year. I've decided to scrap everything I've done up to this point and start this blog over completely. Before, this blog was centered on my personal ventures as I transitioned into adulthood, with a little bit of commentary on what was going on in the world around me. In my new blog posts, I'm going to change that. I'll be focusing more on my oppinions, current events, and pop culture, but I'll still sprinkle in bits about my personal life here and there, and include any big updates on my life. I'm also going to be writing alot about feminism, body positivty, and living a sex-positive life.
New posts will be up on Fridays!
Thank you for your support, and I hope you enjoy my new blog even more than the old one. I'll see you Friday, with my first new post in this new blog in the (not so new) year.
Until then, here's some pictures of baby turtles riding skateboards.
In today's day and age,
feminism has become a dirty word. You say "feminist" and they hear "bra burning" and "man hater" when what it really means is "equality." Let's take a look at how dictionary.com defines
"feminism."
So many men and women are
afraid to stand up for women's rights and call themselves feminists because of
the social stigma associated with it. However, the definition of feminism
represents exactly what the feminist movement is about: equality; Equality
among the sexes, and the end of gender discrimination against men and women.
As a feminist myself,
there is one thing that I have learned about my peers when it comes to the
feminist movement: they are uneducated. Most young people I have spoken with about feminism who do not consider themselves to be feminist do not understand what feminism is or what feminists are fighting for. Once I explained why I was
a feminist, and that all feminism means is maintaining a belief in gender equality, they
too considered themselves feminists! A vast majority of Americans are
misinformed and mislead about feminism. If our generation becomes properly
informed about feminism, I'm confident that nearly everyone would identify
themselves as a feminists, leading to a more equatible and improved society.
Who/What are Feminists Fighting For?
Feminists are fighting for
the social, political and economic equality of men and women.
Feminism is
fighting for Women.
Women are held to an
unrealistic standard, and told that there is only one way to be a
"real" woman in their appearance, their life choices, and their
career. Although great strides have been made throughout the past 100 years,
women still face mass scrutiny if they do not fit into this standard. A woman
who has multiple sexual partners is called a "slut," but a man who does the
same is put on a pedestal. Girls are shamed for being "bossy," while boys are
encouraged and told they have leadership skills. A woman who wants to work is
abandoning her motherly duties, but a man is stepping up and providing for his
family. This double standard is not only damaging to adults, but it is further hindering the upcoming generations of girls from reaching their full potential.
Feminism is
fighting for Men.
Despite it's reputation
for "man hating," the feminist movement is actually quite the opposite.
Feminism is fighting for equality among both
sexes, which includes fighting against gender discrimination for men too. Men are
told their entire lives that they need to suppress their feelings, to prove
themselves using violence or intimidation, to be into sports, to prove their
manhood by being hyper sexual, to be tall and muscular. Notice how many of
the pressures men face come down to defining themselves against women. It's
about shaming, belittling, and devaluing the feminine. From a young age, boys
are taught that in order to be a 'real man' they must be all of these typically
masculine things, and none of the feminine. These pressures and gender roles
are really harmful to society. Young boys are ostracized because they don't
like sports. There are college-aged men who are emotionally disconnected
because their whole lives they have been told that real men don't cry. Caring
fathers cannot get custody of their children because "nurturing" is a
girl thing.
Feminism is
fighting against Homophobia.
Homophobia is another
effect of sexism that feminists are fighting against. Many gay men are looked
down on because they often are more in touch with their femininity and may be
interested in things that women like (dancing, their appearance, sex with men).
Thus, society who shuns the feminine, shun gay men as well. Why would a man
want to lower himself to the level of a female? This sexism is just another
way society belittles the feminine.
Gay women are looked down
on as well. Women can't possibly survive without a man. Who's the man
in the relationship and who's the woman? This sexism insinuates that
women are unable to stand by themselves, without men; the idea that a healthy
relationship could not possibly exist without a man. It perpetuates
the unrealistic gender roles that society obssesses over.
Feminism is
fighting against this sexism, and promoting the ideals that there is more than
one way to be a 'real' man or a 'real' women.
Wait,
but I thought there already was equality?
Although great strides
have been made in gender equality, the battle is far from won. Many people
against the feminist movement argue, You got the right to vote, so why are
feminists still complaining? We must continue to fight until equality is
won. In fact, sexism in the media, in politics, and in the workforce has worsened, as well as the development of rape culture.
In the Media
One of the biggest supporters of sexism and gender inequality is the media. The media is
constantly, directly and indirectly,
reinforcing gender roles and stereotypes that are harmful to the American
public, especially the youth. In cinema, female characters are one-dimensional. They're young, perky, thin, and objectified by
men, with no real aspirations other than to find a husband, particularly in
animated films. The documentary film Miss Representation discusses the
reality of women in films, pointing out that between 1937 and 2005 there were
only 13 female protagonists in animated films. All of them except one had the
aspiration of finding romance. These animated films are geared towards young
children, and are ingraining into their minds from a very young age that this
is a woman's purpose in life.
On television, the problem
only worsens. Female news anchors are objectified to entice men to watch, commercials use the female body to advertise 'manly' products, female
sitcom characters who's only aspiration is to 'win the guy.' All of this and
more combine to tell young girls that their worth lies only in their beauty.
Undoubtedly, a huge reason for this is that women own only 5.8% of all
television stations and 6% of radio
stations (Miss Representation). This industry is predominantly controlled by
men; and without the female point of view this misogyny is running rampant.
With a more empowered female population, more women would undoubtedly pursue
positions of power and creativity in the media, thus leading to more diverse
female characters and less objectification of the female body.
In Politics
Even though women make up
51% of the US population, they comprise less than 20% of congress (Miss
Representation). This is a significant problem. Without representation in
politics, women's voices are not being heard. Societal pressure for women to be
obedient followers and the devaluing of women's worth by the media has
discouraged women from pursuing careers in politics. The women who do choose to
pursue a career in politics face endless
scrutiny and adversity.
When Hillary Clinton ran for secretary of state, news stations were flooded
with 'stories' on how she was unattractive, old, and bitchy, but talked very
little on her actual political platform and campaign, belittling her as if her
political stance did not matter because she was not sexually appealing. In the
2008 presidential election, republican party Vice President nominee Sara Palin
faced scrutiny on the opposite end of the spectrum. News media and television
actively objectified and sexualized her. Despite her impressive political
background, as the youngest ever Alaskan governor, news media did not take her seriously, discussing whether or not she had breast implants instead of what
her plan for our country was. How can we expect to elect women when we won't
even listen to what their ideas are because we are too busy scrutinizing their
bodies? Without feminism, we won't see growth in the roles of women in
politics.
In the
Workforce
Although great strides
have been made for equality in the work force, a woman's talents are still
worth less than a man's. In the U.S, women continue to earn 77 cents to every
dollar that men earn in the same job. (Miss Representation). By not
supporting feminism, we are saying that this is okay. That it is acceptable to
value a man more than a woman. In addition to this inequality, women in the
workforce also face endless adversity. Their leadership is seen as
"bossy" and they do not gain the same respect as men. Feminism is
fighting for women to not only be paid and treated equally in the workforce, but
to be given equal opportunities as well.
Rape Culture Societies inherent dislike of the feminine has lead to a culture in which rape and domestic
abuse have
become normalized. Society encourages men to be hyper-sexual and assert their dominance and masculinity, leading to generations of young men who don't know how to have
healthy sexual relationships or respect women. 1 in 6 women are survivors of
rape or attempted rape (Miss Representation). How can we allow over 16%
of women to be subject to rape? Our society has become desensitized to rape.
Last week at SDSU, fraternity men disrupted a rally against sexism and sexual
violence by screaming obscenities, throwing eggs, and waving sex toys at the
protesters (Kleeman, Sophie). Those who say that equality has "already been
achieved" need look no further than our own campus to see inherent proof
that we have a long way to go.
Everyone Benefits from Feminism Without these pressures and scrutiny that women face in today's world, women would be
more empowered. The percentage of females voting in the U.S would sky rocket; more women would pursue careers in politics and business, and the media would begin to portray women as something more than walking sex objects. This change in the media would disintegrate rape culture, and undoubtedly lead to a decrease in sexual violence. As the feminist movement continues to grow, men are freed from the inherent sexism that they face. As the feminine begins to be seen as something to be encouraged, not afraid of, men will be able to look at their feminine qualities as positives and won't be shamed for them. Homophobia would undoubtedly decrease significantly, with gay rights increasing. Gay men would not be shunned for having feminine qualities, and gay women would not be looked down upon for not relying on men.
Celebrities Supporting Feminism Although Feminism is often scrutinized by the public, many celebrities and public figures are standing up for equality and identifying themselves as feminists. Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Bruno Mars, John Legend, Ellen Page, Patrick Stewart, Tina Fey, Andy Samberg and Ashton Kutcher are just a few of the hundreds of public figures who have declared themselves feminists. In Emma Watson's ground-breaking UN speech on feminism, she discussed the effects that sexism and these gender roles have on men, "I've seen men made fragile and insecure by a distorted sense of what constitutes male success."
Ryan Gossling stood up
against the misogyny in the film industry in an interview with PopSugar
Magazine. He said, "You have to question a cinematic culture
which preaches artistic expression, and yet clearly supports
patriarchy-dominant society, which tries to control how women are
depicted on screen. They support scenes that portray women in scenarios of
sexual torture and violence for entertainment purposes, but they are trying to
force us to look away from a scene that shows a woman in a sexual scenario
which is both complicit and complex."
Daniel Craig (aka James
Bond) discussed the importance of continuing the feminists movement in an
interview with Wenn.Com. "Women are responsible for two
thirds of the work done worldwide, yet earn only 10% of the total income and
own 1% of the property…So, are we equals? Until the answer is yes, we must
never stop asking.”
Prince Harry has been a
prominent advocate for feminism for quite some time. Recently, at a feminism
rally in London, he spoke to the benefits of feminism. "Thank you for
showing your support for women’s rights…We know that when women are empowered,
they immeasurably improve the lives of everyone around them – their families,
their communities, and their countries. This is not just about women, we all
need to recognize the part we play too."
Say the "F" Word Loud and Proud!
Being a feminist does not
mean you hate men. It does not mean you are a lesbian. It does not
mean that you are a radical. It is not something to be ashamed of.
Being a feminist means
supporting men and women. It means
striving for equality in the media, in the workforce, and in politics. It means
standing up for equality. It is something to be proud of. Support the radical
notion that perhaps men and women are equal.
So what
are we so afraid of?! Step up and say it. Say you're a feminist. Say that you
are a feminist, because you believe in equality
