I'm going to start this by saying that I do not hate men. I love men, actually. Men are my sexuality. I'm a cisgendered, heterosexual woman, and I love men. I'm a white woman, and I love men. I'm a "submissive", and I absolutely love men. There...now that I've pandered to the fragile male ego, and we're crystal clear about where I stand with my opinion of men, I have an announcement to make:
I am a feminist.
I want equal pay for equal work.
I want men to look at housework as their responsibility, too.
I want men to take an active approach to childcare.
I want women to be able to enjoy guns, or cars, or video games, without being told they're only doing it for attention.
I want men to be able to cry when they're upset, without being told they're acting like a woman, and not have that be the worst possible insult you can throw at them.
Mostly, though, I want every little girl, across the world to be able to hold her head up high, and walk proudly, without fear of getting ridiculed, or raped, or murdered. I want every child to have an equal opportunity to grow and learn and become successful adults. I want little girls to be able to grow up, and marry the man she falls in love with. I want little boys to be able to make friends with girls without any stigma attached to it. I want little boys to be able to wear pink. I want little girls to be interested in science.
I want men and women to be equal.
Period.
I'm tired of seeing thin men, and overweight men, and short men, and tall men, all end up with a woman of the same body-type, while women who aren't thin are left in the cold, because we're disgusting.
I'm tired of seeing women in bikinis, or less, selling hamburgers, or cars, or ice cream. I'm tired of women's bodies being cut off at the head, and used as beer bottles...as objects.
I'm tired of seeing women being portrayed as objects.
I'm tired of men in media being considered "sexy" if he's tall and muscular, but at best "funny" if he's overweight. I'm tired of men being forced into the role of "protector and provider" in magazine ads, and car commercials, and movies.
It's about time we saw men and women as what we are: multi-faceted, complex, emotional, strong, weak, and most of all...human.
We're all the same species, and we have so much potential to go so far, in science, technology, the arts, anything we set our mind to...but we can't do that when half of the world's population is being forced out of the workforce, because they were sold to be married, and they're not allowed to attend university. We're not going to make it through this crazy world with only half of us toeing the line. It's time for everybody to stand up and pull their weight. It's time for us to start working as a team.
There's so much untapped potential, trapped in the minds of women who never got the chance at a higher education, because she was pressured into getting married young, so she could have more children; in men who were forced to take a job at a young age, because he was expected to support his new wife, instead of going to college, and following his dreams.
The world we live now is biased, and it's unfair for both sides. It doesn't have to be that way, though. We can all stand up and fight for equality. We can stand up and let our voices be heard.
The problem is, it's not happening. There are too many men pushing back at the Feminist Movement, because they're afraid of...well, what are you afraid of? I've seen a lot of "anti-feminists" say things like, "well i won't date you, if you're a feminist" and "you're oppressing my penis!"...really? Is that how little you think of the women around you? Do you honestly believe, in this day and age, that a woman's only goal is to get married? Do you honestly thing we're only here to have sex with you?
If that's the case, then you're part of the problem.
Women deserve the same respect and peace of mind you have. Have you ever been shushed in a board meeting, in favor of your coworker's opinion? Have you ever clutched tighter to your purse as you walked through a crowd? Have you ever been in fear for your very life as you walk home in the dark, alone? If you're a man, probably not. Women have. Every woman has had a moment in her life when she was mocked or made fun of, or threatened, simply because of her gender. That's it. Not because she's rude, or an unpleasant person, or because she went looking for a fight...just because she's a woman.
If you're a woman, and you've gone your entire life without ever feeling uncomfortable in the presence of men, or because of a commercial, or even a statement made by another woman regarding your life choices; if you've never been told that your skirt is too short, or your top is too tight, or your body hair is disgusting; if you've never felt pressured to wear makeup, or high heels, or have sex; if you always feel safe, appreciated, and loved; if you make the same amount of money as a man in your exact position, with your exact training, then I congratulate you. You're part of a very small group. Don't you wish every woman on the planet felt that same sense of security, of self, of accomplishment and pride? If yes, then you need feminism. If not, then...I feel sorry for you, and I wish you had been given the gift of empathy, as a child.
