I was reading Gala Darling’s recent post “Feminism Wasn’t Supposed To Make Us Miserable” and it made me start thinking about something…Feminazis. Yeah. You know the ones I’m talking about – they tell you how being a stay at home mom is degrading to women, that makeup and shaving make you subservient to men and the masculine/mass media idea of beauty, that real feminists don’t play with the boys, they play against them and doing anything other that makes you a traitor to your gender and to feminism. I have one word regarding those beliefs: Bullsh*t.
“Modern feminism has become about mandatory consensus and stipulating to an entirely liberal ethical code.”
-via Sodahead
Somehow feminism has become more about conformity to what the feminists think a woman should be as well as duking it out with and, in some cases, even the outright hating of men . But what it’s REALLY about is the woman’s right to choose the life that makes her happy…to be free and equal.
Real feminism RESPECTS a woman’s choice to enjoy being attractive or be a housewife or a CEO who kicks ass and takes names, have hairy armpits or not – whatever she chooses. Feminism should be about female empowerment & equality, not being in combat against men or forcing women to conform to a different (read as stereotypical feminist) ideal of what women should be.
I believe true feminism is about supporting women and allowing us to create our own definition of the term and what it means to be a woman. I like to look nice because I have respect for myself and I enjoy it. I like how I feel when I’m gussied up and look good. It’s fun, damn it. If I have a child someday I fully plan on staying at home with it not because it’s “right” or because I “have to” but because I CHOOSE to do so. That doesn’t mean I am any less of a woman or a feminist nor does it mean I am kowtowing to men or begging for their approval. It’s what I WANT, what makes me happy and my freedom to choose those things…and THAT is what true feminism is about.
“If we want to be good feminists, real feminists, then we should embrace women, regardless of their political agendas and beliefs.”
-via Sodahead
*end diatribe*
Kisses & Chaos,
Alli Woods Frederick
images: artist unknown (if you know the owner of the image, please let me know so I can credit them) | all fashion images from vogue italia |
