The True Meaning of the "F" Word

It's FRIDAY kids. And you know what that means? We get to talk about our favorite (hot-topic) "F" Word. Nope, it's not Friday, Freedom or French Fries (though those are kickass words in my book). We mean the BIG F-WORD.

Alright, it's about time we sit down and have a talk about the TRUE meaning of the "F" Word... NO, not THAT F-word. I'm talking about *whispers* F...eminism... What? Who said that?


FEMINISM!

OHMYGOONESS NOOOOOO!!!!

Sheesh! No need to shout. Actually, maybe there is... but we'll get to that in a minute.
So, I realize that today's post will possibly upset some people and perhaps push some buttons. But you know what? I'm feeling in the button-pushing mood. So let's do this.
At the same time though, please keep in mind that what I'm NOT doing today is THIS:

Yeah... that's not what this is...

Apparently, in our culture today, even whispering the word is worse than, you know, that OTHER F-word... But do you really know the true meaning? The definition as well as what it stands for?



Merriam-Webster Definition:

feminism

noun fem·i·nism \ˈfe-mə-ˌni-zəm\

 

1:  the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities

2:  organized activity in support of women's rights and interests

 

THAT'S IT! It's really just that simple. SO, do you think that men and women should be equal have have equal rights and opportunities (equal pay for the same exact job, not be discriminated against because of gender for job or other opportunities, etc.)? 

Yes? Well, guess what? You're a feminist. Nope, don't argue. I'm talking DENOTATION - the literal, definition of the word. 

 

 

 

When it comes to CONNOTATION - the general meanings we attribute to words in our culture, it gets a little bit trickier. But let me break it down here for you.

What Feminism IS:

Um, I LITERALLY just gave you the definition above. Here, maybe this picture will help make it simple and clear:

WHAAAT!? Whoa, that totally just blew my mind, dude. WOMEN are PEOPLE!? You mean, just like MEN!????

Yup, that's pretty much it.
That means treating ALL people with equality both socially, politically and any other way you can think of. That doesn't mean men and women are THE SAME. There's a difference. Men and women have their differences and every individual has their own personality whether that fits into your gender stereotype molds or not.
BUT, feminism is the belief that men and women alike should be treated with the same respect and given the same opportunities and political, economic and social equalities.

What Feminism IS NOT:

Wow, this list could really be long. But I'm just going to hit the main points of what people THINK Feminism (oh the pejoratives! ... grammar nerds, you get me) is, even though they're wrong.

•  Not About Hating Men - I'm sorry, were you not listening? I just said EQUAL. That doesn't mean women are better than men. That doesn't mean men are evil, chauvinistic rapists that want to bring all women down. That's called MISANDRY. Look it up. Oh wait, I've done it for you: "misandry: dislike of, contempt for, or ingrained prejudice against men (i.e., the male sex)." That's not true feminism. While there may be a handful of men in the world that actually ARE those awful things above, being pro-women does NOT mean being anti-man.
            
• Not About Being Radical - While there was historically a Radial Feminist Movement - you've heard of the one; bra-burning, men-hating women shouting their cries of patriarchy and "the man" - yeah that was the 70's folks. It's pretty sad when in 2015, we're still having the same argument about equality (granted, things have changed and there has been real progress since then), but still. You don't have to be radical and beat people over the head with your ideology to promote equality or show that belief in your choices.
            
• Not Against Motherhood - Some argue that you can't be a feminist if you are a wife or a mother, or if you don't work full time. That's simply not true. Feminism is about CHOICE. You can choose to have kids or not, you can choose to be a stay-at-home mom or not, you can choose to run your household with your significant other (as applicable) however you want. Equality means just that. You actually get the choice.
                 
• Not About Appearances - You don't have to be a lesbian to be a Feminist. Hell, you don't even have to be a WOMAN to be a Feminist. There are those who argue that feminists are all "ugly, dykes just trying to get attention" - well, for one, rude. For two, wrong. Pro-equality can look like pretty much anything. You can be tough, mild, pretty, plain, man, woman, other. Doesn't matter what you look like. It's about the meaning. (See definition above on meaning)
              
• Not an Outdated Argument - Many recently have been arguing that feminism isn't needed anymore so stop yelling about it. Well those people are wrong. Statistically in the U.S. (on average), women make 81 cents for every dollar men earn doing the SAME jobs. Worldwide, women are treated in all manners as inferior to men. It's not just about money and it's not just about rape. Look at any interview for men and women, say, in a movie together. Just watch: the interviewers ask men thought-provoking questions about how they prepared for their character's portrayal of blah, blah, blah. What do they ask the women? Beauty secrets, what underwear they wore to fit into their costume, the list goes on.
  
  The fight is not over.

 Overall, this quote sums it up:

Also, a REALLY great speech made by Emma Watson (you know, that awesome lady from the Harry Potter movies who played Hermione and kicked everyone's ass while also being really smart and didn't care what people thought of her frizzy hair?) She made a beautiful speech about Feminism and equality AND how men also struggle with gender inequality and how if we're to make a different against Gender Inequality, we need to work together. If you get a moment, read the speech here, or watch the video for Emma Watson's UN address. #HeForShe

So, that's really all there is to it. There are women against feminism and the "Men's Rights Movement" who argue against feminism for a number of dumb reasons and argue that men's rights are being ignored or that men can't do things women can do, respectively. Just a quick response to them:

1. To the "Women Against Feminism" - you make no sense to me. As a woman, how can you not want to be treated with respect or as a human being? Do you WANT to be considered inferior or be looked at, unfortunately as many women are in the world, as an object or something men own? Like a pet? Ok, if that's really what you want. Doesn't make sense to me, but you know what? As a Feminist, I believe YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO SAY AND BELIEVE THAT. I know, counter-intuitive right?
   I may disagree with you, but as a person who believes in equality for all, that also means you have the choice to call yourself an Anti-Feminist. I don't get it. But that's your decision.
   
2. To the "Men's Rights" Advocates - you make no sense to me. Arguing against feminism in the name of "Men's Rights" is like arguing against Civil Rights for minorities in the name of "White Rights" - you already HAVE the rights. Being the majority means you inherently have the privilege and power that comes with that. Your argument is stupid. End of story.

 

That's enough ranting for one day. And to the lovely, argumentative people who may be just THAT awful to ask, let me answer your questions now: No, I don't hate men; No, I am not a lesbian (did you READ this blog?); No, I am not PMS-ing; Yes, I may in fact be a bitch - the jury's still out; Yes, I believe ALL people, men and women alike SHOULD BE FEMINISTS because (refer to definition) it's about equality for everyone. That's all. 

Want to read more from another source? Here's a great article about the word Feminism and common issues people have with it.

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