This backlash of "I am not a feminist" celebrities coming out declaring themselves as non-feminists is one small step into the pile of sh*t and one giant leap backwards for society. It seems Kaley Cuoco has spent too much time playing a dumb blonde as she seems to be perpetually stuck on dumbass, so shocked that people weren't all on-side with her declaring herself not a feminist.
The term feminist developed a sullied meaning over time, much like other words and symbols that have very specific and powerful meanings, it's been blurred by incorrect interpretations and people associating them with what people who are against the idea attach to it. The word feminist was misconstrued by people who were anti-feminism to mean things like 'man hater', 'bitter', 'ugly', etc. If you spend more than 0.003 seconds thinking about it, then you remember that the word is simply 'femina' and 'ism'....the belief in women. not OF women...IN women. Look the word up in any dictionary and show me where it says that they are bitter bitches who hate men and want to rule over everything. It doesn't. That's not what it means, it's only what people who don't believe in women's rights want you to think it means.
The movement against women has no valid reasoned argument against why women should not be equal- they simply don't want to lose their power. So, without a real platform of fact and reason to stand on, they do what all villains do- they aim to cause dissension in the opposing force. They won't have to worry about fighting the threat to their manhood if women are fighting amongst themselves. It's the same mentality that caused tension when women wanted the vote- there was a campaign by women against women getting the vote because they were told that they would ruin it for everyone.
If you believe that women should be paid less for the same work, should have to fight twice as hard to win the same battles, shouldn't be represented equally in law, in society, in media and in life...then you are not a feminist. However, if you do believe in any of the aforementioned ideals...you are a feminist. Maybe you're not militant and marching in protests and signing petitions...burning bras or boycotting shaving your legs..but you're a feminist.
Embrace it. Don't let the women haters take the power out of the word feminist. Don't let them make it a dirty word. If you bend to the notions they want you to have, then they've succeeded in pushing back the fight for equality.
And if you think for one second that a man can't be a feminist, then you're wrong. Men are as important to the cause as women. It's not weakness, it's not 'gay', it's not being 'whipped'..it's just being a person who believes that another person deserves to be treated as they would want to be treated. Terry Crews is a proud feminist, I dare you to tell him that to his face he's a wimp for believing in women's right, I'll give you the number of my dentist and a good plastic surgeon when it's over.
I am a woman. I don't hate men. I have never burned my bras. I have never been on a protest march, written angry poetry or read Sylvia Plath. I am, however, a feminist.
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