Could The Real Feminists Please Stand Up

Feminism. 

Everyone seems to have a different idea of what this is, and what it means to them. 
Today, it is has become so that feminists are infantalised and ridiculed, especially by other women; These are the 'Women Against Feminism'. The hashtag 'I Don't Need Feminism Because' was used by thousands of women to explain why feminism is outdated and useless. 

'I don't need feminism because I respect ALL humans, not just one gender'
'I don't need feminism because I do not need a "leg-up" to succeed'
'I don't need feminism because I am an adult who is capable of taking responsibility for myself and my actions'
'I don't need feminism because society DOES NOT objectify me, feminists are the ones that tell me that'

At a first glance these statements sound pretty reasonable - who doesn't agree with equality? Once you think about feminism actually is, you realise that these people are absurd; firstly, the feminist movement was created to bring equality to women, to empower them.

If you think on it even further, you'll see how insanely self-centred these posts are. Just because you don't feel that feminism is relevant in your life, why make it seem as though it is not necessary in anyone's life? There are many women who feel that society does objectify them, that when they are wolf-whistled, they feel uncomfortable. This is what feminism attempts to correct. There are many people out there, both women and men, who do objectify women, who do attempt to enforce a glass-ceiling in the work place, who do indeed feel that a woman's purpose is to serve. I was recently out with friends, and we were seated next to a large group of thirty-somethings. During a lull in our conversation, one man at the next table could be clearly heard saying: 'I'm glad that my wife is less intelligent than me. It means that she can stay at home and take care of my children'. Now, I am all for women choosing to be stay at home mums. However, this is where feminism comes in - if a man feels that it is socially acceptable to say such things about his wife in public, it doesn't make a single bit of difference whether you feel empowered. There are people in the world who are beaten down every day because they do not feel as though they have any worth.

This is not to say that there aren't those feminists out there who take things a tad too far. Militancy in any form or situation is never good. Here, though, when the subject in question is divisive (although it really is a very simple issue), it does not paint the movement in a positive light. Militant feminism is about bringing down men instead of raising women up, and in the end, neither party are better for it. 

Call it what you want (feminism, equalism, whatever) if you believe that women should be equal to men (not the same as) on every level;

 you are a feminist.