card carrying feminist

Its official... I am a card carrying feminist.

My card arrived in the post a few weeks ago.

What does it mean....feminism.....is it a militant movement that advocates the superiority of women?  No.  Is it lesbians all fighting for gay rights?  No.  Is it man hating sex deprived  women fighting for the right not to shave their legs and armpits and enslavement of all men..... No

So what is feminism.... what does it mean to you.....

To me it is having equal rights, freedom to be able to earn the same wage for the same job, it is being able to be head of my household, equal rights as a human being.  To not be judged by my gender.

My favourite blogger Jenny Lawson, posted this post today, there is a  Tumblr group, women against feminism photo collage thingy and I went on tumblr and took a look at some of the photos and I noticed that alot of the photos posted on why they were against feminism seemed to me to be trivial and frankly first world problems.   I wonder if these young women actually thought about what Feminism really means........
take a look at the Tumblr page  here at what they think feminism is all about....

It seems to have been lost in translation....... Feminism was about giving women the choice, the freedom to choose, the freedom to be able to go out and choose to be wives, mothers, career women, the freedom to travel without restriction or fear, the freedom to be able to earn a living any way we choose.  The freedom to have your voice heard.  The freedom to choose to have an abortion, the freedom to choose to wear what we like and not be branded sluts or accused of dressing to incite rape.
 Its not about having a man open a jar of pickles or carry the fridge for us...

I am not saying all the feminists are right, as I too believe that some factions of the feminist movement are too 'militant', and I think that some women play both cards, they say they want equal pay/rights but then on a date expect the men to pay for everything.  Like everything out there, Feminism has had its main function and purpose spread out to include every grievance imaginable.

Young women forget that the privilege of getting an education and the freedom that they now have to choose their spouse, career path, the right to vote,  was brought about because of the feminist movement so for that one young woman who put up the picture that said she didn't know one instance where the actions of the feminist movement didn't result in more destruction and violence"  let me say this.... you got an education because of the feminist movement, you got the right to be able to own a camera, phone, the ability to think, because of the feminist movement.

Yes there are several factions to the feminist movement, and you don't have to agree on all if its manifestos but don't dismiss it completely.  Its up to the 'normal' feminists to spread the word on what we believe in, that while not perfect, it  is certainly not a militant anti men establishment, if you look at it at the purest level, it is the fight to be heard as an equal,  the freedom to be equal.

I for one am a proud card carrying feminist....