McGregor1

DallasMcGregor
Mr.Conrad
ERWC
21August2015
DefinitionofaFeminist
Ineverreallyconsideredmyselfadiehardfeminist.Infact,Ithoughtdevotefeminists
werewomenwhohatedmenandrefusedtoshavetheirpits.ItwasnotuntilIreadanarticlein
CosmopolitanthatIrealizedfeministscameinallshapesandsizes,andthosewhohatedmen
wereactuallyreferredtoasmisandrists.Ilearnedfeminismisactuallyaboutequalitythe
advocacyofwomensrightswithrespecttopolitical,economic,andsocialequalitywithmen.
Thenotionofequalityforwomenonallgroundsinterestedmeandsobeganmyconquestto
encouragefeminism.Ifelttheinjusticesthatwomenfaceeveryday,suchastheconstantfearof
beingattackedbyanattackerlurkingintheshadowswhilewalkingalone,lady
likestandards
likebeingforcedtowearheelsintheworkplace,andthemostdemeaningofall,theideathat
womenshouldminimizetheirintelligenceinorderformentobeviewedassuperior.Therefore,
whenIdiscoveredtheMeniniststwitterpage,Iwasoutraged.Thetwitterpage,whichis
unfortunatelystillupandrunningtoday,snubsfeminismclaimingitisonlyfilledwithradical
womeninsearchofmaledestruction.Ironically,thistwitteraccountpromotesthemistreatment
anddisrespectofwomenwithimagesdepictingwomenwithcaptionslike,Womenbelongin
thekitchenamongotherfoulslanders.AlthoughIknewpeoplelikethisexisted,Iwas
absolutelynauseatedtoseemalesfrommyschoolretweetingsuchrepulsivelibels.Then,tomy
disbelief,afriendofmineretweetedaphotoofaloadingscreentitled,Waitingforafeministto

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makesenseandthatwasthelaststraw.Iwouldmostdefinitelynotstandforthisblasphemyany
longer.Iretweeteditwiththecaption,Waitingforyoutobecomeawareofpayinequality,rape
culture,andtheabortiondilemma.Ifeltempoweredandconfident,IstoodupforsomethingI
believedin.Tomysurprise,myreplywasridiculed,notbymen,butbywomen.Iwas
astounded,howcouldwomenwhofacedthesamedifficultiesbeagainstfeminism?Mostof
them,however,attackedmyabortionposition.Iknewdifferentpoliticalandreligiousaffiliations
possessedtheirownopinionsandbeliefsinregardstoabortion.Thereupon,inordertobe
politicallycorrectItookmypostdown.Imostcertainlydidnotchangemyopinionthough.To
thisdayIstillsupportfeminismandItrytospreadmybeliefswithoutforcingthemonothers.
Equalityisallaboutallowingpeopletohaveequalright,andobviously,theirownpositionson
ethicalchoices.
Altogether,Ilearnedtwoincrediblyimportantlessonsthataidedinmycharactergrowth.
First,Ilearnedhowtoproperlyconveymypositionsontouchysubjectswithoutstompingon
othersbeliefs.Anothervitallessonthisexperiencetaughtmewastheimportanceofbeing
comfortablewithadvocatingmypointsdespiteothersclaims.Ihonestlyfeltcourageandpride
tohaveacquiredsuchattributes,onesthatanabundanceofpeopledon'tacquireuntilmuchlater
inlife,ornotatall.NowIcontinuemyincitementoffeminismbyjoiningafeministclubknown
asGirlsForChange.IhopetocontinuesupportingfeminismthroughoutmylifeandIsimplycan
notwaittoeducatepeopleonfeminismbecausethatiswhathelpedmediscovermypassionfor
equality.Allinall,Ihopetospreadthetruedefinitionofafeminist.