Most people have the wrong idea about feminism. Or at least, they have an outdated idea of feminism. They think of a bra-burning, man-hating, wild leg haired woman. And while there are feminists who fit that description, it’s important to realize that feminism is more than that. There is more than one brand of feminism, but at the center of them all is a common theme: ending discrimination, oppression and exploitation of all groups of people.
This goes for more than just women. Feminism does not discriminate by gender, race, sexual orientation, class or disability. It exists to break down social structures that enable one group to dominate another. It strives to give a voice to those who have been silenced, and to call out the silencers. It engages in meaningful dialogue about ways in which our society perpetuates sexism, racism, classism, ableism and homophobia.
The difference comes in how people express these central ideas. Some women take issue with the way women’s bodies are exploited and decide not to shave and burn all their bras. They might see women who wear make-up and high heels as giving in to a patriarchal system. Other women see men as the symbols of domination and female oppression and don’t want anything to do with them. But for the most part, contemporary feminism is about freedom of choice, freedom of expression, and it fights against people and structures that attempt to shame women for their choices or take them away.
And that’s my feminism — a feminism that is centered on choice. I don’t subscribe to the idea that women should be forced or shamed into behaving or expressing themselves in a particular way.
There is no right way to be a feminist and that’s part of why it’s so awesome.
Feminism aims to respect the personal choices people make. This is why most feminists support any legislation that enables and empowers people to make those choices. This includes many things that go beyond women — it means supporting marriage equality for same-sex couples, mandating hormone therapy be covered by insurance for people who are transgender, fighting for affirmative action for racial and ethnic minorities and standing up for wide-spread low-cost access to reproductive health services for women.
Feminism recognizes that people of all genders are affected by patriarchal and racist systems of oppression. It aims to free people of traditional roles within gender, race, sexual orientation and class — ideas that have negative effects on everyone, not just women.
So next time you are tempted to imagine feminism as a monolithic stereotype, think again. Feminism encompasses a wide variety of people, from different backgrounds, who all express the basic ideals in different ways.
Really, feminism is fighting for the rights of all people. That’s something we can all get behind.
Kaitlin Moroney can be reached at [email protected]