Feminism and Me
Feminist – there’s no word quite like it. Some profess to be it, most roll their eyes at it…
This week, Lindalin and I found ourselves discussing the changing tides of feminism.
As a new found feminist, I’ve been questioning my own part in raising the next generation of women, whilst Lindalin has a very clear view about it all.
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Am I a… Feminist?
Honestly, what do you really think when someone calls themselves a feminist?
Do you roll your eyes or are you all about it?
Because my entire adulthood, I’ve rolled my eyes at it. I’ve associated feminists with angry women like Germaine Greer who carry on about this and that.
But then I had daughters. I started thinking about feminism more clearly. I started to see inequality between the sexes more clearly, started paying attention to the media I’ve grown up with, telling me what kind of woman is (and is not) acceptable.
I thought about my own family life and how that’s impacted on my views of womanhood. I grew up with a very strong mother, a mother who raised me to be a confident individual. My father was always supportive of my decisions, of the way I dressed, the boys I dated. He didn’t shelter me and he wasn’t possessive of me.
Maybe this is why I grew up thinking that feminism wasn’t necessary. Because being a woman didn’t slow me down, it wasn’t really a factor. I was raised equal to everyone, not just men.
Inequality still exists
I’m mortified by the fact that there are women in the world who are denied education, who don’t have access to contraception (thus having more babies they cannot afford to look after), that are just as skilled but paid less for their efforts… Like, what the shit?
Apparently we are the weaker sex, right? We can be beaten into submission, making us lesser than, right?
This is how women have been viewed historically, and in many places in the world, that’s still going on.
Just last month, a number of women in Egypt were sentenced to incarceration for POSTING TIKTOK VIDEOS:
An Egyptian court on Wednesday jailed the sixth woman in a week over TikTok videos, deeming the clips in which she dances and lip-syncs to popular songs to be ‘inciting debauchery’, a judicial source said. – Daily Mail Australia
It’s safe to say that Lindalin and I would be F**KED in Egypt.
Women around the world are still suppressed and frankly, every woman who has the freedom to express herself, should do so and support her fellow ladies. We need to highlight the issues of global inequality so that we can make the changes.
Burn them figurative bras, ladies!
Feminism Bandwagon
So here I am, eyes wide open to the inequality that still surrounds us, firmly on the Feminism Bandwagon, finally understanding that bra burning and my upbringing allowed me to have equality in my home, a career I could chase at my own pace, choices, opportunities – all that good stuff that everyone deserves.
And as I ponder how I raise my daughters to not feel lesser than men – or anyone for that matter – Lindalin is very clear on how she’ll be raising her sweet daughter…
I want my daughter to have all the opportunities in the world that she should be able to have – just as I want my sons to have all the opportunities in the world.Ep #56 – Lindalin to Bildo about raising her children.
Lindalin doesn’t believe in labelling feminism and filling her daughter’s head with the words to describe the inequality that still exists today. She believes in instilling confidence in her daughter, a certainty that she can do whatever she chooses regardless of her sex.
Why give sexism power by labelling it?
I feel differently. I do feel a need to honour the women who came before us, who fought for us to have the freedom we have today. I want my girls to know that the world hasn’t always been fair to women.
Much like I’ll tell them about racism, classism, all the ism’s.
“Just be a normal human…”
Ultimately though, in the words of Lindalin, just be a normal human. Teach your kids to be kind and give opportunities to all. The only way to fix this is to teach future generations better.
For more on our thoughts and opinions, make sure you tune into episode #56 – OMG, I Think I’m A Feminist…
Peace out, and remember – don’t be a dick!
B&L
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