Personally, when I hear the word feminist, I picture unshaven ladies in the 70s, burning bras and hating on men. Now I realize that is not always the case, and that more often than not, a feminist is just a catchy word to describe someone who thinks that men and women should be equal. But there's still a perception among most people that puts feminists in a negative light. Maybe because historically, feminists tended to be more zealot types. Passionate fanatics who were so outspoken they made the average person feel uncomfortable. While those feminists still exist, nowadays the modern feminist is more subtle in their beliefs, and is more apt to blog about their feelings than paint signs and stand in front of government buildings.
So why is this post titled 'Why I'm not a Feminist' you ask? Plain and simply, because I'm not. I just don't identify with the word. Maybe because I grew up in an age where, for the most part, I felt equal to men. Sure, I know that I likely don't make the same pay, and that I will still often get passed by for a position for a lesser qualified man. But I can vote, my husband doesn't beat me and treat me like property, I can wear pants in public without getting side eyed, and I have just as much freedom as any male I know. Yes, I'm aware that when you get down to brass tacks, there are still issues related to female rights that need addressed. The notion that old men in the government still think that what I do with my body has or should have a damn thing to do with them is almost comical in its ridiculousness. But I don't see those issues as being about holding women back as much as they are about holding tight to some bizarre Christian ideals that people think will somehow keep our country on moral high ground. The arguments for things like anti abortion and anti birth control are more often than not centered around God and religious beliefs. This is mostly because the Bible was written during a time when women had no rights. We were merely property of our fathers or husbands. This antiquated system of thinking has been holding women back for centuries. But not just women. Humanity as a whole has been thwarted by misinterpreted quotes and ancient beliefs for as far back as we can remember. Anytime we wish to keep down a group of people, we can't wait to use the Bible as our sole basis of reasoning. It makes us feel justified in our actions because we somehow think we are doing what God would want. But enough about that... I could go on forever on my feelings on that issue.
Back to why I'm not a feminist.
So aside from basically feeling pretty equal, I also feel like it's selfish to think that women are the only group of people being held back. We live in a world that is still rife with racism, religious intolerance, ignorance and prejudice. While I agree that there is no excuse for why in 2015, women still make less than men to do the same job, I think that more importantly, it's inexcusable to treat ANYONE differently because of something as trivial as skin color, sexual orientation or genitals. I think that instead of being so proud to be a feminist, people should be proud to just be a human, with a soul, who believes that everyone should be treated equally. A female who fights for equal rights is no different from the LGBT, black, Muslim, or any other person or group who only wants the same thing.
So no, I'm not a feminist. Instead I'm going to start my own group. I'm going to be an equalist. I believe in equal rights for everyone. Now let's see if we can get that to start trending...
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