I am a feminist. A single mother, pro-choice radical feminist. For SO many different reasons and I am NOT scared that being a feminist will coin me under some "title".
I am going to say it, as I have been the past several years. I am a feminist. I am.
I am not scared of the word, feminist. Nor do I think I am putting myself into some "title" that just assumes that I should become a certain way while completely abandoning myself, who I am and what I strive for. That is me - I am a feminist. I am not scared of what people may think or say. That is me and I never would mold myself into a title. Ever. That's completely opposite of what a feminist is.
I am proud of being a woman and I am comfortable with the fact I am one. I have no problem with saying I am a female. I know people that do use "titles" to refer themselves as anything, yet refer to themselves as a gender - there are gender queers. Which I think is another awesome thing, but yet - I am not uncomfortable with being a feminist female and letting people know I am a female.
Perhaps some will refuse to learn and unlearn and perhaps deconstruct how they truly feel towards feminism. Too many people are brought to believe that feminists are lesbian, masculine, non-shaving women who hate men. I don't hate men, I am pansexual and yes, I don't shave. I don't hate men because I don't generalize a certain gender under one category and don't want to hate people for being a certain "thing". I am pansexual because I believe I can love a person for who they are, regardless of gender. I don't shave because I don't feel I need to fall into the typical way a woman should be, I was born with hair and I am comfortable with it. I don't need to do things to please men OR women for that matter. I do things for myself and only myself. If you shave for yourself, than right on.
There are so many fights that are a part of the feminist movement. I want to fight for my reproductive rights, not only for me but for my sisters, my friends, my sisters beyond my family, my daughter. Reproductive rights are beyond abortion, safe abortion access and rights, but as well as health pregnancies, access and affordable birth control and emergency contraception, adoption AND affordable health care options for these. I personally have always been pro-choice, but there's always that weird stigma around abortion and it's a hush-hush subject. It's not fair for girls and boys, sexually active or not, to not know about such an important issue and option they can have and support at any age, any time, any situation and to NOT FEEL BAD ABOUT IT. I have a daughter. I want her to have all reproductive options available for her. Reproductive rights go beyond abortion, like I said. Take a look at the history for years and years and you will see that reproductive rights and issues have always been around. It's amazing. It's not a new issue, at all. Yet we are still standing up and fighting. And fighting - we will NOT stop.
I want equal pay, everyone deserves equal pay. I want to work in a place where I don’t feel threatened for being a woman. I want to be able to stand up for the beliefs I have and not feel like I am just being some bitchy PMSing woman. I already feel proud of my breasts and my reproductive organs but I want others too, as well! I want all women to be accepted as beautiful in society and for others not to feel pressured into looking a certain way. I want men to be accepted this way, too! We need to accept ourselves as much as others need to accept us.
Women have the right to go into different careers and feel no stigma around them that they are doing that. We need to accept transgender people as well and understand this goes beyond dressing what the "so-called male and female look like" but this goes into gender queer, transgender males, transgender female and so on. If you are a woman with a penis, than you should be accepted, especially within the feminist community.
Being a feminist is also dealing with other negative 'isms in the world. Racism is a true part of the world and being a feminist is also recognizing that racism does exist. Understanding that oppression happens beyond sexism and doing what someone actively can to pursue better terms for us al. Classism, ageism, homophobia, ableism, and more are all actions around us that happen and beliefs that people have. Feminism is education for ourselves and others to acknowledge this and to continue the fight.
Remember:
Revolution! Grrl Style Now!