When I think of Feminism by Travis Cunningham

We teach girls to shrink themselves

To make themselves smaller

We say to girls,

“You can have ambition

But not too much

You should aim to be successful

But not too successful

Otherwise you will threaten the man.”

Because I am female

I am expected to aspire to marriage

I am expected to make my life choices

Always keeping in mind that

Marriage is the most important

Now marriage can be a source of

Joy and love and mutual support

But why do we teach girls to aspire to marriage

And we don’t teach boys the same?

We raise girls to see each other as competitors

Not for jobs or for accomplishments

Which I think can be a good thing

But for the attention of men

We teach girls that they cannot be sexual beings

In the way that boys are

Feminist: the person who believes in the social,

Political, and economic equality of the sexes
- Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

                                                                           

When I think of feminism, I think of my mother. She’s a brave, level headed woman who has survived numerous hardships in her life and has been able to persevere despite them. I would not be here without her and her drive.

When I think of feminism, I think of the wonderful women in my life who fight discrimination and harassment on a daily basis.

When I think of feminism, I think about the liberties and freedoms that women have now but were once not given.

When I think of feminism, I become proud of the steps that we have taken as a society to help advance the marginalized and the oppressed. I think of the accomplishments that many women have achieved. I think about the good that has come of it and how necessary it is for all of womankind.

When I think of feminism, it becomes clear to me that we have a lot of work as a society to abolish these established methods of discrimination that perpetrate against women and the marginalized. I think about how sad it is that feminism is necessary and that we haven’t learned to treat each other as equals yet.

When I think of feminism, I think of the stereotypes and the imposed lifestyles that women have to struggle with. I think of how difficult it must be for them to fight others expectations of what a woman should look like, or act like, or have between their legs.

When I think of feminism, I think about the women of our future, and what they can aspire to because of the work the women who have come before them have done.  

When I think of feminism, I think of the masses of men who support women in their struggle for equality.

When I think of feminism, I think of how happy I am it exists.