Feminism Is Not A Dirty Word

Walking through a high school you may (or may not) be surprised by how many times you'll hear the f-word on a daily basis.  What's most remarkable is how versatile the world is and the many ways it can be conjugated.  Whether a noun, verb, adjective, or adverb it is ubiquitous and a central part of teen culture as it naturally rolls off the tongues of youth.

But not all f-words are as well used or as dirty as the one I hear in the hallways everyday.  The f-word that I wish I did hear more often (and choose to bring up here in this post) is one that can make people cringe but isn't used nearly enough.

It's feminism.

I just finished reading We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.  This is a very short printed version of her December 2012 TEDx Euston  talk.  If you're interested in watching her talk, here is the link:  https://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_ngozi_adichie_we_should_all_be_feminists?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare

This tiny book, based on her 30 minute talk was worth reading.  It pointed out that there are some conversations that are difficult to have. That people can get irritable, uncomfortable or threatened by certain subjects. It reminded me that there are some things we simply cannot dismiss. That we cannot resist some topics because we must change the status quo.

Talking about subjects like gender inequality and sexism is difficult but necessary.  Standing up for what's right is hard.  But if you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything.

This past weekend we celebrated International Women's Day.  Yesterday many of us reached out to all the women in our lives and shared our love for one another.

Dear reader, who is it that you love?  What is it that you stand for?  What are you willing to fight for?  Who are you willing to defend?  Will your observance of International Women's Day go beyond simply sending a text message to the ladies in your life or are you willing to do something more?

I know times have changed and we have come a long way since the times of our mothers and grandmothers.  But as Adichie points out, culture does not make people.  People are the ones making culture.  In what ways are you shaping the culture that you live in into what you want it to be?  In what ways are you shaping this world for women everywhere?

Let's not be passive and just send a text.  Let's make change one step at a time for the sake of all women and all humanity.

For f's sake, let's remember that feminism is not a dirty word.