Saturday 14 December 2013

Feminism isn't about burning bras

Last night I was stumbling about on the internet, and I found this article on the Huffington Post.
Here's the comic that was there in case you are too lazy to click on a link.

The one thing that stuck with me the most was the words the cartoonist chose to put: "Feminism is not about burning bras. It's not hatred for men or a try to imitate them. Feminism is being free to decide who I want to be and how to act. It's not a shame to demand respect."

The comic really made me re-think how I have been acting all my life. Is it really that bad to tell someone you deserve to be treated with respect? Should you really be silent and hold back your pain rather than being strong and asserting your position? 

I know this post is short and really random but I hope to come back and write about feminism more in the future. 

5 comments:

  1. As a father of two girls, I can't help but think and worried about gender issues. I want my girls to live in a world where they are taken seriously and treated with respected for who they are and not because of their gender. As I get older I am learning that gender equality and feminism is just as much a mans responsibility as a woman's. We need parents and teachers and role models that help us create environments where young men and women feel comfortable taking risks.

    I am the facilitator of a GC called Daraja Academy, a secondary school for girls in Kenya. We focus on gender issues in Kenya and here at UWCSEA. The first term it was only open to grade 8, but we are opening it up. We would love to have you and anyone else interested. Please see me for details.

    Final thought, I love that you are thinking about and writing about these issues at such a young age. Keep up the great work.

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    1. I always find it so frustrating when people think that feminism is about being angry and hating men, because it's not. It's about giving each other chances to be themselves and express their emotions without being judged.

      I agree that gender equality is the responsibility of both men and women - for people to have equal rights, we need to accept that we're not always right and that everybody is equal. Everybody deserves a chance!

      Daraja Academy sounds like a great GC and I'm definitely interested. Is it run at lunch times or after school?

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    2. We met at lunch in Thursday. Remind me to talk to you about the details next week.

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  2. I like that this comic made you think and not just react. That's a sign of a true learner, and I love that you are sharing your thoughts with us here. Looking forward to reading more in the future!

    I'm 45 and honestly struggle with this issue still; however, the older I get, the less I care about those who are not willing to respect my thoughts and opinions. I hope I have modeled well for my own daughters and my students.

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    1. Hi Michelle,

      I couldn't agree with you more! Life is short and there's not that much space in my brain or in my heart to deal with people who don't respect me, my thoughts or my opinions. One person not agreeing with you doesn't make that big of a difference at all and it takes much less time and effort to just block them out and move on with your life.

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