WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ– The F-word. What does it truly mean and what does it mean to you? The F-word was something many women have come to
respect and research. Recently, the F-word has been talked about in the news with the current hot topics being about domestic violence relating to the NFL, celebrity nude photo leaks, and Emma Watson’s address to the United Nations. Few times in history has the F-word come into the dialogue of so many people. By saying this word, society is paving the way to a time when everyone can call each other F-words in perfect equality.
Feminism by definition is the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes. Historically, Feminism has carried a negative connotation to its name because of radical Feminists who participated in acts of man-hating. The age of man-hating was perpetuated through a time where even our president, Grover Cleveland, openly pronounced misogynist beliefs, such as, “Sensible and responsible women do not want to vote”. Feminism has evolved, grown, and become more educated just as our society and our individuals have. Gloria Steinem, one of the most active and influential Feminists of today, says, “Being pro-woman does not demand being anti-man, and we need to recognize this”.
Feminism is more than a pay-gap issue. Many have heard the statistic that women make on average 77 cents on the dollar to a man doing the exact same job. As upsetting as this fact is to not only feminists but women in general, it is but one of the many components of the feminist agenda. Emma Watson made a poignant observation when stating that, “equality will continue to be elusive unless men are invited or feel welcome to participate in the conversation”. How can we achieve equality when only half of the world, the women in this care, are invited to speak about gender equality and feminism? Men and women need to realize that this is not just a women’s issue, but a human issue.
Both men and women should feel comfortable and free to be people who are sensitive, kind, strong, emotional, and powerful without feeling as though they are breaking a gender-barrier. Fifteen year old, Ed Holtom, wrote a response to the British newspaper, the Sunday Telegraph to speak his mind about his support of feminism earlier this week, “By using words such as ‘girly’ or ‘manly’ we inadvertently buy into gender stereotyping,” he wrote. “We play with toys designed for our gender, we go to segregated schools, we play different sports based on gender, and yet it takes some effort for many people to acknowledge the existence of gender inequality and the injustice it entails for both sexes.” The real progress will be made for gender equality when we decide as a nation and as a species that we will make an active choice to change our language. We need to stop pressuring each other to fit stereotypes which more often than not leaves us feeling like we are unable to effectively express ourselves. We cannot let gender defines us, just as we cannot let the color of our skin, the number on the scale, or the amount of money our family has determine how we are treated by ourselves and by others. When the phrases, “Women can do anything that men can do” or “men can do anything that women can do” turns into “I can do anything” we have made progress towards the equality for all. Join the dialogue; you can contribute to the fight for gender. The only way we can get rid of the stigma with the word, is to make everyone feel comfortable talking about it. So go on, and shout the F-word the next time you are riding in the back of your mom’s car or when you are at a party with your friends. Everyone’s welcome to the word and you will be heard.
