by Heather Webb

Created on: July 05, 2009

I am tired of the ridiculous idea that all feminists are bra-burning, men haters. There are two things in this world I love unconditionally: my bra and my boyfriend. I am a bit well-endowed, so the bra serves a very important purpose, something the girls appreciate on a daily basis, as well as in the future. My boyfriend is my other half, so I could not live without him. On top of it all, I am a feminist.

Setting the record straight, feminists believe everyone is entitled to equal rights. The feminist movement started with the civil rights movement. Women who were participating in the civil rights movement realized they did not have many of the rights the civil rights movement outlined. Instead of focusing on race, the feminists who evolved out of the movement emphasized equality across genders.

Therefore, feminists stand for equal rights across both planes of race and sex. The term equal is often taken to mean women want more power than men, but that is a misconception. Equal in regards to feminism refers to comparative pay and job availability, freedom from sexual violence and harassment, reproductive rights and equivalent powers within government and the economy. In short, feminists fight to be on the same playing field as men.

The stereotype of all feminists being lesbians is as far from the truth as possible. Of course, some may be, but that is simply a coincidence. Men have taken the opposition of their total power to mean feminists hate them, but in actuality, they are only asking to be equal. All people came into this world the same way and just because someone was born with a penis does not mean he should rule the world.

If a man can get a job, a woman of equal ability should be able to get the same job. If a man can walk down the street without the worry of being raped, a woman should, too. Get the picture? We simply want to be equal, and there is nothing radical about that.

Now, who can be a feminist? Absolutely everyone should be a feminist. If you have a mom who you want to be able to go to town with no worries of rape, you should be a feminist. If you have a girlfriend or wife you know is just as smart as you, you should be a feminist. If you are a woman and know you could do the job just as good as a man, you, too, should be a feminist. Being one is not a bad thing, it is empowering. You believe everyone is equal, and that is not such a crazy idea. Feminist men can appreciate their female counterparts as equal partners in this crazy life. Feminist women can assertively ask for what they deserve, what all human beings deserve, and finally get it. Black, white, purple, male, female or somewhere in between: all people can and should be feminists.

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