Feminism: What is it?
(all last names mentioned below are made up)
Feminism is remembering we have to fight for empowerment and independence for women, acceptance for differing sex roles, and enhancement of women's strengths. Feminism is getting back to who we originally were at birth: the person we were meant to be before becoming brain washed by the views of the people, the society, the political government that created us.

Feminism represents freedom for all, especially women, by accepting differing sex roles. Feminism is the fight for equalitythe road paved, that many are now taking. Feminism is being a wife, a mother, an employee, an employer, positive active societal members, whatever will lead to our pure potentiality. Feminism loves allno more abuse, no oppression, no all-encompassing sacrificial women; but the love of females, the love of males, the love for humanity.

Feminism is not always defined by the last name chosen. Empowerment and independence, and enhancement of women's strengths for feminists, have been expressed by maintaining maiden names. Who are we? Should we keep our last name? What for? Identity, empowerment, independence are what most females have stated as the rationale for keeping their father's last name. And why the father's last name? We unite in marriage, and have a choice to make: keep our father's last name or change to our husband's. What if we don't like either? I don't identify with Gomez from my father, Rodriguez from his mother, or Ramirez from my grandmother's mother; I don't identify with my mother's maiden nameWhite; or her mother's maiden nameMellon: they all view the woman as the acquiescent mate. They are all names passed down from generation to generation. If I keep my maiden nameGomezwho do my daughters become? Are they a Gomez from me, my father? Or are they a Morris from my husband? Should the last name be the name we most relate tothe name that declares what we represent and believe? Is your father's last name the name you identify withis he the feministic-viewing father you grew up with? Or is your husband the more feministic one and that is why you and he mesh? I assume that most are not feministic because of the last name they have chosen to keep; and that the last names of most fathers do not assert the views of feminism.

This is the call I affirm for feminist women: find a name that represent feminism and loudly, proudly, justly call your self by that name. I have chosen the last name of my husband because his nameMorrisis from a time period in life when I am able to vividly, articulately, whole-heartedly express who I am, what I want, what I need, what I desire; and am free to be a feministic woman because my husband is a feministic-viewing person. His last name has not always represented feminism. The Morris name represents generations of suppressed females; however, the name from him, and for me, represents positive feministic changes.

Feminism is, thus, remembering we have to fight for empowerment and independence for women, enhancement of women's strengths, and acceptance for differing sex roles, whether we are male or female.

Learn more about this author, Elsie Melton.
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