While sitting with some friends over a late evening coffee, the discussion steered towards feminism. Though the discussion did not last, but when I got home, I received an email of a youtube video. The video, part of an experiment by some students from Duke University, asked people why they needed feminism.
But, before one gets to the 'why', the 'what' is more important. What really is feminism? The magic of the term is that it can mean so many different things. A feminist is no longer a bra burning, angry lesbian. The definition of feminism has become fluid over time.
When a friend and I, while travelling on the metro, got into a discussion about feminism, some time back, I (for the first time, I might add), managed to explain what feminism meant to me.
Feminism, for me, is when I can be the woman I am while not being judged for the very same. Yes, I love to giggle. Yes, I love clothes and shoes. Yes, I do enjoy watching over-the-top rom coms. Yes, I thrive on a evening with my girl friends and gossip and 'girly laughter'. But that does not mean that I don't want to work. That does not mean that I don't want to earn. That does not mean that I don't work as hard as my male counter parts. That does not mean that I am any less aware or intelligent then any man. That does not mean that I should be in the kitchen and not sit across a table with another man and talk about things that matter.
That's all that feminism is to me. Its that simple really. Its the freedom to do and be what I want without being judged on it. If I want to stay at home and cook and clean after the husband and children, if that is what I choose to do, no one should tell me that I should not. If, I want to work, and earn and not want my whole life to revolve around a man, no one should tell that I should not. If I work 10 hours a day, I deserve just as much as my male counter-part does.
Social and economic equality and the right to do what I want, as I want, when I want. That's feminism for me!
But, before one gets to the 'why', the 'what' is more important. What really is feminism? The magic of the term is that it can mean so many different things. A feminist is no longer a bra burning, angry lesbian. The definition of feminism has become fluid over time.
When a friend and I, while travelling on the metro, got into a discussion about feminism, some time back, I (for the first time, I might add), managed to explain what feminism meant to me.
Feminism, for me, is when I can be the woman I am while not being judged for the very same. Yes, I love to giggle. Yes, I love clothes and shoes. Yes, I do enjoy watching over-the-top rom coms. Yes, I thrive on a evening with my girl friends and gossip and 'girly laughter'. But that does not mean that I don't want to work. That does not mean that I don't want to earn. That does not mean that I don't work as hard as my male counter parts. That does not mean that I am any less aware or intelligent then any man. That does not mean that I should be in the kitchen and not sit across a table with another man and talk about things that matter.
That's all that feminism is to me. Its that simple really. Its the freedom to do and be what I want without being judged on it. If I want to stay at home and cook and clean after the husband and children, if that is what I choose to do, no one should tell me that I should not. If, I want to work, and earn and not want my whole life to revolve around a man, no one should tell that I should not. If I work 10 hours a day, I deserve just as much as my male counter-part does.
Social and economic equality and the right to do what I want, as I want, when I want. That's feminism for me!
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