What an age we are now living in when it comes to communication. Con wise, we seemed to have become more partisan, but there is a greater awareness of issues that didn’t seem to exist before.
Looking at it through the issues that are normally swept aside because they are considered “women” issues and not humanity issues, social media has been huge.
I love the fact that a new generation of women and discovering feminism and learning and fighting against the misconception that it is about man-hating. That ignorance about feminism as always driven me nuts….
Women who have grown up being told by their parents that they can be anything, do anything are finding that the majority of the other half of the race doesn’t believe that. That it is institutionalized. They are finding that with social media they don’t have to be forced into silencing what they have experienced (rape, sexual harassment and now domestic violence (DV)). Many things that have been swept under the rug and ignored. They are tired of the double standards, the slut shaming, blaming the victim…they are making society notice them and the social ills we have and what they face.
If you would’ve told me a few years ago that colleges will be finally forced to face the rape culture or the due to the Rice video, that society is finally facing our DV culture I would’ve said “I hope so, but don’t hold your breath”.
It does bother me when people try to pigeon hole feminism. Just because you enjoy, celebrate your sexuality doesn’t mean you can’t be a feminist. Which some argue about Beyonce or Nicki Minaj…saying they help with the objectification of women. When you are controlling your own images and not allowing it to define you, you aren’t allowing others to objectify you. You are celebrating one of the many things that makes us human…..we are intellects, sisters, mothers, professionals, daughters, wives and yes, sexual beings. We should not be forced to deny that or any other part of us.
I love that we have such a diverse group of women finally standing up and claiming their feminism. From Beyonce (which is great on getting more and more younger women to explore and learn about it), Emma Watson speaking at the UN, Taylor Swift finally realizing and claiming the feminist label and men who freely claim the label, such as Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
The term Feminist has been so twisted and misused that it gives me hope to see being finally reclaimed for what it actually means :
“the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities” (Merriam-Webster)