The F-Word

This post is inspired by my friend Jenni Chiu over at Mommy Nani Booboo when she wrote a compelling post called "I am the F-Word."  She is amazing and inspiring and I love how she is getting this conversation about the F-word going in a different direction than some of the celebrities and media right now. I am happy to be a part of that direction.

The F-word gets a bad rap.  I'm talking about the word Feminist.  Some people may have stopped reading after seeing that word.  Time magazine suggests we ban the word.  A few celebrities try to distance themselves from the word.  And I don't get it.

Feminism is about equal rights for women.  What is horrible about equal rights?  Why is being proactive for equal rights for women a controversial, divisive thing?  

Maybe it's because the image of a feminist is a man-bashing, uber-liberal, angry woman.  But guess what...not all feminists look alike or make the same choices or vote for the same people.  Just like all moms don't wear high-wasted jeans and have short hair. 

To me, equal rights for EVERYONE means we have freedom to make choices--get married to who we want, if we want; stay at home with kids or work outside the home and have kids; run for office or not run for office.  

I am a Feminist. 
I made a little video about my feminism, check it out.


(Click here to watch the video.)


I am proud to be a suburban stay-at-home mother of four children, Methodist, Feminist.  I am proud to be pro-equal rights.  I am proud to be part of a movement that supports encouraging girls and women to reach their full potential.  I am proud to be a part of a movement that teaches boys and men to treat girls and women with respect.  

This post is not meant to ruffle feathers or be controversial or divisive.  This post is just my story about why I am a proud Feminist and why I don't think the F-word is bad. I hope people will listen even if they don't agree with me.  When people tell me they are a Republican, I do not make a joke, I listen.  If people tell me they don't believe in global warming, I listen.  I think if we drop our preconceived ideas or what Time magazine or Fox News or MSNBC tells us about the F-word (and really everything else), it might be interesting what we learn about each other.  And there might be more Feminists.

What do YOU think?