A love letter, to a Feminist

 Let's start this conversation from common ground.  The word feminism to me is not a pejorative.  If it is to you, I pity you.  Feminism conjures up images of 'out of control' women.  Hairy, unkept, screaming, unreasonable women yelling at reasonable men about things that will not change.  If you want the websters definition we can begin from there.  

Here it is:

: belief in and advocacy of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes expressed especially through organized activity on behalf of women's rights and interests

I was born to a feminist.  I have said countless times to the people that I know, "I have four feminist sisters, and a feminist mother".   When I began using this phrase I enjoyed looking for the reactions from people.  But time made this less exciting.  Then I just kept saying it to prepare people.  To prepare them by giving them an overture to the conversation that they were walking into....

I have vivid memories of a woman with short white cropped 80's hair, and adoring her.

When my mother talked about going to a rally, or offered to bring me along it was always an attractive offer.  Things would happen.  You will be safe; you will be surrounded by people that all love the same way that you love.  There will be stories that when reenacted in the future will raise ones heart rate.  I craved being around the power of those women.  Women that by definition had to fight just to be recognized.  Women that had to fight to even be considered for a place at the table.

I pause to reflect on the basic complaint of those with power.  Why do feminists have to hoot and hollar asking for power.  It is SIMPLE for me to have power, I just have it.  They need not make a mess and rally and raise their voices.  Just have the power, as I have the power.  Those feminists offend me by being bold.  And I fear, that they will end up with more than half.  Then.... I will have less then them.

To be around the other beings of our biological race has always come with a requirement.  At least for me there is this requirement, to be with the others has required that I trust and value them.  For how could you truly be around someone else without seeing them as equal or better than me.  How could you meet someone and immediately judge them as less.  Some people have learned to minimize or see others as less than oneself.  We can talk politely, but I will always see you as less.  You are less.  I am more, I know this.  

 

My mother taught me that we are all feminists.  Ovaries are not a prerequisite to imagine that we are all equal in this world.  And if I think about it, imagining is not fully enough to be a feminist.  A feminist isn't someone who hopes.  It is someone who hopes and acts.  The act is the thing that takes the work.  The act is why we aren't there yet.

My particular genetic peculiarities curse many in my tribe with the heart that cannot fit.  The grinch was born with a heart two sizes too small, and we are cursed with hearts two sizes too big.  It is not necessarily a blessing.  

Because of that heart I groomed a mantra after vivid experiences with my mother at the tender age of 14.  I use that mantra to this day.  "Everyone gets a fair chance.  Everyone.".  I don't want to expound on those born on third base.  They have more than a fair chance and that is a conversation about extreme affluence.  Feminism for now, cannot have a fair chance because women are not born at the baseball field.  For me, feminism circles the conversation about being born without a baseball glove, or an arm to throw with, or a team that will allow you to be in the batting lineup.  Therefore women must be bold and sometimes holler.

I will always say that I am a feminist.  Till the day I die I will self identify as wanting to be part of that group of people.  Maybe though, I need more 'act'.  Being a vocal feminist when surrounded by misogynists' is something, but I think I must 'act' more.

This world even today, has too many powerful people that actively try and discourage those 

*loud

*obnoxious

*emotional

*hormonal

*on her period

*bleeding from where ever

*bitter

*vengeful

*man hating

women.

Please know, we feminists are not all women.  As well, some day know that everyone will be a feminist in this world if we truly do believe in equality.