I’m a feminist, but privately I like identifying with my own label of “sane.”
I refuse to backtrack to society’s insane version of things when the ideas that race and gender are different but equal were born with me, within me. I think ‘the adults’ have set the bar far lower than my childish mind. I refuse to first step backwards then forwards and label that as having gained ground (maybe I’m being too rational). Those for inequality should have to identify themselves as being against than the norm, not I (maybe I’m being too irrational).
I don’t like the connotation of feminism as pro-women. There are a lot of women, I’m not for all of them; as is true for men, there are a lot of horrible ones (some bend feminism or the lack of it to satisfy their own selfish needs).
You’re a women, you’re a man, you’re trans, pangender, or genderqueer, so what? Other than biology and the whole squishing bodies together business, what does that honestly have to do with anything? My credo is that whoever you are I’ll judge you wholly by your ideas and by your grace and I know you’ll surprise me so I’ll try to keep an open mind. We may not get along (don’t worry— that’s probably my fault) but I will respect you if you respect yourself. I will not give you any leeway on anything whatsoever because of your gender.
I identify as a feminist because the strongest person I know is gay, black, and female (the triple jeopardy). Her fight is unbelievable, and stupid. When society at large considers her equal in all ways, she will have gained nothing, only that which she was born with and stripped of slowly. I hate that. I hate that she sometimes smiles when she’s treated as an equal. That should not be a highlight of her day. But I understand.
Oh, that’s it! I’m a feminist because I understand.