Feminine Feminism

I think the term “feminist” has evolved drastically. Feminism is simply a concern for women’s rights and their equality, but it has become so much more aggressive. I’m not saying women have not had any reason to use aggression in their fight for equality, because it’s obviously necessary to an extent. The only problem is the common perception of feminism as a movement full of mean, harsh, men-hating women who’ve rejected all femininity in their pursuit of equality. Rather than wanting to be on the same plane as men, they either want to be men or be superior to them. I can’t imagine how this particular approach could ever be successful. It undermines both men and women. If a woman wants to be a man, she is basically implying that being a woman is not good enough. She is not deserving of equality if she behaves like a woman. This brand of feminism is almost anti-feminist in many ways. Women should be able to embrace their unique assets and choose the way in which they wish to exhibit them. Women and girls that like to dress up, do their hair, and wear makeup still deserve to be taken seriously as human beings and intellectuals. Women that choose to become mothers and take on more traditional roles are not destroying the feminist agenda. The fact that women are attacking one another over these personal choices is where the destruction lies. It is okay to be comfortable with being a woman. It’s okay to like men. Men and women are different, but complementary. Maybe the goal of feminism should not be to use masculinity to get where we need to be, but to work with what we have. We have great minds, brilliant ideas, and skills. We also have passion and sensitivity. There is no shame in femininity. It is something that society needs in order to achieve balance. Of course it hasn’t always been appreciated or welcomed, but that is precisely why feminism exists.