What is Feminism? Brianna Gibson

 What is Feminism? 

   Feminism is defined as "the advocacy of women's rights on the basis of the equality of the sexes". It is the act of wanting the rights of men and women to be set equal, not one over the other. It is wanting women to be at the same level as men, not better than, but equal to. Over the years, feminism has grown through political movements, and putting an end to sexism. Though this is the official definition, many women around the world do not understand the exact meaning. 

   Many people around the world choose to believe that feminism is to break the wall of sexism by putting down men as an equivalent to putting down women. They believe that feminism is to help bring up women, and put down all men. Instead of fighting against sexism, they fight against the men who in the past created these ways. Now, why do people do this? Women have been oppressed for decades, and still deal with this today. I feel that women believe that the "wrong way of feminism" is okay, due to the years of oppression that men put women through.  

   Women may implement these acts for reasons such as the counteractive term "Masculist".  I originally thought that this term meant the same as feminism, to fight for equality of genders. This is where I was incorrect. The term Masculist refers to the superiority of men over women, and how men believe that women should stay oppressed, and that women had more power than men in the past. I believe that Masculist and "the wrong way of feminism' are both incorrect, though I do see why women feel this way when reacting with "the wrong way of feminism". 

   To conclude, the 4 principles of feminism are; working to increase equality, expanding human choice, eliminating gender stratification, and promoting sexual freedom. To be a feminist is not to uplift women and put down men. You shouldn't call yourself a feminist and continue to hate on the male gender. I am aware the things that men have done and implemented, but to be a feminist is to help eradicated those ideas, and create a world without sexism with equality among genders.