Whether you believe in God or not, the fact of life is that women and men are different, biologically speaking. Whether you believe in God or not, the truth is women are generally more nurturing and gentle, while men are generally stronger physically and less nurturing than women. And I don't want to hear the "some women are not very nurturing and some men are not physically strong!" argument because it is a very weak argument and I already said that they are GENERALLY that way. And there is no argument to that. Women have a lot more estrogen than men. Men have a lot more testosterone than women. They are different, biologically.
I would like to paint a picture of what feminism looks like to me. When I see feminism I see women being put down by other women for choosing to be a stay at home mother instead of pursuing a career. I see women putting other women down for being feminine and fulfilling gender roles associated with being feminine. I see women shouting, "I have a uterus and that makes me better than men!" But then turning around and denying all the things that come with having a uterus. I see women claiming they believe women have the right to be treated as equals, but then trying to become men to get it. I see women fighting against their natural feminist qualities because they want to be men. (Again, I'm talking about the rule, not the exception. I know a few women are naturally more masculine.)
To me this is exactly what the word "feminism" implies. When you think about it, a racist is someone who is prejudiced against someone because of the person's race. A sexist is someone who is prejudiced against someone because of the person's sex. So wouldn't a feminist be someone who is prejudiced against someone because they are feminine? That's actually what it looks like feminism is to me. I am all for equal opportunity in the work force. I am all for women following their dreams, and having as much opportunity as men to achieve them (and I'm also for them understanding that they still have to work for it and may not achieve those dreams). Women are human beings who deserve respect just as much as men. They should have a say in political matters just as much as men. People should not be discriminated against due to their gender, whether they be men or women. But women who choose to stay at home and cook and clean and raise children should not be discriminated against either.
A woman should not be afraid to be feminine because that is a beautiful thing to be. I love my curvy shape. I like wearing dresses. I love having long curly hair. I like makeup (though I don't often wear it). I love shoes! I love being feminine. Someday I hope to be a mom. I love having a masculine husband. I love feeling safe in his arms. I love that he and I are a team. Together we are masculine and feminine. We round each other out. We complete each other, I suppose you could say. Yin and yang.
But on the other hand, I love wearing jeans and a t-shirt. I love not wearing makeup when I don't want to (which is most days, to be honest). I like having really short hair. I like going camping and hiking. Sometimes kids really freak me out. I want a career... I wish I could figure out what to do as a career. I like feeling strong.
A woman should be allowed to do what she wants. But if a man is better than her at it, he should be able to get that opportunity first without being called a sexist. And it goes the other way too. And if a woman wants to give up her career and be a stay-at-home mom, applaud her bravery to do such a thing instead of criticizing her for "not being feminist."
But the fact is, I am still a woman. And that is a good thing to be. No, I am not a feminist. I am a woman who advocates for equal opportunity, and embraces the differences between male and female. I am feminine and I am proud of it.
