March 8th!

What's Feminism? 

Feminism is about choice. Pure and simple. It is not about forcing women into boxes or dictating how they should live. It is about stepping back and letting each woman decide for herself what she wants, what she needs, and what she believes is best for her life.  

If a woman wants to stay at home, let her. If she wants to work, let her. If she wants to drive, let her. If she prefers to be driven, let her. It is not your place to decide which path is better for her. Your opinion does not override her autonomy.  

If a woman does not want to carry a pregnancy, let her make that choice. Especially if the man involved has already walked away. If a woman chooses to keep a pregnancy resulting from assault, that is her right. Her body, her decision. No one else gets a vote.  

If a woman wants an education, let her learn. If she would rather focus on building her career, let her thrive. If she chooses sex work, that is her business. If she wears a floor-length gown or a miniskirt, it is not your concern.  

Do not judge. Do not police. Do not demand that she conform to your expectations. Do not place her on a pedestal only to then restrict her with the weight of your ideals. Women are not fragile creatures in need of your guidance. They are fully capable of navigating their own lives.  

The Core of Feminism  

Feminism is not about superiority. It is about equality. It is the acknowledgment that women are just as capable as men of making their own choices and then actually allowing them to do so.  

If a woman stays with a partner who betrayed her, that is her choice. You may think she deserves better, but it is not your place to force her hand. If she leaves, let her go without preaching about forgiveness or divine punishment. She does not owe anyone her suffering.  

If she wants to be an athlete, let her compete. If she feels called to a life of faith, let her serve. If she is not harming anyone, then she should be free to live as she pleases.  

International Women's Day Is for All Women  

This day does not belong to men who think they get to decide which women are worthy of celebration. It is not a day for conditional recognition. It is a day for every woman strong or struggling, happy or heartbroken, confident or lost.  

You do not have to be perfect to celebrate. You do not have to love yourself every second. You do not have to meet anyone else's standards. You just have to exist. That is enough.  

International Women's Day is for the woman who wakes up energized and the one who can barely get out of bed. It is for the woman who fights for change and the one who is just trying to survive. It is for the woman labeled a slut and the one called a prude. It is for every version of womanhood, without exception.  

There are no tasks. No requirements. No conditions. You do not have to earn this day. You only have to be who you are a girl, a woman, a lady, a female. This day is yours.  

The Bottom Line  

Feminism is not complicated. It is the radical notion that women are people. That they deserve the same respect, the same opportunities, and the same freedom to choose as anyone else.  

So if a woman is living her life without infringing on the rights of others, then you have one job:  

Let her.