I actually do cuss a little. My favorite bad word has to be the F-word. I just never understood why it makes people so upset and uncomfortable as if it’s disrespectful to them.

I think the meaning of the F-word is often misunderstood. I’m an F-word; most girls are F-words; I can bet Joe’s momma is an F-word. Wait, what’s the F-word?

It’s “feminist.”

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, “feminism is the belief that women should be allowed the same rights, power, and opportunities as men.” For hell’s sake, it’s 2022. Why is this even a conversation?

Rather than just gender equality, the word feminism gets misunderstood. Many people think it means girls are better than boys. If feminism was about women having more power than men, I think that score would already be settled.

Just ask Beyonce, who runs the world.

Equality for women has improved since they received the right to vote in the 1920s, but women wanted more than just the right to vote.

This was a time when being a girl was a rip-off. This was a time when, if you wanted to live a successful and powerful life, you had to be a man. Men were expected to work and provide for their families while women were just supposed to cook, clean, and push out babies.

Women could vote, but the opportunities women were dreaming of weren’t easy to access. Fast forward to today: opportunities look “available,” but just like an arcade machine, it’s rigged. So if you still can’t understand why feminism is needed, let go of the lever and watch the player get cheated.

It would be awkward not to acknowledge that women of color have struggled with equality and their voices are not being heard. Typically, white women have advantages when it comes to their stories being told: versus when it comes to women of color, their stories are untold.

For example, it’s like white women’s tears matter more than those of women of color. It’s in the medical industry. White women get better care and people of color’s pain is dismissed.

It’s important that if you’re going to be a feminist, you need to be willing to support and listen to all stories no matter who’s telling them.

Being a feminist is for EVERYONE; you don’t have to be in the streets yelling it to be one. It’s simply just believing that men and women should have equal rights all across the board.

“Feminism:” Think of it as having the will to do anything you desire in life. It could mean being the financial provider or staying home and taking care of the kids. Just make sure it’s a role that you are willing to play.

This goes for men and women.

At times, we get stuck in our heads comparing what’s normal and what we want, but when our wants are scarier than Keeping up with the Kardashians”, we try to dim our own light to make other people happy.

In a world where we dictate OUR happiness and our future, we shouldn’t have to censor our natural talents just because Joe’s father might think it’s wrong.
Michelle Obama said it best: “Every girl, no matter where she lives, deserves the opportunity to develop the promise inside of her.”
Now, be proud to say the F-word: “FEMINISM.”