What in the world do you mean by the word ‘feminist’? Does a woman who wants respect, a safe life, the right to voice her opinion and the freedom to follow her dreams automatically become one?
Then let me ask you three questions:
- The Preamble to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the UN in 1948, says “…..recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of the human family is the foundation if freedom, justice and peace in the world”. This is applicable for and by every individual on our planet and I count myself one among them, don’t you count yourself there too?
- The Indian Constitution gives us (1) the right to equality, (2) the right to freedom, (3) the right against exploitation, (4) the right to freedom of religion, (5) the cultural and educational rights, (6) the right to constitutional remedies for enforcement of Fundamental Rights. Are not women being exploited and denied to freedom of living as equals in society?
- This phrase from the United States Declaration of Independence “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness” what do these inalienable rights stand for and why should we not demand them?
If wanting the above makes me a feminist, then I am proud to be in the company of some of the world’s greatest leaders, women and men. You definitely are not better than that.
Image Credit: Image 1
seekingsynergy 
Karien
April 18, 2013 at 3:09 pm
Lovely post. I my country (the Netherlands, although I choose not to live there for now) people think you should not call yourself a feminist if you don’t have a big career and a full time job. SInce I have 3 young kids (2, 3 and 5 years old) I chose to stay at home to take care of them myself instead of hiring someone else to do that. This is frowned upon. Yet I would still call myself a feminist, I think it is all about having the choice to do what you want to do with your life in freedom. I do realise I am lucky as in my country there is a lot more freedom for women compared to other countries (sure, we have the glass ceiling, lower salaries, nowhere near perfect) but it is not bad. However, the worst thing I find is women judging each other for the choices they make. I think there will be no real feminism if we cannot accept that every woman can make the choices she wants to make in freedom without anyone, man or especially other woman, judging her!
Gordon Barlow
April 18, 2013 at 5:06 pm
Karien, your last sentence says it all. You chose freely. So did I, years ago in 1981, when I left my job and for the next five years was a housefather – “parent of the first resort”, I called myself (rather pompously I suppose) – to our son from age six till age eleven. Far and away the best job I’ve ever had. The young boy is now a truly excellent father (though a part-time one) to two young girls. He has chosen to live and work in their mother’s home country, and to learn the language, just to be near them. That choice may or may not make him a feminist, but all the mutual respect probably does.
Freedom of choice for women is not really possible without freedom of choice for men, in any class and culture. At base, that freedom is what feminism is all about.
Elisa (@HipMom)
March 28, 2013 at 10:25 am
Absolutely! Are you kidding me?
I am very happy that feminism is being demystified. It’s about time.
nmaha
April 2, 2013 at 12:39 am
Lol. Well-said Elisa. I guess at the end of the day people need to understand what it’s all about
Anita
March 27, 2013 at 4:36 pm
Nice. ‘feminist’ seems to be an f-word in some circles of women. If more ppl thought of it more rationally, it would do everyone good
nmaha
March 27, 2013 at 10:27 pm
Exactly, it’s not a bad word. It’s like saying I believe in equality. That’s great right?
Megan, TfDiaries
March 27, 2013 at 3:51 pm
I feel like feminist is such a dirty word these days, but I think a woman should be strong and self sufficient, even more so than a man – but what do I really know 😉
nmaha
March 27, 2013 at 10:28 pm
And I don’t know why it’s a dirty word, though I get the same feeling here. I don’t even think of myself as a feminist, just someone who wants to be treated fairly. If people are labeling it, okay, so be it.
fashionconfessionsofamommy
March 27, 2013 at 1:47 pm
I guess you are going off the notion that being a ‘feminist’ is a bad thing. I am definitely spoiled and fortunate as I live in a culture where being a feminist is normal Who is not a feminist I would wonder at this day and age? There are still some inequalities and unfairness even in USA when it comes to salaries and how far men and women can move up in certain industries but I feel overall it is not even questioned that not only do woman have the same power and right as man but at certain settings we have even more. Do not have the same affirmation when it comes to my native country (Turkey).
Thank you by the way for your recent comment. I was so touched that you check my blog everyday and feel odd when I don’t post. I will think of you now when I am late. 🙂
Daphne.
nmaha
March 27, 2013 at 10:31 pm
Yes, yes, yes. I guess the level of discrimination varies across continents and countries. Over here very few women are talking about the glass ceiling, they are just trying not to get their baby girls buried alive at birth or burnt at the stake because their dowry is not adequate. However, that does not justify discrimination at the work-place either.
Gordon Barlow
March 24, 2013 at 3:33 pm
I am a feminist, too, and regard anybody who is not a feminist as plain ignorant – man or woman. One of my personal heroes is Eleanor Roosevelt, who chaired the United Nations Committee that produced the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and helped ram it through as a General Assembly Resolution.
In my small Caribbean island, female citizens are not disadvantaged in any way, although migrant women have a tough time of it. As an independent human-rights advocate I have long fought against the prejudice, and several of my blog-posts bear witness to the difficulty of making headway. It seems to me a common problem worldwide, that women activists rank civil rights over human rights. Eleanor Roosevelt had her priorities straight.
nmaha
March 25, 2013 at 5:54 pm
Wow! I didn’t know that bit about Eleanor Roosevelt. Yes, I think women’s rights has to be viewed as a human right issue for things to really move and improve. Glad that women on your island have a better time of it, though I feel bad for the immigrant women.
Enjoyed your article on bullies and bad manners.
Kusum Rohra
March 22, 2013 at 11:20 pm
Am so Proud of you N, You are not only a feminists, you are highly opinionated too 🙂 I can’t understand it when women shun the label of being a feminist because somehow feminism has been purported to be this aggressive anti-men movement. Isn’t it surprising that people would think so.
Logically Feminism is anything but anti-men. Patriarchy believes that men are not capable of control or kindness. On the other hand feminism believes that given a choice men can and will treat us with equality. So how are we anti-men?
I didn’t understand the last line though. You definitely are not better than that?
nmaha
March 23, 2013 at 7:47 pm
Thanks Kusum. You hit the mail on the head.
The last line was addressing to people who are ‘anti-women’s rights’, for want of a better word.