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I’m just a 14-year-old girl, so a lot of people might not take me seriously. But I need to talk about this, because it’s important. First, let me clear something up: feminism is NOT about hating men. Feminism is about making sure men and women have equal rights. It’s about fairness and respect. But somehow, people keep twisting that, acting like feminism is against men when it’s really just about equal treatment. Feminism has been around since the 19th century, meaning women have been fighting for basic rights for over a hundred years. And even after all this time, we still have to explain why it matters. And just in case some men get offended over what im about to say: I know that not every man is like this. But let me ask you this: would you eat a bowl of salad if you knew that a few of the leaves were moldy, even if most were perfectly fine? Think about it.
Let´s begin: There was this question going around recently: “Would you rather be alone in the forest with a bear or with a man?” Many women picked the bear, and it made some men angry. But instead of blaming women, maybe they should ask why we feel this way. How did things get so bad that some women feel safer with a wild animal than with a man?
In places like Afghanistan, women have almost no rights. They aren’t allowed to speak freely in public, and they have to cover their bodies completely. It’s as if just being a woman is something to be hidden or controlled. Even in other countries, people still vote for leaders like Trump who ignore women’s rights, yet they say we “don’t need feminism anymore.”
Then there’s this guy, Nicholas J. Fuentes, who’s been going viral for the hateful things he says about women. There was this sentence he said that wont leave my mind; “Your body, my choice, B*tch” and the way he said it was truly terrifying. It shows there are still men out there who feel like they have the right to control women’s bodies. This isn’t just a random worry; it’s real, and it’s something I think about every day. I’m scared to go out alone at night, scared to walk home from school in the dark, even though it’s only 6 p.m. People say feminism isn’t needed, but they don’t understand. Nearly every woman has a story about harassment or fear. Yes, men can be harassed too, but right now, I’m talking about what women go through.
We shouldn’t have to fight just to be safe, to go to school, to live our lives freely. Have you ever heard a man be called “bossy” just for standing up for himself? I haven’t. But if a woman stands up for herself, she’s called “bossy” or “difficult,” as if knowing your own worth is a bad thing. I hate the word “bossy.” I don’t want to feel like I have to constantly watch what I wear, like a top that shows my belly a bit, just because it might attract the wrong attention. It’s exhausting, and it shouldn’t be like this.
I’ve had scary experiences that made me feel this way. When I was eight, a man came up to me and my friends, picked me up, and kissed me on the cheek. I was terrified. A woman nearby asked if he was my dad, and when I said no, the man ran away. I still wonder what could have happened if the woman hadn’t been there. When I was 10, another man came up to me at a bus stop, calling me “pretty girl” in a way that felt creepy. These may not seem like huge moments to some people, but they leave a mark.I have so many other things that happend to me but they are too upsetting to share.
Fun fact: During the witch trials in the 16th and 17th centuries, nearly all of the people burned alive for being accused of witchcraft were women.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdBx0iPbrkr
Sometimes, I wish I’d been born a boy. Not because I don’t like being me, but because then I wouldn’t have to feel this constant fear and worry. It shouldn’t take being a different gender just to feel safe, respected, and free.
Turn to feminism. For your mother,for your sisters, for your aunts,for your grandma, for every single woman in this world.
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