I used to be a hell-raising feminist, and I didn’t care how crazy people thought I was. But lately I feel like I can’t call out sexist comments for fear of being mean. I don’t want someone to think I’m jumping down their throats. I’m afraid people won’t take me seriously. But there are a lot of reasons why feminism isn’t women shouting about trivial problems.
I asked Hannah Rogers, film production freshman, why she thought feminism should be taken seriously.
“It should be taken seriously because there is no reason one gender should be less than another. Children should not be taught stereotypes from a young age of what they can or can’t be. Women and men alike should never feel discriminated or like they are put in a box,” she said.
When talking with a few friends several weeks ago, I mentioned a t-shirt that I’d seen on Feminist Apparel’s website that said “Sick of Walking Home Like This?” with a fist holding a key between each knuckle. My friends had a hard time believing that something like that would actually be necessary here in Oklahoma City, but the truth is, I don’t feel like I can go off campus alone.
“I need feminism because I don’t want to feel scared when I hear someone walking behind me at night, or when I am walking across campus after a late night study session,” Rogers said.
The point of feminism is real, and whether or not you might think people are over exaggerating when they talk about it, they’re doing it for a reason. There’s a real need for equality that still hasn’t been met. And it’s up to you whether or not you want take feminism seriously.
Leave a Reply