WHY EVERYONE SHOULD BE A FEMINIST

One of the things I've been reflecting on a lot during this women's month is all the amazing women I've met this year - a lot of them through blogging! One of these inspirational women is Dhanusha, a beauty blogger and computer science student from Cape Town.

This week we did an exciting, unique collaboration. I wrote a post on Dhanusha's blog about My Makeup Must haves (Surprise, surprise I'm actually crazy about make up!) and she wrote a piece on Feminism. Enjoy her blog post and be sure to check out mine on her blog!

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By Dhanusha Dhoorgalu

Hi there!

I am Dhanusha, from the blog Miss Dhanusha, duh. My friends call me Dee, I call myself Alien and my readers’ weirdos. This is purely because I would to see us all embrace our “weirdness” that makes us unique. I am a Beauty & Lifestyle blogger with a strong opinion on certain matters. As much as I love all things beauty I love keeping up with current affairs and making a positive impact. Today that topic is feminism. Another feminist? Yes, I don’t hate men.

It dates to my early childhood days, I was dressed as a boy and raised by a single working mother. I was taught to be brave and curious, to read and to question everything I was taught. Every year, I was most likely class monitor and first in my class. I had never anticipated this to be a man’s world then as all the strong people around me were females. I may have not known the word feminist but I was always one.

I also didn’t know then what I know now, that being a smart assertive woman in a man’s world would come with its challenges but also independence. Fast forward to 2017 and here we are, who run the world? Men. We know most political positions are taken by men. We know men hold most high ranking positions in the fortune 500 companies, they earn more than their female equivalents and the list goes on. I am not here to give you the statistics but tell you why whether you are a man or a woman you should be a feminist.

According to Wikipedia, Feminism is a range of political movements, ideologies, and social movements that share a common goal: to define, establish, and achieve political, economic, personal, and social rights for women. This includes seeking to establish educational and professional opportunities for women that are equal to such opportunities for men. Feminism is so easily misconstrued for hating men or pro female, anti-male etc. but this is far from the case. For a while I didn’t want to label myself a feminist because of the backlash Emma Watson got after her shoot with Vanity Fair. I slowly have come to realise that if we don’t stand up for ourselves who will?

Having worked in a male dominated industry, being the only technical female in a small IT company, I know first-hand how challenging it is for a woman. Not that I was treated inferior but had I not been assertive as well as confident, it could have gone horribly wrong. In a professional environment, a woman is judged by what she wears, how she speaks and how she carries herself. In fact, in any environment this is holds true. If she wears something too provocative or short, she is viewed in that manner or to the contrary if she doesn’t she is viewed as masculine. If she has a strong opinion, she is labelled bossy, if she is meek she is labelled weak.

It is time for us to break down these gender misconceptions. A woman should be able to be whoever she wants to be without having people label her. If she is a feminist, so too. Feminism is about having equal rights and opportunities for men and women. If you are a man or a woman in the same career field with the same qualifications and experience, should you not be paid the same salary? Should you not both have the same opportunity for that promotion? If you believe in equality for all genders, then you are a feminist.

In most of our social upbringings, women are the nurturers, the givers and the caretakers. We still are, but we also are the career breadwinning boss babes. You can be a mother, wife, and successful in your job. It may be difficult but what isn’t? Although, no matter where you were raised, you may have been taught that you need to be married and have your kids by 30 or 35. That if you aren’t you there may be something wrong with you. Yet if a man doesn’t get settled by this time we assume he is just picky. We need to let go of these teachings, just recently I was asked when I was getting married. I am not even close to that age. (Drops mic)

When are we going to ask women what promotions they are looking for? Or if they are happy in their field and lives? Can we just stop asking them about their reproductive systems? Yes, we can do something men can’t but it is not all we can do. I know a very few couples that equally share the responsibilities of cooking, cleaning and looking after their child. Don’t thank your man for cooking, its 2017, since the best chefs in the world are men, yours can cook half the time.

All I am trying to point out is there a few things a woman can’t do that a man can and vice versa. In terms of biology we are different but in terms of intellect we are not that different. We are human. We want the same things, we should have the same opportunities and reap the same benefits. And this begins with us, it begins with us not telling our little sons “don’t cry, only girls cry.” It means not saying grow strong and tall like your father. It means letting our girls dress however their want, voice their opinions and open a door for anyone, it means not teaching girls to expect the guy to pay the bill.

I urge you, as a man or women to speak up for all women’s rights throughout the world. It is getting better but we need to make these changes that break from the status quo. We need to all be feminists and strive for the equality of men and women.

It begins with you.

xx 

Miss Dhanusha
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FIND MORE OF DHANUSHA

FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/missdhanusha
TWITTER: www.twitter.com/missdhanusha
INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/missdhanusha
BLOG: www.missdhanusha.wordpress.com