Women's Equality Day

So today is Women's Equality Day which means I can find joy in scrolling through the hashtag to find numerous feminist tweets. One's that make me think 'hell yeah you go girl, you fight for those rights'. Basically the type I love.

Because to quote my all time fave film (Titanic if you didn't know) 'Of course it's unfair. We're women. Our choices are never easy' which hits the nail on the head (obviously by a man because women doing DIY and using tools is one big NO.)

Unfortunately this trend has also been taken over by meninists or (less radically) people who do not see inequality (as every other female empowerment trend always is because why should women get to speak, am I right?)

I have to thank these tweets in a way, they help me feel a lot better at myself as I know that I'm not an arrogant fool who literally cannot see inequality even when staring you in the face (maybe you should go to Specsavers love.)

And of course there are many types of anti-feminist. There's the people who don't understand feminism and therefore don't support it (understandable but if you read up on it you're likely to agree so you should do it). Then there's people who see inequality but as a fact of life and not a problem which needs (urgently) addressing. There's people who don't see inequality and just want all these angry feminists (who are obviously on their period) to shut up (um mate maybe you'd be angry too if your gender was being constantly oversexualised and deemed to be weak and made fun of and highly domesticated on too many occasions). There's people who think that all feminists are 'butch lesbians' (we are not). There's also (and these are my favourite) people who think that women and men can't be equal because of the biological difference (sorry but that is just bullshit).

Out of the what-do-you-mean-you-want-equality tweets I've seen today, one of my faves has to be the one describing being female as 'boob privilege'. Now, clearly you don't have boobs because, if you did, you'd probably agree, it isn't really a privilege. Yeah boobs are great and all but they are super, super annoying and bras are super, super uncomfy. And, it wouldn't be 'boob' privilege even if it did exist, it would be 'big boob' or 'average sized with lots of assistance of a push up bra' privilege because that seems to be all guys ever want (in terms of boob size.)

And all these little extras and freebees that females get are totally within the capabilities of us women who receive them. It's not my fault that we are oversexualised and, because of that men think they can do things which claims ownership of us like buying us a drink (which is not an invitation to bed I'm afraid). If I could stop the sexualisation of women I would in a heartbeat, it's not nice to be harassed in the street because I made the time to look pretty (for myself) today (which you can read about here). But I can't. Why? Because I'm not the one sexualising women.

But this is a problem. Despite the feminist fight which ignites inside of me when I see these anti-feminist tweets, there is a huge problem.

There are women in the world being forced into marriage (often as children). Women being raped by boys who are 'just being boys'. There are women who are sexually harassed in the work place. There are women who are forced to raise children they don't want as single parents because abortion is not legal in their country. There are women who are scrutinised in the media because they didn't wear a bra (c'mon ladies #FreeTheNipple is where it's at) or because their swimsuit was revealing which, unless it's not covering the vagina or nipples (which is the whole point of a swimsuit as it should be as minimal as possible because then you get less awkward tan lines) then how is it revealing? Breaking news: woman has thighs and stomach and boobs which aren't completely covered by a bikini. I'm sorry to scare you like that, I bet that has come as a huge shock to you all.

So when you look at all these issues (and more, which you can find a list of on one of my favourite websites http://everydayfeminism.com/2016/02/160-examples-of-male-privilege/)  how can you have the guts to tell me inequality doesn't exist? And is that what you're really saying, or are you in fact saying 'yes I can see these issues but they just aren't important enough to accept' because, if you are, you are trash.

So I'm going to celebrate being a woman today and I'm also going to celebrate every other day that I walk this planet. Because female inequality is real and it is happening now. So I'm going to fight for the equality I deserve because, in the words of Rachel Platten's 2015 hit 'I've still got a lot of fight left in me'.

--- Aimee ---