Much to do about Feminism

I am responding to an article on laterlife.com, entitled Rebranding Feminism in Laterlife.  Being a 22 year-old women in the 21st century, I believe feminism is all about spreading awareness and gaining equal recognition for women in a male dominated society, or perhaps world and making equality the norm instead of something to aspire to for who knows how long.  The feminism I see does not exclude men, it helps educate all the sexes on seeing each other as humans, for one sex cannot change or evolve with out the other.  First and foremost, education on feminism is not taught very well if at all, from a grade school level to a high school level, period. 
Feminism has gotten negative connotations over the years because radical things have taken place, or attitudes that were more focused on than others.  Since we are surrounded by different perspectives in this world, we must keep in mind that many would get scared (men and women) if women started burning their bras.  But that is only one minor example that seems to be the most well known.  This completely creates the entire image of feminism with the help of media and others.  However, if one really does the research and understands that demonstration was symbolic in more than anything, then some understanding among the opposing groups may be found.  Now I do know that there are feminists who hate men, but there are extremists everywhere.  What I see today is quite interesting.

Not knowing that much about feminism early on in life, I still was all about equality, having a title meant nothing to me.  However, now that I am a young adult and in that great big world of ours, I see a title can have some impact or connotations.  I am proud to call myself a feminist and if someone else’s definition is different, that doesn’t surprise me.  It does not mean either cannot be respectful to each other.  I still will dream of unity nonetheless.  I do not feel like we are in an equal world or society, or on a smaller scale a community…this is where I say education is crucial.  People often criticize what they do not know much about and have heard only negative aspects.   I have a personal philosophy to try and see the good and positive in things, I’m not perfect with it, but it’s been with me my whole life, feminist label or not.

I believe it is important to express my young person’s viewpoint.  I do not have the history of feminism having as much negative rhetoric as it once had.  But I do believe the negativity still exists, because now I seem to get criticized by men in particular, for both feminist ideology, and in the way of ‘why be one anymore, they've accomplished all’ attitude.  It does not surprise me that men are ones who would criticize more often because there is a threat instilled in our culture that feminists all hate men and want to be the most powerful, or just simply criticize what they do not know, or feels does not include them.  I wish I had a good comeback at some of those moments, words that might ring some sense or perspective, but I fall short sometimes.
I believe men are important in the ideals of equality in feminism, for they are the ones we are trying most to convince and accept willingly.  One has probably heard about being “in touch with your feminine side,” this is my advice.  Men do not have to be the strong tough guys; some women can and are that too.  To me if one is in touch, one can understand and be aware that “men and women differ biologically, in hormones, roles of mother and fatherhood (though there are similarities).”article
"Making feminism the new humanism" can ring true in creating perhaps “more inclusivity.”  As the article points out, embracing all of humanity would not exactly clarify situations.  This is true, for nothing is perfect.  Redefining feminism does not need to be changed, for not all has been accomplished from the previous movements in the U.S. and other parts of the world.  Now, I believe to change the word may or may not help, there needs to be education along with any change of the word, otherwise, it will not matter at all.  I believe adding definitions to feminism is completely fine because feminism does have humanistic qualities.  However, many feminisms already exist…in order to touch on broader aspects that were not included in earlier definitions. According to the article, they had more questions than answers and “Everyone agreed that something has to be done, but there was no general consensus about how or what.” I believe the image needs to change and not the meaning of the word, unless additions like I said before.  I believe as a whole we should work on educating young people about feminism in order to have a good positive image in the immediate and long future.  That will help and is something that needs to be done, not just in schools, but everywhere.