Generally speaking, labels are dumb. They give us boxes for people to fit into, and when they don’t, our whole world seems to lose it’s order. But sometimes they’re helpful. So I like labeling myself, because I seem contradictory sometimes. It’s fun to tell you that I’m both Baptist and a progressive. Sure, that means I generally reject the Southern Baptist Convention’s platform, but I am still a Baptist in the American South. But one of the labels I have worn longer than some others is feminist. I am an unapologetic feminist.
And I’m done with justifying that fact.
Whether they have ever worn the label as I do, I know I was raised by feminists, who were also raised with feminist values. The women in my family are strong, and they have married men who love them for their strength, not in spite of it, teaching their daughters and granddaughters to follow that example. Before becoming unapologetic about feminism, I was afraid to tell even my dad that I wore this label. When I did, he just sort of looked at me like, “And why would I have a problem with that?” I think he may have even said that. Really, I should have known. At Christmas when I was 18, I got a lecture from his 85 year old father about how Republicans are trying to take away my rights as a woman. At 18, I was still naive enough to think he was being dramatic. But obviously he wasn’t. I’m scared of what will happen in the next four years, less so for myself than for others who do not look like me. While I am glad he did not have to watch the nation that he was willing to die for when he joined the Navy in 1943 set off on a potential path of self-destruction, I do wish I could hear one more rant from my grandfather on that topic.
I have justified feminism to so many people. “It’s really not that crazy.” I have even used arguments like, “Well, I’m not that kind of feminist.” What’s funny is, I usually am that kind of feminist. But I want to be heard, and I’m afraid you’ll shut me out if I admit that I believe in that feminist ideal, whatever it may be. But that’s a stupid way to make me feel. Because I deserve to be treated with the same respect and dignity as every man. I shouldn’t ever have to apologize for that. So I won’t. Not anymore.
I mostly apologized because people have believed that feminism is not compatible with Christianity. Excuse my language, but that’s a load of bullshit. Sorry y’all, God did not make me with any less care and dignity than a man. He did not create me simply to produce babies for you. If He had, He wouldn’t have made me who I am. Let’s be real: Ruth and Naomi took care of themselves. Esther was married to a dude who wanted to kill her people, and she stopped it. God even used Rahab, a prostitute, and her sexuality for His glory. The first people to see the resurrected Christ were women. Every time Jesus interacted with a woman, He treated her with so much respect and dignity that those around him were confused by it. God did not make women to be less than men. So explain to me why my feminism is incompatible with my faith.
So now the thing you would expect a feminist post to be about this weekend. Please don’t tune me out now because you don’t agree with me. If you’ve made it this far, you obviously respect me enough to hear me out. So understand this: while the Women’s March on Washington and its sister marches are not without controversy even among those of us who oppose Trump, they are an attempt to show dissent over the way he has demonstrated that he will treat the marginalized. If you don’t get it, try talking to those of us that do. No one marching thinks that because they marched Donald Trump will not be President. That’s not the point. The point is to say, “Hey, we’re not going to approve this kind of treatment.” This entire country is founded on the idea that if you don’t like what your government is doing, you can protest to demonstrate your dissent. That’s what the march is about. People saying, “No, you don’t get to treat us like this without opposition.” If you still don’t understand and would like to, I am perfectly open to a conversation. Just don’t expect me to change my mind or to apologize for feminism.
I haven’t even touched on intersectionality, and I apologize for that. But just know, I love to listen to intersectional perspectives. Show me where my privilege has made me blind to something. I am also an ally to so many other things. Feminism is simply where it began for me.
I’m not apologizing for believing in my own worth. Feminism does not make me a victim. It only makes my strength more apparent.
The Greatest is Love 