What it means to be a feminist

From January 4th to January 31st, the Saint Mary’s University Women’s Centre posed this question to the campus community – “What does it mean to be a feminist?” We asked you to answer this question in 500-1000 words. Sincere thanks to all those who submitted entries – we appreciate all of the effort you put into them.

Our winner this year is Lydia O’Regan, who is a SMU student and Arts Psychology major. She will receive 2 tickets to attend The Vagina Monologues and a $50 gift certificate to Venus Envy. She will be performing excerpts from her essay at the Friday production of The Vagina Monologues – congratulations Lydia, from everyone at the Women’s Centre.

What it means to be a feminist
By Lydia O’Regan
Feminists are extraordinary people. They are people with jobs, kids, families and friends. They are women as well as men. They are heroic reminders of the past and fighters of the future. What makes them different is their enduring passion for equality, the persistent reminders of hope, and their demand for respect even if the odds are completely against them.

Women owe much of our freedom to feminists. They have stood up for us when no one else had the courage to, and have changed the world for the better. These daring human being have given us hope and opportunities that are irreplaceable. They have given us the freedom to be women in any way we please, the freedom to say what we wish to say, and have the opportunities to pursue any of our dreams without limitations. They have, and continue to, beat the odds so that women around the world can feel protected, empowered and egalitarian.

Feminists have the courage to fight for women, even if they stand alone and outnumbered. They allow us the chance to dream of a better future, then making it a reality through hard work and determination. They stand up for what’s right and never back down. They have inspired women around the world to realize their potential and to fight for what they believe in.

Being a feminist means you are fighting for women to have a fair chance. A fair chance to work where we want to work, marry or divorce whomever we wish, vote for whichever candidate we prefer, wear what we want to wear, and many other basic rights that have been allowed to men for centuries. Feminists fight for chances and choices. It is not a horrible thing to be a feminist. As was said by Cheris Kramerae, “Feminism is the radical notion that women are people.” They believe in the strength of women and their abilities to learn, teach, work and love with as much force, knowledge and power as anybody else.

Feminists are brave people who attempt to destroy societal norms that oppress and discriminate against women, and they are succeeding. Feminists attempt to make changes happen, acting as valiant revolutionaries, in a world where it is constantly shown by the media and our societal norms that women should be seen and not heard.

Any person fighting for what we deserve as humans, to be equal and given a fair chance, should be proud to be considered a feminist – it is they who change the world for the better.