And so it goes

I casually mentioned to my family that I was a feminist, and received a full day's worth of righteous indignation of the "you're so misguided and we feel sorry for you" variety. Apparently, I've been sucked into a "cult-like" movement that, apart from turning perfectly nice women into shrieking harpies, has no further relevance in today's world.

I don't know what annoys me more; the very notion of "post-feminism," or the misinformation that led to the dredging up of these tired, old stereotypes (not to mention having them applied to me). My brother actually said, two or three times, that "as a man, everything [I] say offends [him]." I had no choice but to take this as hollow party line, considering I can think of nothing I've ever said to him that should be offensive to any free-thinking Liberal - which he claims to be. Not even a single, idle "I hate men" uttered in a moment of frustration. (And because feminism is not about man-hating, he could not even rightly attribute the aforementioned statement to my "joining the dark side" if I'd said it).

Hmm. I'm not pristine, so I'll qualify: nothing I've said should ever have offended him as a man. I'll cop to calling him a douchebag from time to time for reasons wholly unrelated to feminism and gender. But, I digress.

I am a feminist simply because I'm a woman. Because of the constant challenge to reproductive rights, because of every double standard, every stereotype, because of the word "slut." Because of oppressive religious dogma, and because women aren't allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia. Because a shocking 96% of Egyptian women are said to have undergone Female Genital Mutilation. Because "Working mother" is a title, but "Working father" is redundant. Because I have always had one name and I don't think marriage should change it.

Because feminism IS a social justice movement, and social justice is what I live for.

And just because many, many women out there ARE feminists, but say things like "I'm not a feminist, but..."