I Am A Feminist/I Am My Mother's Child

Equality is my responsibility. It is mine, because of my manhood. More than that, because of my personhood. As a human being, what I cannot tolerate in this world is intolerance and injustice. These sins lead humanity down a path of objectification and demeaning attitudes toward other people. This, above all else, I cannot stand. Here, I pronounce my feminist beliefs. My mother, my sister, my cousins, my nieces... are all quite capable. As capable, if not more, than me. Where did this notion come from? 

My mother instilled in us at an early age that the female body was never to be degraded. "Those are breasts." "That is a vagina." "She is a person not an object" were my formative lessons. I believe and hold true the power of women because I was raised by one. 

In graduate school, notions of "human rights, nothing more" exploded in my mind as I did research on human trafficking and sexual exploitation in Cambodia. Here, I knew I had to move beyond belief. I must be an advocate and an ally. The advocacy part for me was simple. The ally part has taken some time. I have been forced to learn how to cede some of my power so others may benefit. This has not been easy. Power is comforting, but so is justice. 

I do this all because I believe we cannot advance the entire species while we systematically hold half of it behind. To be free, we must all have an equal opportunity to learn, grow, marry, and have children without the burden being placed on one sex. In a lot of ways, this is easier written than done, but it all begins with a conversation. It also takes men being allies. We have to remove any negativity associated with feminism. We have to believe whatever is good for her is good for me. 

Thanks for entering my world, 

-Nathan