Feminism

Feminism.  This word hadn’t come up in a while for me, but has suddenly popped up repeatedly.  I wrote an article a few years back about women in punk music, consider myself a feminist, and believe I am considered a feminist by others.

My interpretation of feminism is pretty wide compared to the old stereotype of the man-hater.  Feminism can be feminine, masculine, fresh faced, layered make-up, pants, bras, skirts, professional, motherhood, mechanic or anything else that rings true for a particular woman.  By “ringing true,” I mean anything that feels right that hasn’t been dictated by societal assumption.  If a woman fits into what society feels comfortable with by her own solid conviction, that too is feminist.

This was my conclusion in my article for Razorcake Magazine and it still is now.  What I’ve been thinking about are women who give up their sense of self to make themselves more appealing to men.

I’ve watched women dumb themselves down and give themselves and their passions up just to gain the attention of a man.  This is beyond what I can understand.  What happens if a woman meets the man of her dreams and is permanently stuck in this act?  Why do so many women feel that their SELVES are less that appealing?

Feminism has made a lot of strides, but in some ways we’ve moved forward so little. No matter what your gender may be, stay mindful of who and what you want to be.  Pop cultural influences abound, but take what makes sense and leave the rest behind.  It’s time to stand up and acknowledge your insecurities.

Spring is a time of rebirth.  There is no need to leave YOUR SELF out of this equation.

– Meredith Deloca, Assistant Spa Director at PDX