Feminist rant.

Recently, one of the "big" bloggers announced that she is not a feminist, because equal = same, and who wants to be the same as a man?

For so many reasons, I am upset and disturbed by this, not in the least because many women agreed with her. Many commenters tried to correct the assumed definition of "feminist", but it's been maddeningly ignored.

And I'm frustrated. Because, I know what I mean when I call myself a Feminist. I believe that you, and I, and everyone else, should be afforded the same opportunities and rights without regard to our gender. This is so self-evident, so fundamental to my paradigm, that I cannot understand how other women do not believe it.

BUT! It seems we're speaking different languages; a Feminist says, "I believe in equal rights", and the non-feminist hears, "I want to talk, dress, and act like a man". How do we ever bridge this gap? We must, not just for our mutual understanding, but for the women all over the world who don't have our most basic rights. And, more importantly, for our daughters and our sons, who will either grow into adults who respect and honor individual differences, or who don't.


P.S. Hi, Piper!