For the Record

"Feminist" is in fact not defined as "woman who hates men."  For one, I happen to quite like men, and boys too.  My first crush, at about the age of five, was on Mohammed Ali, and I haven't stopped having crushes for almost 40 years now.  Men are awesome - and any ex of mine, or Mr. X for that matter, would be unlikely to testify I'm a hater.

For two:  MEN can be feminists.

And should.

Men with daughters who refuse to call themselves feminists are doing their children a disservice, and the language to boot.  Perpetuating foolish stereotypes reflecting the narrow and hateful perceptions of what people who are not feminists wish to propogate *about* feminists reinforces the strength of those of little minds.

I don't care to change people's beliefs.

But I do care to challenge those who hold to the equality of women, who believe in fair play and who do not believe in chauvinism, pigeonhole-ing human beings by genre, the imbalance of power and resources, and holding down those who do not share their pigmentation, age, geography, chromosomal asymmetry, or whatever else irrationally bolsters their faulty self-worth - and yet who squeal and clutch at their pearls at the merest whisper of the word feminism.

This word has too long been deployed as a weapon against itself.  Reclaim it, PROclaim it, love it, repeat it, be it.

Being it alone - unspoken - as if it is a dirty thing - simply is not enough.  SPREAD the word.  And take back the fight.