Every once in a while, I come across a woman that says, “I am not a feminist.” Whenever I hear those words trip out of her mouth, part of me wells up with anger. These women qualify their heavy words with the mistaken belief that we women no longer need feminism, women are equal now, we hold the same rights as men, other things are more important than feminism. It is heightened because these women are my peers, young, beautiful and privileged 20 somethings that have world at their fingertips. We are taught that beauty is our power, and instinctively I know that to be at least in part, very true.
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I am a twenty-three year old woman, a single mother attempting to escape the pink -collar ghetto by fighting her way through school. I absolutely love Lady Gaga, dresses, stilettos and wear make-up. THIS IS WHAT A FEMINIST LOOKS LIKE. I have the knowledge to know that as a young single mother I am lucky to be able to have the luxuries in my life I do. I can provide a home and an adequate living for my son, but most of all I have latent talent to help me escape my present socio-economic position. Most other women with children my age without a partner will ultimately remain in the same position they were in when their child was born.
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Poverty is rampant in female led single parent homes, “recent Statistics Canada estimates show single-parent families now comprise 15 per cent of all families and more than 80 per cent are headed by women.” (1). Fifty percent of single parent families live in poverty, which is heightened when the children are young. When Gloria Steinem said that most women are one man away from welfare, it was not said in vain shock humour. We women take a large risk when we open our legs to men. We risk our health, our bodies and possibly our future.
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The need for feminism is always present. We only became persons less than a century ago. No one asks why we still need to fight racism and homophobia. To call a black man a “nigger” or “porch-monkey” is a hate crime. To call someone a “pussy” “little bitch” “cunt” are acceptable terms! Almost every insult to a man is relating him to a woman. A woman can more easily say, “penis” than refer to a vagina. I have yet to see a someone carve a vagina into wet cement, or spray paint one on alley walls.
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I don’t know how much Hayley Wickenheiser makes, but I’m sure it’s not going to be announced in the 1.6% of sports news allocated to women. ONE POINT SIX. (2).
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Yes, if lucky, we women can be born with latent talents, just as men are. Intelligence, strength, agility, creativity, beauty are all natural born traits that come in varying degrees of rolled dice and crossed chromosomes. Nothing however is the most desired as beauty. As much I would like to say FUCK BEAUTY, I can’t. I want it. Not the beauty: the power. Fleeting power. Because it’s only as a woman is desired for her beauty, she is in the power position. As men become distinguished, women become aged. How can woman escape the predicted end result of decades of hard work?
1. http://www.thestar.com/comment/article/288559 - John Cairney
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