Feminism.
What does it mean? Those who stand in order to promote equality among men and women. Plain and simple. Yet, feminism continues to be a contested word as the majority of Americans associate extreme characteristics to the word that are not attached to the actual definition, causing many to refute feminism though they may still claim that they believe in equality among men and women.
Gender.
Gender is fluid. There is not a dominant male or female trait. It is learned through societal influences.
Sexuality.
Are we born longing for a certain gender or is it learned? …Does it even matter?
Human Rights.
As stated within the UDHR, these are qualities that every human is supposed to receive on the mere basis of being born a human.
Morality.
Often contested, this is best summed up in the infamous golden rule: Do unto others as you would have done unto you.
…What is the connection?
With gender comes choice as a basis of human rights: Individuals have the choice to choose which sex they are going to form relations with. And because gender is fluid, meaning that we all possess both male and female traits, it is not okay for society to impose restrictions based off of pro-male or pro-female dominated traits.
Morality. Do unto others as you would have done unto you, or as best summed up in philosopher John Rawls “Veil of Ignorance” in which Rawls contends that society would be equal if each person had to make their own society not knowing their place within it.
With efficient morals among society we can overcome the inequality in women’s pay. We can gain male maternity leave. We can legalize equal marriage license. And we can put an end to the stigma attached with the word feminism, as all should stand for equal rights among human beings as this is an inherent quality born to everyone.
How do we achieve this?
Spreading the common good.
As cheesy as it sounds… No matter what political, religious or personal grounds you stand on, kindness will always be the answer.
In the words of Mohandas K. Gandhi: “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” For “Peace cannot be achieved by force, it can only be achieved by understanding” (Albert Einstein).
Sources:
Dechant, Dell, Darrell J. Fasching, and David M. Lantigua. Comparative Religious Ethics. N.C.: Blackwell Publishing Ltd., 2011.
Gandhi, Mohandas K. The Story of My Experiments with Truth. New York: Dover Publications, 1983.
Lebacqz, Karen. Six Theories of Justice. Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1986.
United Nations. United Nations Publications, 2015. Web. 6th February 2015.
