Being a Feminist

Being a feminist has both influenced and shaped my identity in more ways than one; it has made me realize the importance of women in society and the constant harassment and discrimination that they face on a daily basis. Although feminism's main purpose is creating gender equality, feminism transcends all "borders" and seeks to create equality in other areas, such as race, sexuality, ageism, and equality in the military. Rape is such a forbidden subject in our society, similarly, gender is too. Growing up, I was aware of the differences between genders, aside from anatomical, imposed by society. Girls aspired to be teachers, nurses, and secretaries, and while there is nothing wrong with these careers, they never aspired to be more, because principals, doctors, and President's were synonymous to male. Sarah Silverman, one of the prominent faces of feminism, has spoken about girls and their ability to conform to society, she notes "Stop telling girls they can be anything they want when they grow up. NOT because they can't but because it would have never occurred to them they couldn’t!" She made recent news with her shocking video in which she address the wage gap, opting to change her sex in order to be considered "equal".
As a male feminist, I find it imperative to create equality across genders, to erase the wage gap, and to educate against gender stereotypes and discrimination, not only for my friends but for my family members and future children. I