When they flat out told Peggy Carter in Agent Carter that “You’re a woman. No man will ever see you as an equal,” my brother nodded his head and I started crying.
When my science teacher told my class that “Men are always first, and women are always last,” all the women in the classroom were silent while the men laughed.
When I sat down at lunch one day, one of my ‘friends’ told all us that “(our government teachers name) was being sexist earlier, it was hilarious,” and all the men at the table wanted to hear what he had said.
When I asked to stop being called a bitch at the lunch table, I was asked “is it that time of the month again?”
When I listen to men’s conversions at my school, their jokes are all women based.
When I hear one of those jokes is “wanna hear a joke?” “sure, what?” “women’s rights!”
When my ‘friends’ girlfriend broke up with him because he started doing drugs again, she was a “crazy fucking bitch” and “controlling as hell” and “she didn’t have the right to say anything anyways.”
When my mom came home one night, bloodied and bruised, the cops showed up the next day to arrest her for slapping her boyfriend.
When I started wearing leggings when I was 13-14, my mom bought my first pair and a can of pepper spray to match.
When my best friend lived across the street, I would walk the few feet home with my keys ready to fight at the first sound of a step.
I need feminism because every women has or will experience all these things, even if it’s just one time or everyday.
I need feminism because there are women who will read this and cry.
I need feminism because 12 and 13 year olds are being cat called while walking home.I need feminism because sometimes, I wish I wasn’t a women.
Feminism is more than a want. It is a need.