Top 5 Reasons I Need Feminism

I need feminism because:

1. I feel women shouldn’t have to fight for equality. It should just be the norm.

2. I shouldn’t have to fight for whether feminism is even still needed. Women still aren’t paid as much as men for the same work. Women are still expected to conform to a very narrow (and stick-thin) standard of beauty, and are judged for whether they are “disciplined” enough to maintain it. And I’ve never heard a man say that he’s trying to decide when he should have a child because of the negative effects it might have on his career.

3. I shouldn’t feel guilty or ashamed of pole dancing for fitness. Everyone seems to always miss the last word there. No, I’m not a stripper. But even if I was, who cares? Why do my choices matter to you?

4. I shouldn’t have to be one of the guys to be successful at work.

5. I should be able to be emotional, angry, sexy, sassy, strong, outspoken, shy, athletic, nerdy, straight, gay, wear a skirt, wear pants, wear makeup, not wear makeup, have relationships, have sex, have kids, not have kids, be happy, be powerful, be me without being judged for it by men or by women. No one should be afraid of being themselves.

Why do you need feminism?

How To Be A [Modern] Superhero

Know the difference between what’s right and what’s easy, and choose to do what’s right anyway.
Do the thing that scares you. Stop thinking, just do it.
Have the guts to tell someone the truth when something’s bothering you.
Don’t fear your emotions. Let them in instead of pushing them a way.
Put other’s needs before your own when you can.
Take care of yourself, even when that’s a hard choice to make.
Let it go.
Try your best, even when you honestly don’t know if you’ll succeed. Try anyway. Who knows, you might do something fantastic.
Decide to stop running, and face your fears head-on.
Take a stand on something that means a lot to you. Don’t be afraid to have an opinion.
Don’t discount your successes. Yes, you did that thing. And it was awesome. Be proud.
Stop apologizing for everything.
Fight for what you deserve.
Tell someone you love them. Stop being afraid of the word.
In fact stop being afraid of words in general. Especially the ones people use to label you.
Stop feeling like everyone is watching you and waiting for you to mess up. You’re human. and they don’t actually care.
Let the anxiety in instead of pushing it away.
Take time for yourself. You deserve it.
And always remember there’s someone out there who’s proud of you, they just might never find the words to say it. You mean the world to someone. So relax and be yourself. You’re enough.

What Do You Do When The World Starts Wearing You Down?

I’ve been really stressed out about work lately, and I need some advice. I’ve realized that I’m not going to get what I need out of my job, and am considering quitting. Not immediately, but I’m planning on leaving this job, which is only twice a week in the evenings, as soon as I finish my degree and start looking for a real job. I have been optimistic that I would be able to keep this job in my life beyond university because I love what I do and I know several people who still do this on the side, but now I’m not so sure. Lately, it’s really started to wear on me, and I don’t love it anymore. I feel like there’s too much politics, and my efforts are being unappreciated. I feel like I’m getting farther from the parts of the job that I loved, the parts that I joined to do. I feel like I spend more time being angry about my job and the people I work with than I do actually enjoying it. I need to feel like I belong, like people appreciate what I do, that people want to see me move forward, not just get stuck where I am right now. And that’s exactly where I am. Stuck.

But would leaving mean I’m giving up and quitting? Or would it mean I’m making a good decision for myself? I would really appreciate any advice people can offer.

Thanks for listening,

Janine

If The World Did End Tomorrow…

…would you be happy with how you’ve lived your life?