Feminism - Stereotypes = Equality

Recently I've seen a lot of articles and posts about being a feminist, "10 celebrities you didn't know were feminists" "Everybody needs to see this act of feminism" and it really is an amazing thing to see how much attention it's getting and how much of a difference it can really make, but (there's always a but) when does it stop being an empowering movement and start becoming a hate spree!

I believe that being a feminist you should feel empowered! Hell! Just being a woman! A gay man? Why the hell not! Y'know, one step further, how about being a human?! Is that not the whole point of most activist groups? Going through the tears of people insulting you for something that can't be helped, it's just genetics after all, and even after that still fighting just to be seen as equal? Gay rights? Women's rights? Racial rights? Essentially all it is people are fighting for is to be treated equally compared to the next person. And why shouldn't anybody want that? Maybe to some, we're too pushy? I believe being a little pushy is a good thing, some people need that push. I think the big problem though is that some activists are confusing the passion of wanting something, with aggression. Don't get me wrong a little bit of positive aggression is perfectly fine, and to me falls under being passionate but then there's hating on the people you are trying to convince to get on your side. Now you may think I'm talking about men when I say people, and for the majority I am, but I'm also talking about women. Yes, women need to convince women to fight for women's rights! I have read posts where women with good intentions sometimes over step the mark and start telling women what they should and shouldn't be doing and sometime I agree that there are people who let down our side but isn't that exactly what we're fighting against? People who tell us what we should and shouldn't be doing because we're women? You may be trying to enlighten women and even men with the "You don't need to wear make up" and the "You don't have to be a housewife" and that's fine. I enjoy wearing make up, and I love that silky feeling of shaving my legs, and yes I do it for myself but I also do it for others to show a good representation of myself. I feel at my most confident when I think I'm looking good, but to me that's not a bad thing. If you're a person who feels at their best when they're fresh faced than that's what works for you! We should be living by what makes us feel the most comfortable. Some women are at their happiest when they fall into what the 'stereotypical' woman want and no you don't have to but there's also nothing wrong with wanting that either! Women shouldn't feel belittled or left behind in the fight for equality because they do want what other women don't! The whole point is that we want to be treated as individuals and not Be a proud mother, be a proud student, be a proud CEO but at most importantly be a proud 'you'. Enjoy what makes you exactly what you are and remember don't criticize those who don't necessarily fit into what we believe our 'ideal' is. If we want equality we have to fight together and help those back up and not push them down further. We can be better if we're all confident in who we are and do it together! I want equality, not advantages. 

Average Ali

Describe to me what the average person is to you. Forget about the maths involved with it, just your personal description of what you believe it to be. What is this person's traits? What are their quirks? Do they have any habits?

I find that there's so much hype about this average person! Let's call this person Ali, and on average we're quite obsessed with their appearance! Weight, height, general body measurements, eye colour, hair colour, hair in genral, skin colour!

The average persons hair starts going frizzy at 60% humidity.

"Mine goes frizzy at 70%! What sort of monster am I?"

(Not an actual fact!)

Why do people want to put numbers and statistics on the appearance and not on the things that make people, well, human? In a world where they're trying to make people accept 'Ali' it seems that it's turning into the 'Unofficial Battle of the Sizes'. The 'Unofficial Battle of the Sizes has been going on much longer than most battles, and it seems everyone is involved! I scroll through my Facebook feed and there's the "I'm proud to be curvy" And the "I'm proud to be slim" but it doesn't stop at being proud. It goes so much further! Too far! It seems people over a certain weight are on one side of the ring and people under a certain weight on the other. I thought we were fighting for equality? How can these people be allies and yet feel like the biggest enemy in this fight for "equality". What ever happened to the rest of a make up of a person? Personally, I don't choose my friends on their size of clothing or how big their eyebrows are. If I share a similar sense of humour with someone then I think it's going to turn into a beautiful friendship.

If I'm to describe Ali I'd say that they would have a good bit of common sense. an ability to be able to make friends and keep good relationships with them. Has had a bit of heartache but is stronger for it! They sometimes say things they don't mean and immediately regret it. They will cry and sometimes laugh for no reason whatsoever. They have a habit that nobody knows about and isn't necessarily even relevant to anything. They have a habit that everybody knows about! They have opinions on different topics and doesn't care about other topics. Things make Ali angry, happy, and confused. Ali definitely does not understand everything but things are a learning curve! But every individual has their own traits which separates themselves from Ali which is just as important as everything else!

I strive to try and break the 'Ali' personality boundaries! I don't want to blend in with the 'norm', and I think I do it rather well! I think what annoys me most about Ali is that people are looking at that thinking that means Ali is the ideal person. Unfortunately for these people what they maybe don't realise Ali is just based on numbers and surveys. Ali isn't real. You are! It seems averages are just as much the enemy as the rest of "the enemies" The things you do and say are real and instead of trying to base yourselves on a number, express yourself the way you want to! People will appreciate that far more! The reality is the odds are against us and not everybody can like us and that's okay, it's just one of those things! Don't let that stop you being you though, because you will find people that like, or even share your ridiculous choice of clothing or your views of conspiracy theories. The only thing that everybody should have in common is rights and the only numbers that matter is you, because you are your own number one!