Why did YOU become a feminist?

[Mary]

My Name is Mary O'Donnell and I became a feminist because when I was a little girl people kept telling me what I could and could not like and do because of my gender. Then as I got older they kept telling me my limits because I was a girl and I decided that enough was enough, I decided my own limits, and make my own potential. I want every little girl to feel more empowered than I did.

[Gana]

hello everyone, I am Isabel a 19 year old girl from Germany.
I became a femenist, when I started to realize that we all do think in a 'box system', because of economical reasons.
Okay I mean it is true that it is easier to make up our mind in three seconds about a person then afther two hours, but whithout all the information we often drew the wrong conclusions. A woman working as a great advocat with many awards etc. could be markt as a cold and lonely Workaholic and a men staying at home and taking care of his new born child could be markt as not musculin or not as a 'real men'. All these kind of prejudices and old traditions are making me stand up for equality and not for a big gender insanity ( I mean children should play with any kind of toys they want to and not only with toys for girls or for boys). My dream afther all is that one day everybody can say that, when a men stays at home to take care of his children oh wow what a good father he is and when a woman is beeing a great advocat everybody says wow look at her how impressiv that she reached all of these awards, because she is doing a great job.

[Claudia]

Right now, there are women dying, and being raped because of mafias who exploit them.
There are women who are not allowed for example, to drive. (I leave this article about things women in Saudi Arabia can´t do: http://www.theweek.co.uk/60339/eleven...)
There are women dying in hands of their partner.
There are women who have the same job as their male coworkers but get paid less.
The list goes on and on. Reality is that women ARE being objectified by society every day.
To me, education is very important if we want to solve those problems. That, and get involved more with organizations, and groups, to become more visible to people.
I am a feminist not because I am a female, but because I am human. I think it's important for people to not think only of themselves and their comfort, but to think about others too. To me, we're all equal and deserve equal rights.
If you've read this and want to get involved in social rights, and know how, just message me, I'd be glad to help. I'm Claudia, y the way, from Spain. ( I also want to thank the amazing Emma Watson for being so awesome)

[Mariel]

The little moments growing up. My family has always pushed me to go beyond my own limitations, but in society you see the little things everywhere. I'm not even talking about the huge issues around the world. I'm talking about the: "that's not how a lady should act," "that's a man's job," "boys will be boys," "you don't have a boyfriend yet?"

[Shannon]

Hi everybody! My name is Shannon, I'm 17 years old, and I'm from the United States. I've been taught my whole life that "feminism" is a dirty word used to describe extremists who hate all men, but through movements such as HeforShe I am learning that feminism is a term we should embrace, not shun. I joined this group so that I can learn more about what feminism means to me, both on a personal level and an ideological level, and also so that I can educate myself about feminism and correct the lies that I have been told about this term in the past.

[yael]

I'm Yael and I'm from New York City. I think that being a feminist means that you are willing to speak your mind, especially when someone says a misogynistic remark.

[yael]

Emma's UN speech really struck me because we need to be telling women's stories!!!!

[Knightash]

i became a feminist because i realized that giving women the equal opportunities and treatments is a right thing to do

[yael]

I once watched a Buzzfeed video that portrayed the Hollywood industry and male and female roles were reversed. This video shocked me because I realized that there are almost no female paparazzi. When the woman (man in the video) ignored the paparazzi, the paparazzi shouted "stop being such a bitch!" It has disgusted me how men now use the word "bitch" to describe women as a casual thing.

[Jaq]

I was born a feminist. I think a lot of young women get quite pissed off in their teenage years as they become more aware of inequality.

[Lupe]

Hi I'm Lupe from the United States. I have always been a feminist, I just never knew it. But I was raised in a single parent household my whole life, first with my mom, then with my aunt after my mom passed, and both were very strong willed women. I was ALWAYS told "You don't NEED a man, but you can WANT one". And I've taken that with me my whole life. I have a little boy, so I am trying to make sure that he understands that it's ok to have emotions and it's ok for girls to win and that he should respect everyone. It's hard, though, when you are pushing against a society that says and does otherwise. But I am proud to be a feminist.

[Cristina]

Hello I'm Cristina from Miami and I'm 15. I believe that I grew up being a feminist, I just didn't know the term yet. I always believed that everyone is capable of doing anything they want and they shouldn't be limited based on what gender they are. To me being a feminist is having a voice for girls who feel ashamed or targeted. I'm proud to be called a feminist because it shows that I support others and I stand up for what I believe in.

[Jamie]

Hello! I'm Jamie. I believe that since a young age, I always was a feminist despite not understanding what the word meant back then. It was the little things that bothered me; how the boys in my class would say they're stronger than me because they're a "boy" and that I can't do so and so because I'm a "girl".

Throughout the world, there are so many women being unjustly harmed or killed because of gender inequality. News articles are posted nearly every day about abused women everywhere. I believe I read an article once about a woman who was on the verge of execution because she did not want to follow a man in her family's religion.

I am a feminist because I think we all deserve equality. Everyone deserves to be treated fairly because we are all human, no matter what society depicts us to be.

[[deleted user]]

Hello, I'm Hamza I'm 20 from Pakistan, being brought up in Pakistan, I've seen sexism first hand, I've seen a lot of women being subjected to sexism. Unfortunately patriarchy prevails in Pakistan, It always did. Women in Pakistan (especially in rural areas) are deprived of basic human rights, e.g young girls aren't permitted to go to school in some areas of my country, women aren't paid the same as men, women in some cities of Pakistan aren't even allowed to work.

Women in Pakistan are discouraged by stereotypes such as 'good wives' are supposed be 'house wives' and are discouraged to get education and fulfill their dreams as well.

I think I've always been a feminist, but I was just afraid to admit it until I saw my idol Emma Watson's UN speech, It made me realize how much I care about this issue and wanted to do something about it.

Today I'm a proud feminist and HeForShe advocate. I hope for a day when both gender will get their rights, I hope gender discrimination will be taken more seriously as a threat to progressive nations.

I know for a fact that resolving gender discrimination can solve a lot of issues in my country and around the globe.

[Siobhan]

Hi, I'm Siobhan from the Netherlands! I'm lucky enough not to have come across sexist situations - or at least not that I was aware of them. But whenever I hear about the struggles other women go through, or men, it just makes my blood boil. My heart bleeds for the women who are told they were asking to be raped because they wore a short skirt, I hurt for the men who are told they aren't manly because they cry. There is so much injustice in this world, all based on what we got in our pants. It's disgusting and needs to change. We have come far compared to 100 years ago, but we're not there yet. We're not even close. But I do have faith we'll get there some day. But to get there we all need to fight, and support those people with a public image who stand up for women's - and men's - rights. Feminism isn't just about us women. It's about men as well. I don't care what you've got in your pants, if someone treats you differently because of it I will hunt them down and punch them in the face.

[Paige]

'Lo everyone. I'm Paige, a 23-year-old Librarian from the good 'ol USA. I officially donned my feminist hat when I realized that everyone didn't grow up in a place where girls could do anything they wanted. I was encouraged from a very young age to do what I wanted to do and be the best I could be, not because of my gender, race, or because I had to prove anything to anyone else. I realized when I went to college that everyone did not have the same opportunities that I did. I've always believed girls were equal to everyone else, but I became a card-carrying feminist when I realized others didn't.

Growing up, I didn't see people as any different from each other. They looked different, acted different, and came from different places--but everyone was equal and awesome in their own ways. Everyone had their own quirks and bad sides. It was only until I was older that I realized how the skin I live in effected others view of me and my view of others. I didn't realize that my gender effected how others viewed me until I heard sexist jokes or talked about women like they were a game to be played. I didn't realize how crappy some of my guy friends could be until the word "friendzone" entered my vocabulary--and I used it because I thought it was funny (and I was then in it with said guys). I didn't realize the things I'd internalized until I started becoming incredibly introspective about myself and the environment I live in.

Now I call people out on their bull. I ask them why they said whatever seemed racist/sexist/homophobic/transphobic. They usually can't answer without stammering, which makes for a more graceful (usually less angry) response while I explain to them how their words effect their thoughts of large groups of people just by using their powerful words poorly and in ignorance.

I became an active feminist because I realized that other women, and men, have not had the same opportunities that I've had in developing myself as a person rather than someone fulfilling a stereotypical gender role because of my sex and cisgendered body. I've been lucky to be born who I was and with the people who've supported me throughout my life. Now I hope that others can be granted that same support where that is given freely rather than me being "lucky to have it."

[Dianne]

I'm the oldest of three daughters, and my dad made me a feminist, even if I didn't know that's what it was as a child! He simply told his girls we could do or be anything a boy could do, and promised to support our goals. And he did. Once I realized that the freedom and egalitarian philosophy that I took for granted wasn't universal- I suppose I became a feminist. Now, as a teacher and a mother of sons, it's important to me that the next generation respects gender equality just as I was taught to do.

[Aisha]

Hey I've always been a feminist. but I guess it actually happened to me when my grandmother once told my dad that you don't have a son who will take care of you when your daughter gets married that was a turning point of my life after that with immense support from my dad I worked hard studied dentistry and became his right hand through all the hardships! I don't think men are superior in any way. A girl is capable of doing anything a boy can do if she sets her mind to it

[Lori]

Hi, My name is Lori, I'm 18 years old and I'm from Essex, UK.

I suppose I've always subconsciously been a feminist due to my upbringing but never knew what it was called. It was actually when Emma Watson launched the HeforShe campaign made me realise how important this subject is to me and how gender equality is so important. For me, I am especially passionate about gender equality within the media and the performing arts industry.

I am currently a training actor and have studies Media at A-level in the past and even wrote an essay about the roles of women in action films and how its changing. For me this is extremely important as I feel that more women should be shown as strong and dominant action heroes and shouldn't just be depicted as the heroine.

As well as this topic, many others have always peaked my interest especially in the role of men and women in the household, how women always been seen as the domestic housewife and also just because some men are house husbands, it doesn't make them weak.

I really hope that gender equality becomes a much bigger topic than it is today in the future and that more of us can find more inspiration to make this change.

[Chloe]

Hi, my name is Chloe and I am 16 years old and from the U.S. I could write A LOT about what made me a feminist, but I'll keep it short.
I started really thinking about feminism when I was 13 and I realized that I although I was more comfortable hanging out and talking with guys then girls, I couldn't be regular friends with them or else they all thought that I was an attention-needy slut.

[Calli]

Moments that made me feminist:

When I realized the boys at my high school didn't need to pretend not to be smart so they could be socially accepted.

When my classmate was raped by a classmate and half the school thought it was her fault because "she led him on" and thought she was ruining his life for no reason.

When I told my friends I was going to law school and one of the responses was, "But you're going to have kids soon, won't that mess it up?" I have never claimed that I wanted to have kids.

When I tried to remind my criminal law class that using trigger warnings in class discussion might be helpful for some people and got accused of using sexual abuse for attention.

When my husband gets teased because he has said he would move with me to wherever I got a job instead of being the "man of the house."

When a youth group leader told me that girls have to be sure to cover up and maintain physical boundaries because otherwise we will be temptations to the boys (instead of, you know, entirely separate humans who deserve respect).

When I get groped and cat-called and get told that I should take it as a compliment or that it didn't really happen like that or that my "overreaction" is why nice guys are afraid to approach women (btw, I'm taken and "nice guys" don't approach strangers and say they want to spank them).

When I realized how many wonderful and intelligent people that I respect are also feminists.

[Javier]

Hi, i am from Spain, i am 18,and i became feminist when i enter in my actual politic party, UJCE Union of Young Communist of Spain(España in Spanish xD), this party has the femminism in their vanguard, so when i start to have reunions and to receive formation, i knew the feminism, since this momment i was conscient of the diary abuses of the patriarchal society where we live, and the abuses that the machism and patriarchy do every day,the communist the revolution will came with sex equality,and the destroy of the patriarchy privileges

[Mindy]

I declared myself a feminist in college after taking many English literature courses where group discussion often looked at literature through a feminist lense. I think I've always been a feminist, because I was raised in a household that taught me and my two sisters that being girls did not mean we couldn't wrestle with our dad or not go hunting with him. It meant that we could and if we worked hard that we could do those things and wear pink, if it was our favorite color. My parents don't consider themselves feminists and yet that's how they raised us. After observing my female friends lives and seeing how they were raised, whether with brothers or sisters, I saw that equality was not normal, shattering the allusion I was blessed with growing up. I am now determined to show the world that girls and boys, men and women are equal and how they are treated matters.

[Joshua]

Hello, 36 single father, nomad confined to the imagined borderlines of the United States. I am a feminist because equal rights is just common sense, and I think it is just ridiculous that people should sadly have to fight to be considered equals.

[[deleted user]]

I don't believe there was an exact moment that I decided to be a feminist; it was not a conscious decision. I began speaking what was on my mind in college, and people labeled my thoughts feminism. It was a fire in me, and my degree in literature was spent analyzing books through a feminist lens. My senior thesis was on the book East, by Edith Pattou, which is a feminist retelling of Cupid and Psyche's myth.

Several years ago, I realized I was dressing for the gym but covering my workout clothes with my husband's sweatpants and hoodies, so that I wouldn't get harassed on my walk. I had been doing this without thinking about it for many years. That's when the world sort of crashed around my ears.

I should be able to wear my own damn clothes without fearing for my safety. My tight gym pants do not give anyone the right to shout things at me from the street. My smile is not an invitation for sexual advances. No does not mean yes. It took me 20 years, but I woke up and proudly labeled myself a feminist.

Now, at 25, I find myself fighting every day. A man yells something from his car as I walk to work, someone runs their eyes over my body as I'm speaking to them, a young girl drinks too much and is blamed for being raped, another wears a skirt and is attacked on the train home.

And then the more subtle things. A man offers to help me carry a five pound box back to my office ("That's pretty hefty, how about I carry that for you?"). My husband plays with the dogs while I wash the dishes and make dinner, oblivious to even the notion that he could lend a hand. Old men on Capitol Hill debate about a woman's right to her own body. I receive an email announcing the new head of Gynecologic Oncology is a man. Drake writes a hit song about how his old girl is "wearin less and goin out more/glasses of champagne out on the dance floor/hanging wit some girls i ain't never seen before" like his approval should affect her choices.

These are some of the reasons why we must be aware and question everything. I inform my husband that testosterone does not exempt one from housework. I challenge my Baby Boomer parents every time the question the existence of rape culture, every time they complain about the way my husband and I split household chores, every time they tell me to be "ladylike."

I am 25 years old, and it took me awhile to get here, but this is why I am a feminist.

[Pauu]

Always

[clara]

I'm from Brazil. It's really hard to be a woman in my country. The numbers of rapes and assaults on women are alarming (as well as the rest of the world).
I have prove my self everyday. In school my colleges aspect less of me because I'm a girl. I walk on the streets and feel like a pice of meat, mens that are twice (or more) my age say all kind of things about me and my body. I suffer with that kind of things, my mother does too, and I know tha others 3.418.059.000 womens does suffers too.
I am a huge comics books fan, I read stories of greats heroines like: Wonder Woman, Storm, Miss Marvel, Kitty Pryde, She Hulk and others. The funny part is that a lot of the comics public is male, a lot of boys read the same stories about heroines that I do, but they don't seem to BELIEVE that I am a girl and like that kind of thing. I'm a big star wars fan too, in the line for The Force Awakens I heard from other girls that I was trying to impress men. When I was 7 I wanted too watch Ninja Turtles, but my grandma told me that was a "boy program". My mother is a feminist so I always was told that I can do and like the same that boys, noticing that a lot of people didn't agree with something that was obvious for me since the beginning I became a feminist.

[Nicoline]

Hi I'm Nicoline, I'm 23 and I'm from Denmark. I guess I have always been a feminist but just didn't know what to call it. My parents have raised me and my sister to believe we could do anything we wanted id we put our minds to it, and my dad has always been proud to have two daughters. So when I got older I noticed that sometimes people would talk to me like there were things I couldn't do, and it was a good thing I had my boyfriend so he could help me do certain things, and it really pissed me of! I hate when people kind of indirectly tells me that there are things I am to weak, small or fragile to do, or on the other hand if they are indicating that there are certain things I should do because I am a woman.
I agree that there are some big changes that need to be done like equal pay and equal rights, but what I also think needs to change is the everyday sexism, the way we talk to girls and woman indicating things they should or should not do because they are female. The things we aren't saying straight out but sort of just indicating in the way we talk, silently keeping women down. These are the things that can really make me angry and quite confrontational and make me realize I am defiantly a feminist!

[Leslie]

Hi, I'm Leslie. I am 37 and live in Milwaukee, WI (US).

I think my dad is the reason I easily identify as a feminist. He was a full-time single parent of two girls. And he gained full custody after divorce (which seems a lot less common that through the death of a wife). Because of having a single parent dad and seeing him do everything to take care of us and our home, I didn't grow up with the concept of "women's work" vs "men's work" and all that nonsense. He cooked, cleaned, did laundry, maintenance and all that necessary stuff and didn't pushing it on us when we were old enough to take over. We had chores that we needed to do, but it wasn't a "you're old enough and this is a women's job so you now have to do the dishes (or whatever) all the time" thing. I learned how to bake and the basics of how to through a decent party from my dad. When I had my first car, he showed me how to change the tire and oil change because that simple mechanics that everyone who drives should know (according to him). All the things my dad did for me and my sister definitely showed me that women don't corner the market for providing the best child care/rearing.

I never thought to talk to my dad about his views on feminism before he died, so I don't know if he "accidentally" made me a feminist. But knowing what I do about him, I'm sure he was a feminist, even if he might have had a problem labeling himself as such. His actions were my gateway.

I didn't actively label myself as a feminist early on, because it just didn't feel like it came up all that often. But as I've gotten older and realized that some injustices were just that - injustices, opposed to harmless behaviour, I began to understand it was important to learn more. Like how far we've come, but also how much further we need to go. Now I'm trying to learn even more, specially in regards to intersectional feminism so that I can learn how some of my actions are not "harmless" so I can change them and help educate those around me on why they aren't really "harmless". It's a rough education, because it's challenging a lot, but I think it'll be worth it.

[Olivia]

Hi I'm Olivia, 13, from Scotland, and I never really became a feminist, I've just always been one. As a younger child, I was always more attracted to the boys side of the toy isle. My friends would laugh when I came into school with a toy car and they would have Barbies and jewellery. This is when I became aware of the fact that girls shouldn't be brought up being told to 'stick to the girls isle' or 'wear pretty dresses' or 'leave the hard work for the men'. My mother is a very big feminist and I can see that my sister is slowly becoming one too. I recently watched the film 'The Suffragette' and was very inspired by the storyline. I hope to help my friends see that just because I am a feminist, I do not hate men. They claim to be feminists just because they learnt about it, they haven't taken action yet. My biggest hobby is reading. So when I was notified of the group, I hoped to become a big advocate of it. So far, I am loving it!

X

[Olivia]

Hi I'm Olivia, 13, from Scotland, and I never really became a feminist, I've just always been one. As a younger child, I was always more attracted to the boys side of the toy isle. My friends would laugh when I came into school with a toy car and they would have Barbies and jewellery. This is when I became aware of the fact that girls shouldn't be brought up being told to 'stick to the girls isle' or 'wear pretty dresses' or 'leave the hard work for the men'. My mother is a very big feminist and I can see that my sister is slowly becoming one too. I recently watched the film 'The Suffragette' and was very inspired by the storyline. I hope to help my friends see that just because I am a feminist, I do not hate men. They claim to be feminists just because they learnt about it, they haven't taken action yet. My biggest hobby is reading. So when I was notified of the group, I hoped to become a big advocate of it. So far, I am loving it!

X

[Dagny]

Natálie wrote: "I am not a feminist. I don't know, I might be.
But there was no such moment in my life that I "discovered" feminism.
When a guy talks to me like I am just a cooking machine, I don't tell him he's ..."

Hi Natálie,

I do understand your point about not being labeled and that equality should just be a given considering that is what is right. Unfortunately, the word "feminist" has been given quite a negative connotation. It simply means someone who believes men and women should have equal rights, that is it, pure and simple. If you believe this then you are a feminist and that is a powerful thing. Don't shy away from the term because of labels, wear the label proudly and teach others what women can do when they are respected and equal among men.
While you and I are able to tell men off for telling us to go to the kitchen (and I applaud you for doing so!) there are many women in this world who would be killed for doing the same thing. I am a feminist not only for myself and women in my country, but for women around the world who lack the power to fight for themselves. Feminism is their way of fighting back, feminism is what gives them hope and the more people call themselves feminists, the more hope they have that someday other people will see that equality is indeed the right thing to do.

[Athira]

Nancy wrote: "It upsets me when my sister wait for her man to do something (like moving furniture or to up it. And everytime I go at her home I'm like : "come on, I'll do it for you ! Look, don't need him to do ..."
Thats a great way to make a statement. I do the same.

[Lily]

I can name a particular moment that crystallized my feminism for me. (I'm Lily from the USA btw.) I was a sophomore in college, and my then-boyfriend and I were talking about women's equality. He said something along the lines of, "I agree with feminism in principle, but if women are really as capable as men, why aren't there as many famous women writers, scientists, composers, politicians ... ?" At the time, I didn't have a satisfying answer for him; not one I believed myself, anyway. I'm still shocked when I think back to that moment ... a 19-year-old, well-educated woman who had been told about feminism, had an inkling about the systemic inequality women had suffered for hundreds of years, but could not name the women who HAD, in fact, achieved in all of those areas. Too often, of course, women's accomplishments have been publicized under a man's name, or never recognized at all. As a more grown-up person, I have realized that the best reproach to anyone who doesn't believe we "need" feminism is to point out the gendered roles that are fostered on *men* as well as women, and how we all are limited when who we can be is defined by the gender we present.

[Lara]

I became a feminist when I realized that the women are deprived daily, and prejudice suffering, I suffered the same and did not realize to be commonplace.Then I discovered feminism, a beautiful movement but who is attacked by countless people. I became a feminist to contribute to the women of this generation and the next will not judged by their gender, will not limited, they won't suffer violence, and will can live in equality and dignity.
(Sorry if something is writte wrong, I'm a english student)

[Stacey]

Hi,

I'm 28 years old, and I don't know much about feminism. That't one of the reasons why I joined this group. I live in an area where in parts women are still talk down to about their role in the world, and the other part are extreme feminist talking about women are better than men. I'm about equality, and I want to learn more about feminism. So I can't say I am a feminist (it's rare that I would label myself anything), I just want to help make this world amazing for everyone in the next generation.:)

[Astrid]

Hello!
I am a teacher at a Spanish middle school. When I went to school myself, I never felt discriminated against for being a woman, nor did I later at university. But I got a feeling that "something" was wrong when I started working, although still without really grasping what it was. When I was working at a lawyer's office as a translator, I never had problems with the lawyers but realized there was a real gap between them and the rest of us employees, there the males and here us "girls", typical hierarchy. When any of the girls tried to speak out about any important topic, she would not be taken too seriously, even smiled at occasionally. But it was not until I changed course and became a secondary school teacher that I fully realized how deeply machismo is rooted in this society and even upheld and carried on by apparently modern families. Even some teacher colleagues, a lot younger than me, keep saying silly things like girls should have beautiful eyes (to get a good husband, maybe?), and they do not even realize what they are communicating by this. And there is lots of inequality among my students unfortunately. I even think we have been regressing for some time and losing ground compared to like 20 or 30 years ago. Thus I have become much more identified with feminism and now try to always be and to some measure make others aware of these things (not easy and quite tricky sometimes), especially my students but also my colleagues ("Why are you so serious? Come on, smile a little, you would look much more attractive!"). There is still so much to do and to change before reaching gender equality, even in apparently progressive circles!

[Poly]

I'm Poly, a 22-year-old disabled male. Due to my condition, I experience various social injustices on a daily basis, which made me empathize with all groups who I feel are being treated unfairly by society. I wouldn't go so far as to say I'm a feminist, because to be honest, I'm a bit unsure what the most widely accepted definition is, and I encountered enough nastiness online from people who identify as feminists that for me, the word now carries slight negative connotations. I joined this group to develop a clearer picture of what feminists actually stand for, through a medium I love. Of course, the possibility to engage in meaningful discussion with Emma Watson from the comfort of my home was also very enticing :) For now, I'll endeavour to keep an open mind, read the books of the month, lurk a bit, and share any interesting thoughts of mine the reading might provoke.

[[deleted user]]

I think the first time I thought I am a feminist was when I realized that I want to make my own decisions. I don't want to do certain things just because I am a female; I don't want to be forbidden to do certain things just because I am a female. I live in patriarchal society and I've seen inequality many times. Most people in my country (Serbia) still think that women should be housewives and men should make money for the family. I think that everyone should do what he or she wants to do. What I believe is that every single person should make her/his own decisions, regardless of what other people think or what is expected in society.

[Alex]

I'd like to thing I've also been a feminist or at least been heavily prepared to be one now. My family has had experiences with domestic violence, which affected us even beyond the divorce. Because of those early experiences, I now work and volunteer for the benefit of women. Doing this work, my friends and acquaintances have opened up about their experiences with sexism and violence. It's just so common. I'm currently working on a few events if anyone in the Southern California (specifically Long Beach) area is interested. We're hoping to host a women's health resource fair in March and an Equal Pay March in April. There's also a film screening of a feminist film on March 23rd at the Art Theater (if anyone knows what that is).

Judging by the comments, this group looks like it will be fun and enlightening!

[Claire P]

I grew up in the 70s, when "women's studies" were new and novel classes. Like others of this group, I attended an all-girl's school, and our women's study class introduced me to a book called Sisterhood is Powerful.Sisterhood is Powerful: An Anthology of Writings from the Women's Liberation Movement It was a compilation of different essays from feminist authors. The excerpts from Simone de Beauvoir's Second Sex blew my mind - and I had grown up in a family where both my parents insisted that I needed to have a career and be able to earn my own living. I would date my becoming a feminist to reading that anthology, with a special tip of the chapeau to Simone de Beauvoir.
I am appalled today to hear women say they are not feminists; it has nothing to do with hating or disliking men, and we have not come so far as a society that we need to do away with a focus on ensuring equality for all. So I am proud to say I am a feminist, and thrilled to have this group as an opportunity to continue to read more, learn more and to be a force for positive change.

[Robbie]

I became a feminist in the 4th grade when my teacher told me that women can't be good doctors...I'm now an OB/GYN doctor with the goal of helping women all over the world not only with their health but also in investing themselves and knowing their worth in order to succeed.

[Patrise]

I was born in 1955, so the shadows of the 50s hang over my schooldays. In 5th grade (I was 9) we had career day, and I was informed that, as a girl, I could be a teacher, nurse or mother. Those were my choices!
I wasn't happy about those options. Then I figured out I could be an Artist. My mom had just taught me to paint in oils and given me a set of real grown up paints in a cool wooden box. THAT felt like a good choice: true to myself and an identity I could be excited about.
As the years have unfolded, I have seen more of the ways that being born female limited my experience. And I am a fortunate American with a great education. When I look around the world and back in history and see the way women's voices have been stifled, their abilities stunted, and their lives diminished and even ended, merely for being born female.
Feminism is the radical idea that women are human beings. I will stand for no less.

[Ki]

I think it started when i was sitting in the library and getting increasingly frustrated that ever protagonist was male with out a love story. And all the female stories had to have one. That and its less likely to get a female protagonist or writer.
Then i got on the internet and everything that bothered me finally was explained.

[Jeanette]

Feminism was a dirty word in my house when I was growing up. A woman ended up with a job my father had applied for. The nerve! How dare she get that job, instead of my father! Then one day, repeating words I had heard my mother and father say all my life (something about my father's female boss gave a job to her lesbian lover instead of to my dad), for once I actually listened to the words. There's nothing wrong with being a lesbian. There's nothing wrong with a woman working in chemistry. If there was indeed nepotism involved, that is a legitimate complaint. But was that actually the case? Or was my dad just being an ass because a woman got the job instead of him?

I became a feminist that day.

[Be]

I've always been one, but I only call myself like that since Emma's UN speech. I always thought that feminism is something bad (manhate) and HeForShe finally convinced me that it is a good word :D
On the other hand I never saw any reason why there should be an inequality so I've basically always been one.
<3 #proudtobefeminist

[Lee]

I didnt BECOME a feminist, I was BORN a woman.

I was born again at the age of 30, after a brain stroke, yet, my previous life had trained me for the moments I had to face

[Alma]

Hi all:

I'm from Mexico, as you know in my country we have a lot of cultural issues, and one of the bigest is just the inequality gender! Unfortunately this kind of behaviors are present all the time in all places you go even in my parent's house :-( and I'm shure that to see how my mother was treated by my father inspired me to be different and not to allow the world to see me just like a "weak woman" that needs to be driven and controlled to serve men. The second fact was to be married to a man who his family tried to push me to be a "good woman" ofcouser it meaned to stay at home to wash, cook, and take care of a baby, so I got divorced and now a days I'm independant, I'm engeneer and this is how I contribute to the society to built a new culture where women and men have the same rights and obligations, just showing to the people with the example, how women can converge in the society in the same level that a man.

Thanks to the other women and men in the world who contribute with their experiences as well to make this change real!! Here in Mexico we need you a lot! :-D

[Nea]

Hi! Andrea, 20 years, Mexico.

I think I became a feminist because for me it was obvious that women and men should have equal rights. At least, in my home, my mom always educated me like that.

And then, in my middle-grade school, someone said that women's best job was teacher 'cause they can take care of their kids in that way. And I thought that was wrong 'cause women can have any job they want. And that's pretty much everything about how I became a feminist.

[Mckenzie]

I'm a feminist because I saw my cousin get tormented because he wanted to play with makeup. Because so many people in my family assume that I'm not good at video games because I'm a girl. Because my mom worries about me when I walk down the sidewalk alone, no matter the time of day. I'm a feminist because when I talk about my dreams I'm immediately rebuffed with how that would affect my husband and children. I'm a feminist because nobody assumed I would be anything other than married.