feminists a person who believes in the social political and economic equality
social political and economic equality
social political and economic equality of the sexes so I don’t know if you can
of the sexes so I don’t know if you can
of the sexes so I don’t know if you can tell but I am one but I haven’t always
tell but I am one but I haven’t always
tell but I am one but I haven’t always been I first discovered feminism at the
been I first discovered feminism at the
been I first discovered feminism at the age of 13 and it was really the first
age of 13 and it was really the first
age of 13 and it was really the first time I had ever been exposed to the idea
time I had ever been exposed to the idea
time I had ever been exposed to the idea of feminism or feminists because prior
of feminism or feminists because prior
of feminism or feminists because prior to that I had never even heard the word
to that I had never even heard the word
to that I had never even heard the word much less understood what it meant but
much less understood what it meant but
much less understood what it meant but once I learned more I became so fiery
once I learned more I became so fiery
once I learned more I became so fiery and passionate about the subject that I
and passionate about the subject that I
and passionate about the subject that I pretty much just went around calling out
pretty much just went around calling out
pretty much just went around calling out people and their sexism every time
people and their sexism every time
people and their sexism every time someone I knew said something even the
someone I knew said something even the
someone I knew said something even the slightest bit sexist I was immediately
slightest bit sexist I was immediately
slightest bit sexist I was immediately yelling and screaming in their face
yelling and screaming in their face
yelling and screaming in their face telling them what was wrong with what
telling them what was wrong with what
telling them what was wrong with what they said and this happened quite often
they said and this happened quite often
they said and this happened quite often so I could go on forever telling you
so I could go on forever telling you
so I could go on forever telling you stories but there’s one instance in
stories but there’s one instance in
stories but there’s one instance in particular that still stands out to me
particular that still stands out to me
particular that still stands out to me to this day it was in August of 2014 and
to this day it was in August of 2014 and
to this day it was in August of 2014 and my family and I had taken a trip to
my family and I had taken a trip to
my family and I had taken a trip to Disney on our last day there we’re in
Disney on our last day there we’re in
Disney on our last day there we’re in this restaurant eating dinner at one
this restaurant eating dinner at one
this restaurant eating dinner at one point one of my brothers decided to
point one of my brothers decided to
point one of my brothers decided to start talking about the phrase you hit
start talking about the phrase you hit
start talking about the phrase you hit like a girl so of course being a newly
like a girl so of course being a newly
like a girl so of course being a newly self-proclaimed feminist I felt
self-proclaimed feminist I felt
self-proclaimed feminist I felt obligated to let him know that that
obligated to let him know that that
obligated to let him know that that phrase was offensive and that he
phrase was offensive and that he
phrase was offensive and that he probably shouldn’t use it because it’s
probably shouldn’t use it because it’s
probably shouldn’t use it because it’s essentially painting all women as weak
essentially painting all women as weak
essentially painting all women as weak well he elected to disagree with me not
well he elected to disagree with me not
well he elected to disagree with me not because he didn’t believe the phrase was
because he didn’t believe the phrase was
because he didn’t believe the phrase was problematic but rather because some
problematic but rather because some
problematic but rather because some girls actually hit like that you can
girls actually hit like that you can
girls actually hit like that you can imagine my utter bewilderment at his
imagine my utter bewilderment at his
imagine my utter bewilderment at his comment after that trip I just couldn’t
comment after that trip I just couldn’t
comment after that trip I just couldn’t wrap my head around why I couldn’t
wrap my head around why I couldn’t
wrap my head around why I couldn’t explain to him that saying those kinds
explain to him that saying those kinds
explain to him that saying those kinds of things was offensive but when I look
of things was offensive but when I look
of things was offensive but when I look back on it now I realized that the
back on it now I realized that the
back on it now I realized that the answer was right there in front of me
answer was right there in front of me
answer was right there in front of me there we were discussing gender
there we were discussing gender
there we were discussing gender inequality and stereotypes in Disney the
inequality and stereotypes in Disney the
inequality and stereotypes in Disney the poster franchise for creating
poster franchise for creating
poster franchise for creating stereotypical characters you see Disney
stereotypical characters you see Disney
stereotypical characters you see Disney has this knack
has this knack
has this knack for producing films that feature the
for producing films that feature the
for producing films that feature the damsel in distress or the fragile girl
damsel in distress or the fragile girl
damsel in distress or the fragile girl who can’t protect herself and needs the
who can’t protect herself and needs the
who can’t protect herself and needs the strong brave man to swoop in and save
strong brave man to swoop in and save
strong brave man to swoop in and save the day
the day
the day if you had a childhood anything like
if you had a childhood anything like
if you had a childhood anything like mine you would have grown up watching
mine you would have grown up watching
mine you would have grown up watching those movies so doesn’t it make sense
those movies so doesn’t it make sense
those movies so doesn’t it make sense that my brother wouldn’t wrap his head
that my brother wouldn’t wrap his head
that my brother wouldn’t wrap his head around the idea that saying those kinds
around the idea that saying those kinds
around the idea that saying those kinds of things was no longer acceptable of
of things was no longer acceptable of
of things was no longer acceptable of course it does because like the majority
course it does because like the majority
course it does because like the majority of our generation that’s just the way he
of our generation that’s just the way he
of our generation that’s just the way he grew up we have been raised to view each
grew up we have been raised to view each
grew up we have been raised to view each other in a certain way based off whether
other in a certain way based off whether
other in a certain way based off whether or not we are a boy or a girl these
or not we are a boy or a girl these
or not we are a boy or a girl these viewpoints have been passed down from
viewpoints have been passed down from
viewpoints have been passed down from generation to generation creating this
generation to generation creating this
generation to generation creating this vicious cycle of harmful stereotypes and
vicious cycle of harmful stereotypes and
vicious cycle of harmful stereotypes and assumptions about others feminists want
assumptions about others feminists want
assumptions about others feminists want to break this cycle because feminism is
to break this cycle because feminism is
to break this cycle because feminism is not about man hating or the belief that
not about man hating or the belief that
not about man hating or the belief that women are better than men it is simply a
women are better than men it is simply a
women are better than men it is simply a movement that aims to achieve equality
movement that aims to achieve equality
movement that aims to achieve equality and acceptance in all aspects of life so
and acceptance in all aspects of life so
and acceptance in all aspects of life so despite the fact that my approach to
despite the fact that my approach to
despite the fact that my approach to feminism has become slightly less
feminism has become slightly less
feminism has become slightly less aggressive as in steam no longer shoots
aggressive as in steam no longer shoots
aggressive as in steam no longer shoots out of my ears every time someone says
out of my ears every time someone says
out of my ears every time someone says or does something sexist
or does something sexist
or does something sexist I still feel equally as passionate about
I still feel equally as passionate about
I still feel equally as passionate about it so I guess you could say not much has
it so I guess you could say not much has
it so I guess you could say not much has changed but then again the world really
changed but then again the world really
changed but then again the world really hasn’t changed that much either I’m
hasn’t changed that much either I’m
hasn’t changed that much either I’m still having the same conversations
still having the same conversations
still having the same conversations about the same topics I was three years
about the same topics I was three years
about the same topics I was three years ago and that’s a little problematic I
ago and that’s a little problematic I
ago and that’s a little problematic I mean sure it’s only been three years and
mean sure it’s only been three years and
mean sure it’s only been three years and to say that we haven’t made any progress
to say that we haven’t made any progress
to say that we haven’t made any progress isn’t true but that progress just hasn’t
isn’t true but that progress just hasn’t
isn’t true but that progress just hasn’t gone far enough I as well as all
gone far enough I as well as all
gone far enough I as well as all feminists understand that it’s going to
feminists understand that it’s going to
feminists understand that it’s going to take time and although it may seem
take time and although it may seem
take time and although it may seem impossible we can be the ones to get us
impossible we can be the ones to get us
impossible we can be the ones to get us to where we need to be how many of you
to where we need to be how many of you
to where we need to be how many of you plan on having kids quite a few so when
plan on having kids quite a few so when
plan on having kids quite a few so when you’re raising them what will you expose
you’re raising them what will you expose
you’re raising them what will you expose them to what sort of movies will you let
them to what sort of movies will you let
them to what sort of movies will you let them watch is it possible that our
them watch is it possible that our
them watch is it possible that our children could be exposed to the same
children could be exposed to the same
children could be exposed to the same forms of media that we were absolutely
forms of media that we were absolutely
forms of media that we were absolutely except we have the
except we have the
except we have the power to change that we don’t have to be
power to change that we don’t have to be
power to change that we don’t have to be the ones to continue this cycle that has
the ones to continue this cycle that has
the ones to continue this cycle that has been repeating itself over and over
been repeating itself over and over
been repeating itself over and over again since forever we can change we can
again since forever we can change we can
again since forever we can change we can be the ones to teach children about
be the ones to teach children about
be the ones to teach children about unity and acceptance and equality we can
unity and acceptance and equality we can
unity and acceptance and equality we can be the generation that stops
be the generation that stops
be the generation that stops stereotyping people and giving people
stereotyping people and giving people
stereotyping people and giving people labels because there’s a preconceived
labels because there’s a preconceived
labels because there’s a preconceived idea of who they’re supposed to be we
idea of who they’re supposed to be we
idea of who they’re supposed to be we can be the ones to teach children about
can be the ones to teach children about
can be the ones to teach children about freedom and choice and we can let them
freedom and choice and we can let them
freedom and choice and we can let them know that they can be whoever they want
know that they can be whoever they want
know that they can be whoever they want to be and that they can love whoever
to be and that they can love whoever
to be and that they can love whoever they want to love and all of a sudden
they want to love and all of a sudden
they want to love and all of a sudden breaking that cycle doesn’t seem so
breaking that cycle doesn’t seem so
breaking that cycle doesn’t seem so impossible does it there’s a quote by a
impossible does it there’s a quote by a
impossible does it there’s a quote by a woman named Mary McLeod Bethune who was
woman named Mary McLeod Bethune who was
woman named Mary McLeod Bethune who was a school teacher and activist among many
a school teacher and activist among many
a school teacher and activist among many other things in the early 20th century
other things in the early 20th century
other things in the early 20th century and it says we have a powerful potential
and it says we have a powerful potential
and it says we have a powerful potential in our youth and we must have the
in our youth and we must have the
in our youth and we must have the courage to change old ideas and
courage to change old ideas and
courage to change old ideas and practices so that we may direct their
practices so that we may direct their
practices so that we may direct their power towards good ends we are the ones
power towards good ends we are the ones
power towards good ends we are the ones who have the power to make change happen
who have the power to make change happen
who have the power to make change happen so in the long run our children won’t be
so in the long run our children won’t be
so in the long run our children won’t be feminists they will just be people who
feminists they will just be people who
feminists they will just be people who know that love is love and that no one
know that love is love and that no one
know that love is love and that no one should be judged or discriminated
should be judged or discriminated
should be judged or discriminated against because of their skin color and
against because of their skin color and
against because of their skin color and that they can wear dresses or skirts or
that they can wear dresses or skirts or
that they can wear dresses or skirts or board shorts regardless of if they are a
board shorts regardless of if they are a
board shorts regardless of if they are a boy or a girl
boy or a girl
boy or a girl because all of that will just be normal
because all of that will just be normal
because all of that will just be normal the actions we take today are going to
the actions we take today are going to
the actions we take today are going to directly affect what happens in the
directly affect what happens in the
directly affect what happens in the future and if we raise our children to
future and if we raise our children to
future and if we raise our children to value those ideals then we will have no
value those ideals then we will have no
value those ideals then we will have no need for the word feminist I stand here
need for the word feminist I stand here
need for the word feminist I stand here today as a feminist and a very proud one
today as a feminist and a very proud one
today as a feminist and a very proud one at that but I can only hope that there
at that but I can only hope that there
at that but I can only hope that there may come a day where I won’t have to
may come a day where I won’t have to
may come a day where I won’t have to call myself one anymore because love
call myself one anymore because love
call myself one anymore because love acceptance equality freedom and choice
acceptance equality freedom and choice
acceptance equality freedom and choice will be so ingrained in society that all
will be so ingrained in society that all
will be so ingrained in society that all just be called normal thank you
just be called normal thank you
just be called normal thank you [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
[Music]
[Music] [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] you
you
you [Music]
”
Be First to Comment