The feminist label

“I am feminist”

What does that mean?

The Cambridge Dictionary defines feminist as: “a person who believes in feminism, and tries to achieve change that helps women to get equal opportunities and treatment."

I would say, for me, that to be a feminist is to advocate for women's rights and justice for all women on the ground of the equality of genders. I imagine if I was in a room of self-identified feminists and I asked them all to say what being a feminist meant they would all have slightly different definitions.

But that is ok, after all what feminism truly is is a movement of people all trying to push the world in a certain direction. A group of people who are trying to create a new world where all genders are equal. As no one knows what such a world would look like, it is a collection of ideas under one tent.  It may be that it impossible to find an all-inclusive definition for feminism because a woman’s struggle to find a place in the world is rooted in, and reflected by, the prism of her own experience.  We can be allies to other people's experiences but ultimately your definition of being a feminist is a deeply personal one. At the same time, it is a membership of a movement with historical and international roots.

We all take on labels as a way of declaring their identity and sense of belonging, that is what saying “I am a feminist” means; it is putting your hand up and saying I am part of this movement.

But as we know, the problem is, as with any label, the one of feminist can sometimes be nothing more than a label. It is not up to me to judge who is 'worthy' of being a feminist but we can all think of examples of people who say,

“I am a feminist”

and everyone else thinks,

“really? I wouldn't say you were.”

For this reason, it is important to acknowledge that the label of “feminist” is only one step on a journey, ultimately feminism is something you do rather than something you are.

To be a feminist is to take action for women everywhere, to educate yourself, to advocate for yourself and others who are less privileged than you, to make mistakes and learn from them, to keep pushing in the world in a certain direction, to speak up against sexism and oppression, to build on the work of our sisters across the world and throughout history. Creating an equal world requires more than labels, it requires action.

So while I am here for people are taking on the label of feminism and opening the door to the movement for themselves for the first time, it is only the first step. I remember the gradual realisation that gender inequality is systematic and universal, when you begin to understand that

“yes, I am a feminist and I am proud to say it”.

Using the word feminist is describe yourself is powerful, especially when others around you aren't accepting of that decision. But you must go further, I am here to say to everyone who says

"I am a feminist."

“Welcome, now what are you going to do next?”

(The Feminist T-shirt in the photo is available here )