The F-Word...

Dare to adorn to the label of feminist, and people will psychologically shove you into any of the three categories: crazy hippie and/or nudist protestor, lesbian or the most common – man-hater. 

I’m not sure when feminist become a dirty word but society is oh-so-wrong on all three of those counts.

Although we can now decide which political turd we’d rather in power, and be the ones to bring home the bacon, it wasn’t all that long ago that these were taboo.

We’ve come along way, but the feminist spirit seems to be fading, and it should be more important now than ever before.

You might not see lacking-equality when you walk down the street, or feel it when you hang out with your guy friends, but our national stats reveal we’re still ‘second-best’.

More than a million women have experienced physical or sexual assault by a male partner since the age of 15.

Although we account for 51% of the Australian population, we only count for 3/10 positions in parliament.

And let’s not even get started on how we’re still underpaid in comparison to men….

I don’t intend to have a man-hate rant at all, but come on ladies! It’s clear that economically, politically and socially, we are still at the mercy of men.

As young women, we should not be afraid to be feminist and want these things to change – for ourselves and for each other.

It’s what feminism has always been about – not women taking superiority, but taking place as equals in society.  

Although we may not feel the need to burn our bras anymore, we should never assume we already have equality, and feminism shouldn’t be taken for granted.

I like to pay for myself on dates. I like to have clean-shaven legs (when I can be bothered), and I like men.

But I’m also feminist, and I’m proud to be. Are you?

Written by Natalie Lane