August 4, 2014 - Written by: Ria Cajee

Why I Need Feminism… (What the aliljoy.com Team Have to Say)

Over the last few weeks, the internet has been set alight by quotes posted from women around the world on the social media group Women Against Feminism. Shockingly, this is not just an insignificant number of women; the Facebook page has over 13,700 ‘likes’ (and it’s growing every day). The reasons why these women claim that they ‘don’t need feminism’ have been criticised hugely for being inane, unintelligent and utterly misinformed.

But, more than this, these posts cut so deep because they reveal just how misinterpreted feminism has become.

And it doesn’t stop with a Tumblr page.

The misogyny is so deep rooted that even famous women are quick to distance themselves from the ‘F’ word because they believe that the term has such negative connotations, branding them as bra-burning, whinging, man haters. Or lesbians. Don’t even get me started on why these women immediately find this association a negative thing!

In her book, How To Be a Woman, shameless feminist author Caitlin Moran ridicules women who do not consider themselves feminists. She stresses that these women simply do not understand what feminism implies, nor what feminism has secured:

‘What do you think feminism IS, ladies? What part of “liberation for women” is not for you? Is it freedom to vote? The right not to be owned by the man you marry? The campaign for equal pay? Did all that good shit GET ON YOUR NERVES? Or were you just DRUNK AT THE TIME OF SURVEY?’

What’s more, she emphasises that feminism is important for men and women alike; in fact, her husband is one of the most strident feminists she knows.

‘Feminism’ has also been on our lips recently because Beyoncé sampled Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s TED talk, ‘We Should All Be Feminists’, on her viral track, ‘Flawless’, in an attempt to finally pin down the definition of the term:

(Image via)

Here at aliljoy.com we are proud to call ourselves feminists. We endeavour to give voices to individual women and, by doing so, to inspire others.

So, without further ado, here are some of the many reasons that the A Lil Joy team DO need feminism:

I need feminism because even if I am lying naked on a bed, I am still not asking to be raped.

I need feminism because my sisters across the globe are still suffering and I must fight for them.

I need feminism because I would like to pick up a newspaper/magazine and read about a woman’s achievements, rather than participate in the media’s current fixation on her weight or appearance or when she plans to start popping out babies. I am yet to read an article where male celebrities are scrutinised in this manner.

I need feminism because I’m constantly having to judge where would be safe to travel on my own, as a woman, and having to take extra precautions not to be on my own.

I need feminism because of how much pressure we put on girls to value their appearance above everything else.

I need feminism because when people find out my odd surname, they always say: ‘Oh don’t worry, it’ll change once you get married’.

I need feminism because boobs are used to advertise EVERYTHING but somehow breast feeding in public is not acceptable!

I need feminism because of the drastic changes that have taken place over the past century in our education. In many places in the world, girls are denied an education in any form.

I need feminism because I expect to commute to work in the morning without someone pressing their erect penis against my backside; I expect to walk through Leicester Square on a Saturday evening and not have someone stick their hand between my legs; I also expect to enter a club without having my butt continuously grabbed. Most of all, I expect people to read this statement and not immediately question what I was wearing at the time. The answer (not that it matters in any way) is trousers.

I need feminism because women are referred to as ‘the weaker sex’, even though it is women who push bodies out of their vaginas.

I need feminism because we should never have to justify why we don’t want to have sex and should not have to tell somebody twice.

I need feminism because I would like to walk home at night wearing heels without fear of drawing unwanted attention to myself.

I need feminism because the LAD Bible not only exists, but has over 2.6 MILLION ‘likes’ on Facebook!

I need feminism because I believe that eventually women can stop being casually categorised into ‘slut’, ‘whore’, ‘bitch’ and ‘slag’, and that men can learn to deal gracefully with rejection.

I need feminism because I am fully aware that I was employed over a candidate with far more experience, who could bring a lot more to the role, because I was female, slim and reasonably attractive. My employer wanted a young woman to strut around in heels and be easy on the eye when she greeted visitors at the door. How do I know this? My interviewer told me many months later.

I need feminism because every day advertisers tell us that, as a woman, ageing is not acceptable, gaining weight is not acceptable and that our worth will be determined predominantly by how we look.

I need feminism because I still fear the consequences when I stand up to men who cat-call and whistle at me in the street.

I need feminism because a book that portrays a powerless female protagonist as a ‘relatable’ character and borderline rape scenes as ‘sexy’ set the record as the fastest-selling paperback of all time, only 3 years ago.

I need feminism because I deserve my opinion, and the opinions of other strong willed women, to be taken more seriously rather than being dismissed as emotional/irrational nonsense.

I need feminism because my Mum was a stay-at-home-Mum, and I am eternally grateful for her unending dedication to her children. One day, I hope to stay at home to raise my children. But this must be my personal choice and not a necessity forced upon me by society.

I need feminism because it’s still regarded as a dirty word and a controversial topic.

I need feminism because I can’t imagine anything worse than not having a voice.

I need feminism so I can learn about compassion and forgiveness. Women are natural care givers and gentle beings. In the face of war, we offer peace and counsel, when others feel pain we are there to soothe and comfort. Some paint feminism as an idea which promotes women as intimidating and fiercely independent, but it is also an opportunity for women to show their softness and femininity.

I need feminism because the phrase ‘man up’ should not exist.

I need feminism because religion has painted women as the ultimate threat to mankind.

I need feminism so I can support role model female leaders like Malala Yousafzai, the girl who was shot for going to school, for fighting for freedom of education, for defying the norm and not conforming and for speaking out in the face of danger and even death (she was shot in the head by the Taliban) on behalf of fellow female students.

I need feminism because ‘no’ means no.

I need feminism because every day, around the world, women’s bodies are used as a battleground in wars started by men.

I need feminism because NO ONE has the right to assume control over my body but me. Some women don’t have that ‘privilege’.

As long as men think it’s acceptable to drop vulgar comments, grope you and make persistent unwanted advances, feminism is needed.

I need feminism because I am a woman. Full stop.

We would love to hear from YOU!

Lovely readers, please send us your submissions, to be included in the next post! Tweet us @aliljoy with #WhyINeedFeminism or email aliljoy.editors@gmail.com. We can’t wait to hear why you need feminism!

If you enjoyed this article, why not check out ‘Why I Need to Drop the F-Bomb’?