♂ = ♀

For the past few days a bunch of people have been coming to me to ask if I'm a 'hardcore feminist' or making jokes about how women belong in the kitchen.
I find this quite infuriating and I hope this blog entry clarifies some things about feminism.
Yes, I am a feminist and I am proud to be one.
But I really don't think people understand what feminism is.
Although it has the femi- at the beginning of the word, feminism is not believing women are superior to men. That's called sexism. Men can be sexist. Women can be sexist too.
Feminism is believing both genders are equal. Feminism is against sexism. 

Once, I was told that there is no need for feminism anymore. By a male.
Here are a few reasons I need feminism: (these do not apply to everything do not take them personally...unless they apply to you)

• Men are passing laws about abortion. I'm sorry but unless they have a womb and can carry a baby in themselves for 9 months I don't think they're ones to make choices about this. 
• When a man is involved with many women he is looked up to, but when a women is involved with many men she is considered promiscuous and not in a good way. 
• Rape. Women are blamed for getting raped. We are expected to not wear revealing clothing but the rapist is not expected to have self control. 
• The female body is overly sexualised.
• Most women are expected to cook, know how to clean a house and do chores, be sweet and polite, and to look good.
• I'm not allowed to wear shorts in school because it's deemed inappropriate, by, guess who, men. 
• I have to watch what I wear or the way I sit because of social standards. 
• I am also expected to take very good care of my hygiene but it's okay for a guy to stink of sweat all year and wear the same clothes every day. 
• Women are considered weak for showing emotions. 
• Women who do not want to do what a male wants are considered crazy, rude, or arrogant.
• Men are insulted when they are called 'girls' or swear words which have female meanings. 
• Most leaders of countries are male. Most politicians are male. 
• The song 'Blurred Lines'. Do not watch the video. 

And the list goes on. 

I understand if people are joking to me about male superiority. I sometimes make sexist jokes myself. But that's all they are. Jokes. Sexism is a sick joke. But not everybody realizes it's there. 

I hope this is at least slightly helpful in understanding why I'm a feminist and why it's nothing to be made fun of. 

Cheerio.

Misfortune

Most people get colds, sprain their ankles, break bones, and have common illnesses/problems like that.
Me? I get the oddest, least common things ever, and usually learn about the existence of my disease when I get it.
This time, I apparently have tendonitis, which according to my Mac's dictionary is : inflammation of a tendon, most commonly from overuse.

So basically my right arm gave up on me because I used it too much. Now I'm not supposed to use it for 4-5 days (I'm writing this with my left hand which is extremely uncomfortable). Funny thing is I told this to a teacher and she agreed that I shouldn't use it...but after assigning an essay homework. Well I guess this is good practice for my dream to be ambidextrous.

I wanted to write a blog entry about something else, more important and class related after a month hiatus, but sadly I cannot. 

Oh also, my workload has caused me an actual disease!! Next time I get a big assignment I have a legitimate reason to complain.

Poetry

I might have mentioned my little green poetry notebook before, but if I didn't:

It's a pocket-sized notebook where I write poems from the perspective of a character. His name is Dave, he is a high school senior when the notebook begins, and continues onto college as it goes. He also has a rather harsh life and poetry and music are his ways of escaping from it all. 

Here is a poem I wrote in this notebook in Brooklyn Bridge Park (yes, he lives in Brooklyn) while I was at Pratt. It's always fun asking random people for rhyming words as you travel along the mysterious rat infested holes of the subway. It's rather simple. 

Sad Summer Day

Brooklyn weather:

Don't wear leather.

You will burn,

Sun tan earn.

Oh boy, summer,

Makes you dumber.

Got no aim, 

Everyday the same.

Lonely and sweaty,

Lifespan petty. 

This is a photo I took while I was there :) 

Here is another one. 

5 A.M.

My insomnia has lasted 

too long;

I need some medicine

for a good long sleep

with no waking.

Morpheus take me,

give me sweet eternal dreams. 

--------

The reason I don't always share these poems is they seem rather personal to him and might sound odd coming from me, but I might publish some I like later.