I'm a feminist. I'm also a masculinist. Most accurately, I'm a peopleist.
I'm not the first person to coin the term "peopleism," and I'm not the first to share its ideals, but it constantly surprises me how much we let gender get in the way of real things happening.
Feminists, like abolitionists, had a valid agenda at one point in time. There were rights and laws in America that didn't let women do the same things as men. But those laws have been overturned, and women in America have every right that men do. So why are we still setting ourselves apart?
Men, on the other side of the coin, have even begun to blame the feminists and the feminist movement for taking their jobs and taking away their masculinity. There is some truth to the belief that decreased sexism toward women has turned into increased sexism toward men, but I think it's time for the blame game to end.
People need to start being appreciated for who they are and what they do, period.
It can be an awkward boat to be in when you consider yourself liberal-minded and you come across the idea of feminism.
"Yeah, wahoo! You go girl! You're great because you're a girl, and you're doing something worth noting." Isn't that much more sexist than simply saying, "Hey, you did something great. Good job." Why does a lack of the male sexual organs still mean so much?
It's the same idea as the racism and sexuality debates: it's over when we start acting like it's over.
What if someone was coming to campus and giving lectures with names like these?
"Black men doing things worthwhile."
"Gays are living and working in your neighborhood."
You would be right in being offended, but Gloria Steinem has been to Auburn multiple times giving a lecture that she calls, "Extraordinary Women Lecture series."
Why doesn't that offend in the same way as the other hypothetical lecture series names?
By singling out women for doing extraordinary things, you're insulting and belittling their achievements.
Steinem did a great deal in the early stages of the feminist movement and is hailed by many as the leader of it. She was a columnist for New York magazine and co-founded Ms. Magazine, but if she wants her hard work to come to fruition, she needs to do less.
This doesn't mean everything has to be geared toward both sexes. In fact, I think the opposite. There is beauty in the differences between men and women, and it's time we celebrate them instead of condemn them.
I'm constantly in awe of women. I've watched women nurture and understand, moving through life with a grace and beauty I could never achieve. I'm also constantly in awe of men, with undeniable strength and abilities unmatched by women.
Broad generalities are in no way conclusive, but my point is we're different and we need each other. Isn't it time to be on the same team?
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