Why is Feminism Important?

I am both appalled and ashamed that I have not posted on my blog for a month. This level of neglect is not acceptable. Today I would like to take a few moments of your time to focus on the pressing issue of feminism. 

The other day I was spending some time thinking. It was a rare occasion so I decided to tackle the issue of feminism. I had some time on my hands so why the hell not? What I concluded from several moments of deep thought was how SCARY it is to be living in the UK as a young woman in a society that is still heavily dominated by men. A simple statistic. We have only ever had ONE female Prime Minister. Now, isolate that fact in your head. Don't start thinking 'Yes but it was Margaret Thatcher and...' Just focus on the fact that in this supposedly developed western society that has had a Prime Minister for the last couple of CENTURIES, half of the population has been represented by gender once. That is truly terrifying. In addition to this, comes the gender pay gap, the rise of FGM and the everyday sexism that has, according to a fascinating Times supplement article (January 2014), been on the rise since 2011.

 I would like to share with you a personal experience of everyday sexism. I work in customer service, specifically in a Delicatessen. Two weeks ago, a man of approximately 70 years approached me and asked for some cheese. I produced the one he required and, as it was of the hard variety, began to score back and forth along the cheese to cut the rind properly. The subsequent hand action provoked the old man to lean over the counter and say 'I bet you keep the boyfriend happy'. I was deeply offended and disgusted by his behaviour. My own mother blamed not the man but the 'generation gap'. This is verbal sexual harassment and it is just not good enough. 

The thing about feminism is this: it works both ways. I wish to encourage the young women I see everyday. I wish to give them the self-confidence and POWER they so desperately lack. It is important to nurture young women but it is also important not to destroy vulnerable young men. The other day I overheard a stranger say 'Hahaha oh my god I can't believe that she likes him, he's so fat'. Absolutely nothing gave her the right to say that. Undoubtedly, she would not call her best friend 'fat' (this is the opposite of what young people need) so why on earth did she think it acceptable to call a male 'fat'? A simple statistic. 100% of male humans have feelings.

The message here: I urge you to think a little before you speak, tweet, text. After seeing some disturbing misogyny on my Twitter timeline produced by my own peers I can only assume this level of ignorance can and will spread further. May I also add I am not speaking from a high and mighty position by saying this and I acknowledge my own flaws. I simply believe  that feminism is no longer a political stance; it is equality; it is way of life.