So, you call yourself a feminist, huh? Are you fighting to make sure that the laws are equal? Are you fighting to change the image of what a woman should look like? Dress like? Are you fighting for equal pay? All that sounds amazing! All that sounds like a step in the right direction! Yes, there’s a but…

But are you aware and do you have the understanding to realize that more knowledge of worldwide rights, cultures and the different levels that also should be looked at as feminist are things that as a western country we are woefully ignorant of these ideologies?

Let’s dive in.

Western Feminists look upon feminism as what can the system do for me? And, other cultures cannot relate to this. They do not want to move forward individuals, but rather the community, the family, and everyone involved. Take Ms. Elma Akob, she gave a Ted Talk, and introduced this same idea of the differences between feminist and womanism. Furthermore, she states that each individual women differs from each other, our cultures, traditions, histories, and even our oppressions are completely different. This idea of being able to say one thing represents women’s strength, or to say that one principle is a representation overall is insanely ignorant.

As a whole feminist within their own group still have a hierarchy of what is and what is not considered part of the feminist movement. They look down on the women who choose to stay home and raise their child(ren). They opt out of accepting different versions of what could be considered strength in cultures that vary from the “norm.”

This close minded, thinking of oneself to advance your ideology is getting us nowhere as a gender. It shows that we are still letting the patriarchal system dictate what we should and should not allow as part of something, when we are supposed to be fighting for all our cultures, inclusion, to show there is not one definition of feminism. There are multiple versions of the strength women show. Keeping up with the times, on TikTok, there was a theme for the International Day of Women: #EmbraceEquity. Take time out to check this website out, read and educate ourselves in multiple cultures- let’s celebrate our diversity and uplift ALL the strengths of women. Let us stand up and shout loud: #globalfeminsm