A Man Explains Feminism... AND I APPLAUD! (OK, it's POTUS... still...)
Normally I don't have a buttload of time for the mansplaining of feminism. I appreciate allies, I know we need men as well as women to change, I am glad that guys are thinking about it, fathers are aware of how it affects their daughters, etc.
But... all too often mansplaining takes the emphasis off where it should be: On women's voices, women's experience, women's viewpoints.
However.
When THIS man talks, people listen. The people I want to be allies listen thoughtfully and tend to have thoughts provoked and feelings moved in a good direction. The people I want to have as little as possible to do with listen just to hear what they need to oppose with all the irrational spittle-flecked fury that makes them less and less credible and will ultimately relegate them to the dustbin of history.
So, in the anticipation of the tsunami of toxic, corrosive misogyny awaiting the nation's first woman President, this man's experience-informed views are worth reading and sharing:
President Barack Obama Says, "This Is What a Feminist Looks Like"
"So we need to break through these limitations. We need to keep changing the attitude that raises our girls to be demure and our boys to be assertive, that criticizes our daughters for speaking out and our sons for shedding a tear. We need to keep changing the attitude that punishes women for their sexuality and rewards men for theirs.
We need to keep changing the attitude that permits the routine harassment of women, whether they’re walking down the street or daring to go online. We need to keep changing the attitude that teaches men to feel threatened by the presence and success of women.
We need to keep changing the attitude that congratulates men for changing a diaper, stigmatizes full-time dads, and penalizes working mothers. We need to keep changing the attitude that values being confident, competitive, and ambitious in the workplace—unless you’re a woman. Then you’re being too bossy, and suddenly the very qualities you thought were necessary for success end up holding you back.
We need to keep changing a culture that shines a particularly unforgiving light on women and girls of color. Michelle has often spoken about this. Even after achieving success in her own right, she still held doubts; she had to worry about whether she looked the right way or was acting the right way—whether she was being too assertive or too “angry.”
Thank you, sir.
I am glad your voice is in the conversation.
appreciatively,
Bright
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