Theres no such thing as being a perfect feminist

When I read "Introduction" by Roxanne Gay it felt like someone had finally put on paper everything that I had been thinking and debating over the past few years. Am I really a feminist if I like wearing makeup and dressing promiscuously? Am I really a feminist if I enjoy traditionally "feminine" things? What if I want to have children? What if I do shave my legs and wear short dresses? All of these questions made me wrestle with my identity as a feminist and it is something that I have been exploring as time has past and I have developed my own voice.

Roxanne Gay perfectly sums up what it means to be a feminist and how it's not always a perfect definition. One quote that really struck me was when she stated, "Feminism is a choice, and if a woman does not want to be a feminist, that is her right, but it is still my responsibility to fight for her rights." This ideology is something I completely agree with. Not everyone is going to have the same views and opinions for you. For example, if a woman gets pregnant without planning for it, she may choose to continue with the pregnancy because of what she believes ethically, I should support that woman's decision, just as I should if she were to decide the opposite. Feminism doesn't only concern let alone one type of woman. Like Gay says, I don't think there's any one person in the world that is exactly like me, but that just means that i keep my ears and eyes open to new personalities, passions and motivations. No two people are the same but that doesn't mean you can't advocate for both types of people.

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