The topic of equality and feminism has been a hot topic this past year- or maybe it's just my news feed on Facebook. Either way, its a topic I feel relates to my message with Fit Like a Girl.
I created Fit Like a Girl for girls like me. Girls who work hard, strive for independence, workout and go against the grain of what it means to be a "girl"; the tomboys, the fighters.
I proudly consider myself a feminist. Even as a young girl, I've aspired to be an independent person, who can live life on my own if needed. My parents raised me to think for myself, and be smart so I don't have to rely on "being a girl" to get myself through life. In other words, my sisters and I had the exact same expectations as my brothers did.
I created Fit Like a Girl for girls like me. Girls who work hard, strive for independence, workout and go against the grain of what it means to be a "girl"; the tomboys, the fighters.
I proudly consider myself a feminist. Even as a young girl, I've aspired to be an independent person, who can live life on my own if needed. My parents raised me to think for myself, and be smart so I don't have to rely on "being a girl" to get myself through life. In other words, my sisters and I had the exact same expectations as my brothers did.
In school, all the expectations were the same in our family. We were all expected to meet the same grades and go to college- no exemptions!
It was the same thing when it came to doing chores on the farm. Once we were old enough, usually around 9, we were sent out to the barn every night for chores. We would all have to feed calves, clean the barn and make sure it was ready for the next milking. It taught us responsibility and we got a share in helping to keep the farm going. At nine years old, I wasn't quite able to carry full five gallon pails of milk or restrain a calf to feed it; but once I was big enough, I had to do it the same as my brother. To my dad, if I was able to do the same work as my brothers, I did the same work as them. I remember being at the farm supply store buying supplies for the barn with my dad, which included a couple of five gallon pails of bleach. I was about twelve and my dad looked at my brother and I and told us to each grab a bucket and bring it to the truck. The ladies behind the counter of Champion Feeds looked like they were outraged, until I grabbed the heavy pail and hauled it out behind my brother; just as I was told.
Why am I rambling on about this? Why does it matter to me so much that I was treated just "like a boy" and was expected to do the same work as my brothers? Its because I believe in equality and doing anything a man can do!
Last week I saw a news article that made me question what it really need to be a feminist. I saw a news article about a British company that is considering allowing women to take time off when they are on their period. Why did I find this upsetting? I mean as a woman, in theory I should be thrilled. No, I was not happy with this.
Last week I saw a news article that made me question what it really need to be a feminist. I saw a news article about a British company that is considering allowing women to take time off when they are on their period. Why did I find this upsetting? I mean as a woman, in theory I should be thrilled. No, I was not happy with this.
Here's the thing ladies, yes gender inequality exists in our society. I love that women shake their fists when things aren't right and demand better. It's great to me that we are standing up for those who do not have a voice for themselves. Women in shelters with children who are escaping abusive situations. Or women in third world countries who are not allowed to go to school, sold into sex slavery, or beaten and raped just because of their gender and thus considered to be inequal to their male counterparts. These are women who need feminism and need women like us to stand up for change!
However, in our first world countries, we sometimes take feminism to extremes. What I mean by this is that we are so wanting fairness, that we are making it unfair. Allowing women to take time off once every month is not fair to the rest of the population, meaning men. Yes, women are so focused on "improving" their own world, that they are making it worse and more difficult for men. I am sorry, but come and talk to me about the opressed women in countries where they do not have education. Talk to me about women who are date-raped and feel unsafe walking around at night. These are the feminist issues we should be talking about; not movie stars who are offended because they only made $14 million for their last movie and their male co-star made $15 million.
We now are having girls get angry at men who try and open the doors for them; demand to have special treatment by the government by forcing them to take taxes off our feminine products and now we are asking for special time off from our jobs during our periods?! I think we are sending mixed messages here as to what we want. We want equality, but special treatment; that is not equality! We are acting like being a woman is a disability, when it isn't.
So, I've probably set a few people off with this. I probably have people thinking, "I thought she was a feminist?!" Yes, I still am, and here is my point, in which I will use the example of Ju Jitsu for. I am a girl in a guys world of martial arts and MMA. I've had to work harder than any man to get to where I am and earn the respect I've earned. Ju Jitsu does not come as easily to me as it does to most guys in the sport. I am not as strong as a man my age, and I weigh a lot less. Therefore, I've had to train harder to compensate. I need to be faster and rely more on my speed and skills. I've accepted this fact early on when I first started Ju Jitsu; if I want to be one of the boys, I need to work harder than the boys. Overtime, I have slowly earned respect from my peers and from my own students.
In my marriage, we are equal. We do the same sport, we both work, we both clean, we both teach Ju Jitsu and we are the same rank. However, even my husband would say that to get to where I am in Ju Jitsu, it was harder for me than it was for him. I am not complaining about it. If anything, I am happy to have had to work as hard as I did, it makes me appreciate how far I have come to get here; that stands for Ju Jitsu, my fitness journey and life.
Ladies, what I am trying to say is if you want equality, then you will get it. I firmly believe that women can do anything a man can do. That being said, women are going to have to accept the challenge and put in the same effort that anyone else would. We have know that we shouldn't be treated any different than a man would be. Ladies, you're going to have to stand your ground, work hard and always keep the end goal in mind. In doing this, you'll gain so much more than you will aim for. You will gain respect and confidence in yourself which is the most important goal of all is being able to know that you can do anything you set your mind to.
So in conclusion, happy International Women's Day ladies! Lets celebrate being as awesome, and lets also stand up for others who cannot speak for themselves on real issues.
However, in our first world countries, we sometimes take feminism to extremes. What I mean by this is that we are so wanting fairness, that we are making it unfair. Allowing women to take time off once every month is not fair to the rest of the population, meaning men. Yes, women are so focused on "improving" their own world, that they are making it worse and more difficult for men. I am sorry, but come and talk to me about the opressed women in countries where they do not have education. Talk to me about women who are date-raped and feel unsafe walking around at night. These are the feminist issues we should be talking about; not movie stars who are offended because they only made $14 million for their last movie and their male co-star made $15 million.
We now are having girls get angry at men who try and open the doors for them; demand to have special treatment by the government by forcing them to take taxes off our feminine products and now we are asking for special time off from our jobs during our periods?! I think we are sending mixed messages here as to what we want. We want equality, but special treatment; that is not equality! We are acting like being a woman is a disability, when it isn't.
So, I've probably set a few people off with this. I probably have people thinking, "I thought she was a feminist?!" Yes, I still am, and here is my point, in which I will use the example of Ju Jitsu for. I am a girl in a guys world of martial arts and MMA. I've had to work harder than any man to get to where I am and earn the respect I've earned. Ju Jitsu does not come as easily to me as it does to most guys in the sport. I am not as strong as a man my age, and I weigh a lot less. Therefore, I've had to train harder to compensate. I need to be faster and rely more on my speed and skills. I've accepted this fact early on when I first started Ju Jitsu; if I want to be one of the boys, I need to work harder than the boys. Overtime, I have slowly earned respect from my peers and from my own students.
In my marriage, we are equal. We do the same sport, we both work, we both clean, we both teach Ju Jitsu and we are the same rank. However, even my husband would say that to get to where I am in Ju Jitsu, it was harder for me than it was for him. I am not complaining about it. If anything, I am happy to have had to work as hard as I did, it makes me appreciate how far I have come to get here; that stands for Ju Jitsu, my fitness journey and life.
Ladies, what I am trying to say is if you want equality, then you will get it. I firmly believe that women can do anything a man can do. That being said, women are going to have to accept the challenge and put in the same effort that anyone else would. We have know that we shouldn't be treated any different than a man would be. Ladies, you're going to have to stand your ground, work hard and always keep the end goal in mind. In doing this, you'll gain so much more than you will aim for. You will gain respect and confidence in yourself which is the most important goal of all is being able to know that you can do anything you set your mind to.
So in conclusion, happy International Women's Day ladies! Lets celebrate being as awesome, and lets also stand up for others who cannot speak for themselves on real issues.
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