Is This Feminism?: Women’s Day
This is a Women’s Day post.
Does that make me a good feminist or a bad one? I’ve called this day a marketing ploy. It is. I’ve been offered gigs around this day. I’ve taken them. My most famous poem (albeit not my favorite one) is about feminism & was performed on this day (albeit not for the first time). I regret nothing.
Will I avail of discounts, of pink themed offerings? Yes, I will. It’s been a hard year & I could do with being pandered to. Is it capitalist? Yes. Is it feminist? I pay for myself, I know I am doing it & I consent to it. And that makes it feminist for me.
Is it privilege? Yes. Privilege is not unfeminist. Shame is. Guilt is. Lack of self-respect is. Even if they’re inflicted by someone else. Precisely because they are inflicted by someone else. Why should someone else get to decide how you feel or how I see myself? Take it back. Take it all back. I will not apologize for who I am. Not today, not ever.
Am I cashing in on my gender on this day? Hell, yes. Systems are oppressive till you figure out how to work them. It doesn’t show great returns right now but some day it will. Each day I invest my faith, my self-assurance and today I reap a tiny return. Self-interest is feminist. So is vision.
If today the patriarchy wants to cleanse its guilt, let it. It’s only a bribe if you have to give something in return. You don’t. Not your self-respect, not your validation. Happy YOU day, every day.
