In looking back at all my time spent at OPRF, I can easily say that some of the most valuable knowledge I've gained here has been about gender equality. Until my sophomore year, I was one of those people who wanted gender equality yet answered "no! of course not!" when asked if I were a feminist. I was left in the dark about feminism for so long, that although I had heard vaguely about it, it was just a weird and distant idea to me. In my mind it equated it with misandry, which is anything but the truth. Feminism literally just means "the advocacy of women's rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men."
Going back to OPRF, I love that we're talking about feminism in class! I love that we have an environment in which people are required to learn about gender and sex roles, myths, and equality. And I think it is so crucial that all schools,not just progressive ones like OPRF, incorporate a study of gender into their normal curriculums. The topic of feminism, now especially, is becoming so prevalent and talked about in pop culture. As much as it would be ideal if the decision to label oneself as a feminist (which is so different, mind you, than just knowing you believe in gender equality) came genuinely from each person, it simply becoming the new "fad" to label oneself as, following celebrities, is still a step in the right direction. Please don't be afraid to call yourself a feminist! I personally know quite a few people who, despite believing fully in equal rights, won't call themselves feminists due to the bad reputation the word carries. It's super important that we work to reclaim the word feminism, and steer it away from bad "synonyms" like man-haters, feminazis, dykes, etc. Being a feminist shouldn't be this big radical thing, it should simply equate with being a normal person!
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