Too fat.

Too skinny.

You eat too much.

Do you even eat? 

Too loud.

Too quiet.

Doesn’t try hard enough.

Tries too hard.

Too mannish.

Too sluttish.

Too big.

(Do you see how big she is?

She’s so big…)

She looks like a skeleton…

She doesn’t have a big enough ass.

She’s lying, he would never do that.

Women aren’t worthy enough!

Just shut up and make me my food like a good housewife.

You’re revealing too much skin.

You don’t deserve it.

S̶h̶e̶ ̶w̶a̶s̶ ̶f̶o̶r̶c̶e̶d̶.̶

I̶t̶ ̶w̶a̶s̶ ̶h̶i̶s̶ ̶f̶a̶u̶l̶t̶.̶

S̶h̶e̶ ̶w̶a̶s̶ ̶r̶a̶-̶-̶

She was asking for it.

She was asking for it.

She was asking for it.

She was asking for it.

She was asking for it.

SHE WAS ASKING FOR IT!

Will we ever be perfect enough for you?

—

The road paved by stereotypes is a long, twisting path; especially when it comes to things like women, feminism, and getting your reproductive cycle. Some people have created large ideas about these topics that aren’t necessarily true, and others try to fight back against them, creating a tense environment.

For example, the word ‘feminism’ can be seen in two different ways. What it really is, and what it is perceived as. Feminism is actually a movement about social, political, and work injustice towards women. When people say they are a feminist, it means that they wish for this inequality to end, and for men and women to be seen as equals in today’s society.

Mostly men–and some women–see feminism another way. They see it as women fighting to be better or above males in any way, which they see as a threat. They think feminism is a bad mindset that goes against the roles women have played throughout the entirety of history.

The misogyny in today’s society is very real. It never went away.

Yet some people seem to think that misogyny is absurd. A false idea wrapped around a false statement, tied with a bow and screaming, ‘FAKE, FAKE, FAKE’. They can’t seem to understand how diminishing the idea of gender equality will crush all of society, media, and human life.

Some people even think that misogyny isn’t a thing! They say that women are just ‘vulnerable’, or that it was some kind of cruel joke. Or maybe the comment/action wasn’t, and they purposely were misogynistic. But saying misogyny isn’t real is like saying African-American racism isn’t real, which has been a large topic for nearly two years now.

Without women, our world would be rolling steadily downhill. 47.7% of the workforce would disappear. 49.6% of the entire population would die out. No more babies or kids. Your mom didn’t teach you to clean? Cook? Basic household hygiene would disappear. Health care would plummet–90% of all nurses are female. 79% of school teachers would be gone. Huge business’s financial stability would disband; 89% of all financial clerks are women. No more stable economy! The beauty companies you see? Gone! The food industry will nearly disappear with 70% of food servers gone. All of a sudden, ethical cloning is a thing… and war. Major rises in suicide and mental illnesses as well! Starvation, economic collapse, war and violence… and then the end of humanity. Complete extinction. All the struggle would have been worth nothing.

Yet some people don’t get this. They say feminism is just an idea that women use to make themselves feel validated. Yet what does feminism do? Why is it needed in our society? Why is it stereotyped?

So, we are back to the idea of stereotypes. To say that stereotypes are bad is an understatement; they crush every idea, view, and piece of media circulating around them. It takes very little for stereotypes to be created, but years and years to knock them down.

But feminism, being a woman, and getting bodily functions are all stereotyped. Another example: you get a period? Gross, that’s horrendous and embarrassing. You still are on it? Is that even healthy? Actually, I think we need to separate until you get…that… figured out. Oh, she’s angry; must be on her period. Ha, do you see that? She has tampons… yes, ___ needs tampons… gross! Look she left a stain on the chair! That’s disgusting, I’m never talking to her again…

Maybe the biggest stereotype that affects your life is the standards for being a woman. They think you’re ‘weaker’, ‘dumber’, more ‘incapable’. Maybe you even got a lower job than a man just because he ‘suited the job more’, when you had all the credentials and met all the requirements when he didn’t.

It’s also possible that a man used you for himself in any way. He could have taken advantage of you, pushed you too far, or invaded too much of your personal space… and his argument will be that women were made to please men. That is a stereotype. It is probably one of the worst ones out there.

It’s crazy how these stereotypes can follow us until the very end. We try harder, push farther, and try even harder to meet the idealistic expectations given to us. When, in reality, none of these ‘flaws’ make us weaker. Feminism pushes us to be stronger; getting your menstrual cycle means you can help carry on a future generation; and being a woman makes you so, so much stronger.

So why do people say we aren’t? That being a woman means we are a step under a man? Some may say it’s because they are afraid of you. Others could say it’s because that’s what they do to feel accepted in society. But, really, it could be so much more than that.

Women and men were created equal. If anything, women are stronger than men in that way! So, don’t let anyone tear you up about it. You deserve to be acknowledged, get your dream job, and be accepted as a hero in society.

So use your voice, step up, and be who you need to be. The world will follow one step at a time, and all those stereotypes will shatter along with them.