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1. I am not in a mental institution. Feminism has a lot to do with that. A not-so-distant ancestor was put into an asylum and given shock treatment on a regular basis because of her 'nervous disorder' or whatever they called it. Many women in the past were sent to asylums -- horrible places where they were abused horribly, drugged into zombiehood, and given dangerous 'treatments' for simply acting outside the social norms. So I definitely would have gone in one of those institutions, for my manic depression (bipolar disorder), for my forward thinking, for my accusing my husband of violence, for my burgeoning lesbianism. Oh, yes. Sexuality outside the patriarchal norm MUST be punished treated. Women must only be passive vessels for a man's sexuality! UGH.
2. I was able to file for divorce to get out of an abusive relationship. Not only that, but I was given counselling that helped me become a stronger woman, to recognize how the patriarchy shapes domestic violence, to think outside the little box I was given and to crawl out and become a full person with her own agency and everything!
3. I can vote! Does this need elaboration? I have an actual voice in my local, state, and federal governments. I can help elect people, men and women, who support women's issues. Feminism gave me choices. I don't even have to vote for strong feminist candidates, I could vote for conservatives! But it's MY choice. Not someone else saying I'm too weak-minded to understand politics and government.
4. Sex! I can masturbate without feeling like a deviant. I can own toys and use them liberally. They're made just for me! I can have orgasms. I know what orgasms are. I know how to have them. I know I can have more than one. When having sex with a partner, we have fun. I can have fun having sex without being looked at as one of those bad girls.
5. I can think and am not regularly criticized for thinking. Feminism hasn't told me how to think, just taught me that I can. I can think about me and you. I can think about people I don't know. I can think about oppression within my own experience and I can try to understand oppression outside my experience. Feminism has been a gateway to other movements. Because of feminism, I learned about race and ethnicity issues, queer issues, disability issues, and many more. My eyes are a lot more open than they used to be. Sometimes I (still) have a kneejerk reaction to people pointing out my own icky race and/or gender residue, but I try to be open and listen and yes, I'm still at the listening stage in some ways.
2. I was able to file for divorce to get out of an abusive relationship. Not only that, but I was given counselling that helped me become a stronger woman, to recognize how the patriarchy shapes domestic violence, to think outside the little box I was given and to crawl out and become a full person with her own agency and everything!
3. I can vote! Does this need elaboration? I have an actual voice in my local, state, and federal governments. I can help elect people, men and women, who support women's issues. Feminism gave me choices. I don't even have to vote for strong feminist candidates, I could vote for conservatives! But it's MY choice. Not someone else saying I'm too weak-minded to understand politics and government.
4. Sex! I can masturbate without feeling like a deviant. I can own toys and use them liberally. They're made just for me! I can have orgasms. I know what orgasms are. I know how to have them. I know I can have more than one. When having sex with a partner, we have fun. I can have fun having sex without being looked at as one of those bad girls.
5. I can think and am not regularly criticized for thinking. Feminism hasn't told me how to think, just taught me that I can. I can think about me and you. I can think about people I don't know. I can think about oppression within my own experience and I can try to understand oppression outside my experience. Feminism has been a gateway to other movements. Because of feminism, I learned about race and ethnicity issues, queer issues, disability issues, and many more. My eyes are a lot more open than they used to be. Sometimes I (still) have a kneejerk reaction to people pointing out my own icky race and/or gender residue, but I try to be open and listen and yes, I'm still at the listening stage in some ways.
