anythings.org

Over the past two and a half days, my employer, the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence held its Annual Meeting in Sacramento, CA. I was extremely lucky to attend and I was fortunate enough to speak with, listen to, or eat a meal with pioneers in the domestic violence, feminist, and reproductive health movements. I listened to Ellen Pence and her stories during her speech on Monday. I got to see Ruth Slaughter accept a lifetime achievement award for opening the first domestic violence shelter in the United States. I felt privileged to hear Loretta Ross, the National Coordinator for SisterSong (a black women’s reproductive health coalition with 80 member organizations) speak on ways we can improve the domestic violence movement. It was two very exciting days spent with both new and old school feminists - both male and female - sharing ideas on how to stop violence, period. Not just violence against women in the domestic sense, but violence PERIOD.

And Ms. Loretta Ross asked us a question today, which I now bring to you:
Why are you a feminist?
Loretta’s response? (jokingly or seriously…) Because I want better men.

My response? Because I believe in equality - and not just the sense that we can treat each other equally poorly, but that we can treat each other with love and compassion and acknowledge the 8 different areas of human rights for each and every single person on this planet. Not just here in the United States, but in other countries, too. A bit idealist, but hey, that’s what my generation is around for. I believe in a world where marriage is not necessary for health care or other legal benefits. I believe that a world can exist where not only can I vote, but where my vote can be counted. Not in the electoral sense - actually counted. I believe in a world where all of the injustices that further bring down domestic violence victims can be eradicated and allow us to stop the violence against people on all levels. I believe in a lot, and I don’t think I can fit it all here… but I do believe that it is possible. All we need is a shared framework, and it has already been laid down for us by the United Nations. We just have to use it.

So, why are you a feminist?