10 Reasons Why I Need Feminism

1. I have been personally victimized by Regina George - Girls are told by the media that other women are the "competition." This way of thinking robs women of a supportive community and friendships. Other women aren't the competition, they are your allies.

2. I am a woman - Yes, I am a woman and feminism is important to me. It is relevant to me. It is personal. I know that through a collection of experiences women and men can start conversations and ask questions that will make the world a better, safer place. The conversations people are having right now about feminism affect me and they affect you.

3. Feminism doesn't solely benefit women - Feminism is not "down with men" or "burn my bra along with patriarchy." Men also benefit from feminism.  Feminism is a conversation that challenges some archaic gender roles. You know, like this whole blue and pink thing? It's totally just a marketing ploy. Like Really. There are a lot of unrealistic expectations put on men to be "uber manly." Feminism challenges those expectations and says, "No, he can like pink and puppies and it doesn't make him any less of a man." This strict binary of "manly' and "womanly" puts people into itty bitty boxes and doesn't allow them to be who they truly are.

4. No, I'm not "asking for it" - Ok yes, the cat-calls, the whistles, the come-ons they are degrading. I told my friend the other day that I was followed and whistled at when I was walking to the library and he implied that I was just looking for attention. I'm sorry. No. Of this experience, being followed and stuff was not the worst part. The fact that my friend thought that I was "bragging" about catcalls blew my freaking mind. Girls don't "secretly love" the attention. It shouldn't be one of those things "that just happen so deal with it." A lot of women have met this same response, but the time when we just accept street harassment and don't talk about it anymore is when we tell the world that "it's ok." It's not ok.

5. Consent - Feminism has taught me a lot about consent. It should be simple like, it's my body I decide who I have sex with, when I have sex, and how I have sex. But for a lot of women this is not the case. These conversations about feminism and consent have really empowered people to be in charge of their own sexual experience. Consent is nothing less than a whole-hearted, enthusiastic "YES!" It does not matter if he bought you a drink, doesn't matter if she will break up with you, doesn't matter if you were really into it five minutes ago but now you're not, you do not owe them anything. You are your own person. If something makes you feel guilty, uncomfortable, or icky you don't have to do it.

6. My voice - Feminism encourages people to stand up and say what they want. I am not a victim. I am the master of my own destiny. I am strong, beautiful and a force to be reckoned with. In little ways, I can fight for equality every day.

7. My value - It takes about two seconds for young girls to realize that their value, in the world's eyes, is based on their appearance. What if we could change that? What if when I achieve something great, people don't just remember what I was wearing. I'm tired of hearing elementary school girls talking about going on a diet so that Johnny will like them. Being liked by another person does not give you value. You are inherently valuable.

8. The future - The conversations we have about feminism today will shape the future. Wouldn't it be awesome if instead of teaching girls not to wear short skirts or yoga pants we taught boys to respect women's bodies and not to make unwanted advances? Women should not feel ashamed of their bodies. I hope that if I have a daughter, she will feel beautiful instead of dirty. I want the girls of the future to love themselves, to know what their rights are, to have positive sexual experience, and grown into their full potential.

9. People don't freaking know how the female body works. Every year thousands of legislative bills are passed that regulate a woman's body. The problem is, a lot of people don't understand how a woman's body works. On Netflix's "Orange Is The New Black" there was a very long discussion about where women pee from.... this conversation was between a group of women. Women need to educate themselves on how their own bodies work. The people making laws that regulate birth control and contraception are likely men. They probably don't know a whole lot about your lady bits. Problem? Yes. You have a uterus! You have an opinion!

10. Being a girl shouldn't be a disadvantage - I like being a girl. Should being a girl affect my pay, my education, my status in society? No. But right now that's the way things are. Right now there are human traffickers in the U.S., children who are married off in Yemen, and in Saudi Arabia women still can't vote or drive. I am a feminist because I believe that all of these women are valuable, that they should be given a chance.