The word feminist is an awkward one. It is cumbersome and sometimes equated with misandry. By definition, feminism is the social, political, and economic equality of the sexes; however, as feminism has evolved, so too has the definition. I believe that feminism has a unique definition for each individual because no one’s experiences are the same. To me, feminism means loving myself as I am, rather than conforming to societal norms of beauty. It means self-respect by my own definition rather than that of others. It means viewing other women as compatriots rather than competitors, and forgiving myself when I fall short of my own ideals. Feminism is a driving factor in my desire to become a lawyer and advocate on behalf of unempowered women. …show more content…
I stumbled upon RookieMag, an online magazine founded by teen feminist Tavi Gevinson dedicated to making feminism accessible and approachable to girls. Pages and pages of articles about advice, fashion, music, opinions– all under the overarching theme of feminism– flashed before my eyes. I was hooked. Seeing these unique women display such confidence, ability, intelligence, and yes, even style lured me into feminism, an unknown to me at the time. I felt such admiration for this group and the work Tavi had done at such a young age that I was convinced to incorporate feminism into my own life. I started writing speeches in debate class about my views on global women’s issues, and debate research led me to discover the work of Chimamanda Adichie, a Nigerian writer who faces challenges advocating for women’s rights in a part of the world where violence against women is more prevalent and horrific. Her even-tempered, often humorous work compelled me to join The Sisterhood, a peer-mentoring club at my school that discusses issues that teen girls face from a feminist viewpoint. There, I grew as a feminist and became the vice president. In this role I expand my views through weekly research to create a structured discussion about the role of feminism in my life and my peers’