March is Women’s History Month, and we at Lovability are ready to celebrate. As part of Lovability’s initiative to provide a space for women, girls and femmes to openly talk about sex, sexual health, sexuality and the issues of today, we’re using our blog Babe with the Power as a perfect platform for this celebration.
Though we’re not far into 2020, this year has already brought about huge historical moments for women.
- Women in the United States celebrate the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, establishing a woman’s right to vote (recognizing that many Women of Color did not benefit from the 19th Amendment as Native American and Asian American, as well as many African American women were not considered citizens).
- Last month, Katie Sowers became the first female coach in Super Bowl history.
- Just last week, Harvey Weinstein was convicted of two felony sex crimes, making him the first high-profile man to be successfully criminally prosecuted as part of the #MeToo movement.
- After Hillary Clinton’s momentous run as the first female nominee of a major U.S. political party, we now have had a record number of women running for president for the upcoming 2020 election.
Do We Still Need Feminism?
So, with all these amazing recent accomplishments for women, why do we need feminism in 2020?
What is Feminism?
The above quote, taken from Chimamanda’s Ngozi Adichie’s book and TED Talk We Should All Be Feminists, is one of the most well-known definitions of feminism. The quote, which was sampled on Beyonce’s ***Flawless, simply and accurately defines the feminist mission. At its core, this is feminism, though additional types of feminism have evolved to specify different equality issues, interests, and goals.
“My own definition of a feminist is a man or woman who says, yes, there’s a problem with gender as it is today and we must fix it, we must do better. All of us, women and men, must do better.”
CHIMAMANDA NGOZI ADICHIE, WE SHOULD ALL BE FEMINISTS
At Babe with the Power, we often discuss and focus on intersectional feminism, body-positive feminism, and sex-positive feminism, though we occasionally include other feminist viewpoints.
Intersectional feminism acknowledges that women with additional marginalized identities (i.e Black women, LGBTQ+ women, disabled women, etc.) may have different experiences due to the intersection of oppressive systems of power. Body-positive feminism promotes the idea that all bodies are good bodies and that people should love their body as it is.
Sex-positive feminism focuses on sexual equity and sexual freedom. Women should have the freedom to be empowered by sex - to choose how many partners they want to have over time, to have the type of sex they want -- and to practice self-love.
These ideas stand at the core of our mission at Lovability and Babe with the Power.
Why Are We Celebrating Women’s Month?
On the surface, it may seem like women are equal — or at least almost equal — to men. However, we still have far to go. Women and their choices are more often watched under a microscope. They are judged for having sex, for choosing celibacy; for working, for becoming stay-at-home mothers; for wearing makeup, for not wearing makeup; for studying in the STEM field, for studying social sciences — the list goes on and on.
What’s more, women still earn an average of 23 cents less per dollar in comparison to men, 35% of women worldwide have been victim-survivors of intimate partner violence, and 1 in 6 American women have experienced attempted or completed rape. These kinds of statistics are often hard to define due to lack of research, biased surveys, varying statistics based on additional intersectional experiences, and women’s shame in telling their story.
In 2020, we still need feminism because women deserve better. It’s not enough that we have more freedoms than we did 100 years ago. We need a truly even playing field and have equal and equitable freedoms, choices, and opportunities.
What Should Readers Expect from Babe with the Power?
Over the course of March, the Babe with the Power writers will be producing content that introduces our readers to feminism, inspiring feminists, current feminism issues, and ways to show your feminism. We’ll also honor the efforts of past feminists who have helped modern women achieve the freedoms and relative equality we have today.
Every Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday through March, we will be publishing a variety of feminist content created by our writers and some of our friends. Every Monday, you’ll get recommendations for our favorite feminist books, movies, shows, songs, and more!
About The Author
Bailey Shea (@baileykshea on Instagram) is a recent graduate of the University of Connecticut, having received a Bachelor of Arts in English and Communication with a minor in Women’s Studies. She is a strong feminist who hopes to use her future career in publishing and marketing to magnify unheard voices. Outside the writing world, Bailey is an aspiring powerlifter, the human embodiment of a sunflower, and a Taco Bell connoisseur. You can find more of her work at baileykshea.com.