The F Word Isn’t a Gordon Ramsay TV Show. It’s Feminism & It’s Real Food for Thought

Forget water-filtration systems, energy-saving light bulbs, and Hybrid cars. The greatest invention is language. And because we use it all the time, of course we take it for granted (much like everything else that’s important in our lives).

Well, the glock stops here.

If we think that we’re so smart, then it’s time we start acting like it and choose our words wisely because as you know, they might be our last. Let’s go out with a big bang, okay? R.I.P, damn chauvinism!

The Male Norm Is Abnormal

Did you know that English-grammar rules were first written in the 16th and 17th centuries? During this time, very few women could read and write, as they didn’t have the same educational opportunities as men.

Some women who were the exception had to use male pen names in order to get their books published! And to be ‘taken seriously’ by publishers and readers, a number of women resorted to using gender-neutral pseudonyms.

The English-grammar books were written by men and they were intended as study aids for boys from upper-class families. That being said, it should come as no surprise that the language contains a heavy male-centered worldview. But don’t worry, we can KO gender inequality with what we say and write.

Blow the Whistle & Order Around Pronouns at Boot Camp

I want you to actively look for this one – it shouldn’t be hard to find because there are loads of guilty parties. Keep your eyes peeled like a banana for the order of personal pronouns. More often than not, you’ll notice that people usually use “he or she” and “his or hers”.

Many times when you change the order and put the woman first, readers mention that it “sounds weird”. Why is that? Why must the man be mentioned first always? And why is putting the woman first so wrong? These are all good questions.

To this day, no one has been able to justify the male-first order to my satisfaction. And to my dismay, I’ve caught many Psychology Today articles following that traditional format despite their claims of forward-thinking.

Let’s stop perpetuating the myth that women are (what Simone de Beauvoir coined) “the second sex”.

You could bring more attention to the matter by simply using “she or he” and “hers and his” on occasion.

Or you could go another route and use “(s)he” for true equality. Of course, eliminating your usage of gender-identifying personal pronouns is also an option, but I find it cumbersome and cold at times.

Man, I Feel like a Woman!

Sometimes I can’t believe that in this day and age, people still use “he” to refer to both females and males. Case in point, here’s an example: “To avoid getting slapped with a speeding ticket, a driver should stick to the posted speed limit or he might have to pay the fine.” The driver could just as easily be a woman.

As of today (April 26, 2009), if you hit up Wikipedia and scroll down to the chart, this is what you’ll see:

“He: Third person singular, masculine / gender-neutral third person singular

She: Third person singular, feminine”

How is “he” gender-neutral, but “she” is distinctly feminine and separate? Sniff sniff…I smell something, and it reeks of chauvinism trying to segregate women in a category that’s deemed of lesser importance.

Well, glock that!

I challenge you all to change the way you use personal pronouns every day. It’s a simple change that makes a huge difference in how we treat and define women as equals.

Everything great eventually comes to an end. But this is just the beginning…

The fruition of this feminist blog has been a long time coming. It’s now ready to be plucked from its branch and shared.

First and foremost, my goal is to stimulate healthy discourse and to motivate people to challenge the status quo. Second, I hope to connect the dots between ideologies of female empowerment and practical applications of feminist theory.  In an allergy-free nutshell, I want to build upon my current beliefs and to become inspired by others.

Everybody’s welcome here.

Inspired by the women’s movement? Know of some great books by feminist women and feminist men? You’ve got my undivided attention. Come join the hot debate on gender and inequality.

Together, we will define what is feminism.

As a woman living in what James Brown called ‘a man’s world’, I know how easy it is to let the chauvinist bullshit we digest on a daily basis eat away at our core like a corrosive chemical. That’s what happens when we internalize too much and don’t try hard enough to find solutions.

In this feminist blog, I’ll take a firm stance and voice my concerns about the traditionally-accepted patriarchy. Along the way, I’ll share proactive ways to counter negative influences on women. After all, nobody likes a chronic complainer who sits around all day pointing their cranky cane at everything left, right, and center.

I will tell it like I see it – no Little Miss Manners here. While I’m not one to run my mouth with profanity like diarrhea, on occasion, you will stumble across some swear words. If that offends you, clearly you’re reading the wrong blog.

I also won’t play you for a fool – my opinion isn’t the be-all, end-all. No pooping plastic here, Barbie. I trip over my words like I sometimes do my feet. But hopefully this personal (yet public) exploration into the realms of feminism will help me (and others) define what it means to be a modern woman dealing with modern dilemmas.

Let’s give them something to glock about!

But before I pull the trigger of my e-glock and target reasons why the fabric of society could use a good washing, I feel it necessary to clearly outline what feminism is and what it isn’t. Seems like there is such a strong and widespread misunderstanding that it turns people off right from the get-go.

According to Dictionary.com:

Feminism

/ˈfɛməˌnɪzəm/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [fem–uh-niz-uhm] – noun

1.	the doctrine advocating social, political, and all other rights of women equal to those of men.

2.	an organized movement for the attainment of such rights for women.

3.	feminine character.

Now, let’s be clear. There are many different sects of feminism just like how there are many different denominations for religion. Lumping everything under one umbrella is like squeezing that 14th clown into the Smart car – it stinks!

In my feminist blog, this is not the type of feminism I promote:

• Man-hating
• Choosing the woman over the man in every scenario

Finally, are all feminists lesbians with short gelled hair? No, but some are. Anyone (female, male, lesbian, gay, bi-curious, asexual, transgendered, hermaphrodite, Yankee fan, glue sniffer, etc.) can be proud to call themselves a feminist. It’s more a way of thinking than it is about appearances. And as we both know all too well, appearances are definitely deceiving.

With all of the above said, we can continue.

Welcome, dear reader! I hope you follow me as I put my personal stamp and sarcasm on social norms, pop culture, and everything else we take for granted. This is my feminist lens, and I hope it helps you see clearly.

Okay, I’m ready to glock!