It’s been one day shy of four weeks since the Women’s March on Washington shook the world – Saturday, January 21st 2017.  While I wish that I had been able to attend one of the peaceful protests that were taking place that day, I still felt very much a part of the movement – thanks to social media.  In fact, every day I feel very much a part of this movement.

There can be a misconception over what feminism actually means.  A gaggle of unshaven women burning their bras in public, letting their breasts hang out and destroying the credibility of men – just some of the misconceived notions.  WRONG!

Feminism demands that women be socially, personally, economically and politically equal to men.  Simply put – all humans are created equally and must therefore be granted equal opportunities.  Seriously, that’s all.  Nothing complicated about it, nothing sinister.  Nobody is trying to belittle you, dear man.  We just want you to shed your narcissistic male chauvinism, because it really is screwing with our lives.  Truly.  It’s not just your opinion, as you like to say on so many occasions.  We know that everyone has a right to opine on matters – we are NOT idiots and we do NOT want to prevent one’s freedom to express oneself.  HOWEVER, when your opinion stretches past private dinner party chatter, that opinion matters – to us, to children, to the world.

Gone are the days of secret banter between a handful of people.  Everyone is listening to you now.  Not that it was okay for you to ever be that way, but that time has gone, so we move on.

That said, Today and Tomorrow, we can and we shall demand and fight for our rights.  As a woman, I stand up for all women and I speak up for all women.  If you’re being mentally or physically abused, I shall stand up and speak up.  If you’re not getting equal pay, yet doing the same fantastic job (or better) than your male co-worker, I shall stand up and I shall speak up.  If you have been extraordinarily successful and people are putting you down for it, I shall stand up and I shall speak up.  If someone discriminates against you for any reason, I shall stand up and I shall speak up.  In support of you making decisions about your body, your mind, your heart, your life, I shall stand up and I shall speak up.  I implore all women and all men to stand up and speak up also.  This is the future of humankind.  #StandUpSpeakUp