feminism

This event and the movement it’s spawning has the potential to kick some serious ass.

Fortunately, when I look back at my childhood, it was mostly happy. I had parents who loved me. I had plenty of friends. I had access to food and shelter and education and more. Yet even with all my privilege, I don't want my daughter to have the same adolescence as me.

As a mother of boys, I find this trend disturbing. Yes, we need to build up our girls. We need to empower them and teach them that they are capable and viable and powerful — that they are smart and that they matter. But we cannot devalue our boys in the process.

I can feel the air on my thighs and a jiggle in my step after I slip into my gym shorts. My cellulite, which rarely sees the light of day, is hanging out for all to see. My thighs rub together and stubble stands on end without the protective sheath of my capris. I am ready to get my workout on. And I am uncomfortable.

I am shocked, perplexed and a little bit dismayed over the amount of “good liberals” who have pushed my friendship to the point of no return over the term “white feminism." As a matter of fact, I would go so far as to say the cries over white feminism vs. intersectional feminism is the new #BlackLivesMatter vs #AllLivesMatter. You might not see it that way now but you will by next year. Trust me. I’ve been through this before and damn, am I tired.

In the hopes of finding a starting point to engage the complexities of the feminist spiritual experience, I interviewed feminists of different faiths: Hindu, Muslim, Judaism, and Christianity. And their thoughtful, introspective responses to my questions on the reconciliation of feminist politics and religious practice left me wanting to learn even more.

I cannot approve of nor fault Hillary for doing what strong women with ambition and leadership capabilities have known for hundreds of years: to survive in a world dominated by men, sometimes you find yourself picking your battles and aligning with the very ones that would wage war against you.