honeygash:

I really don’t care if men identify as feminists. Oftentimes, I feel that men call themselves feminists and then feel as if their actions aren’t subject to criticism because they came from a “male feminist” (“no, I could never intend something that way, I’m a feminist!”). It…

I do care. I care a lot.

I hate that “feminism” is so often relegated to middle class white girls - like myself - and that other people feel left out or cast out, for any number of reasons. Feminism isn’t just for girls like me. Fuck, it isn’t even just for girls. FEMINISM IS FOR EVERYONE.

I agree that there are people who use the word “feminist” to excuse their actions, as if that sort of self-identification makes their transgressions null and void, and I agree that this is wrong. However, I don’t see that problem as being unique to feminism and I don’t see it as reason enough to exclude “men” from being feminists either.

Feminism is about respect and equal rights and it’s about love - for yourself and for other people. The sooner people get hip to those facts, and their further-reaching implications, the sooner we’ll see real reform.