SO SERIOUSLY...WHAT EXACTLY DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?

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Feeling a little feminist, are we?

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In a previous editorial, I made a statement that I still stand by:

"If every position of leadership and decision-making

were occupied by a woman,

we’d have the problems of the world solved in a week."

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I received a number of positive replies to that statement, and even one “You go girl!” was in there.

But I did get one interesting reply from someone who first shared that they found my editorial an enjoyable read, but then followed with, "feeling a little feminist, are we?"

I thought about that for awhile, and the only reply I could come up with was, “Huh?”

Keep in mind I was born in the mid sixties, so during the feminist heyday, I was riding my bike and going through puberty.

I was discovering that I had to wear a bra, and was too young to know that I was supposed to burn it.

And the high school debate was all about what Rod Stewart was really talking about when he was asking if we thought he was sexy.

So by the time the 80s and 90s rolled around, the shenanigans of the feminist movement seemed to fade, and for some reason, the word “feminist” became a bad word?

I decided to give this a little more thought and some extensive googling and I’m still confused.

So I’ve come up with a short list of comparisons to see if I could come up with an answer to exactly what it is — that I am.

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I’m a big fan of chivalry.

Why not hold the door open for me?

It’s the least you can do considering one of our kind gave birth to you at some point.

(not a feminist?)

I will gladly

hold the door open for any man, especially if he’s carrying something heavy and bringing it to my car.

(feminist?)

I’m perfectly capable

of taking out the garbage.

I may need to make two trips but who cares as long as I get the job done.

(feminist?)

But I’d still rather

you take out the garbage.

It’s smelly.

(not a feminist?)

I agree wholeheartedly

that in many circumstances, men are physically capable of moving heavier things.

(not a feminist?)

But women seem to instinctively know

the more efficient place to put that heavy thing, because odds are I'll be vacuuming around it.

(feminist?)

I don’t need

to rely on my looks, and wear fashionable clothes to prove my worth and value as a human being on this planet.

(feminist?)

I really like

wearing shoes with a bit of a heel.

It’s a great way to steer attention away from my Polish-inherited cankles.

(not a feminist?)

I don’t need makeup

to create an illusion of my worth for the sake of male attention.

(feminist?)

I won't

leave the house without eyeliner.

(not a feminist?)

I should not

have to wear a bra, as it feeds the stereotype of female constriction created by males.

(feminist?)

It took so many years

for me to finally find a bra that fits and doesn’t have me wanting to rip it off in the car by 4:30pm.

Sorry. I ain’t burning it.

(not a feminist?)

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Well there you have it.

It seems that I still don't know what I don’t know.

But what I do know

is that if being a feminist includes;

the liberation to be more confident, courageous, content and not care so much about what other people think, regardless of what gender is thinking it,

then sign me up, hold my purse, and where’s my badge.

In the meantime,

I’ll leave you with the words to a great song you may find yourself humming after this.

C'mon people now,

smile on your brother,

everybody get together,

Try to love one another,

right now...

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By Johanna Socha . January . 2026

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