Happy Women's Equality Day!

Hello Friends! Happy Women's Equality Day!

"Rosie the Riveter" by Norman Rockwell (1943)

Women's Equality Day was established in order to commemorate the passage of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, which granted women the right to vote.  The observance not only commemorates the 19th Amendment, but it also brings attention the continuing effort at securing the rights of women.

There was a time when I once started sentences with "I'm not a feminist, but..."  Thankfully, a wonderful coworker of mine clued me in to what the definition of feminism really is.  Believe it or not, you can be a feminist without burning your bra or refusing to shave your armpits.  In reality, a feminist is anyone who believes that men and women should have equal rights.  So if you believe that women should have the right to vote, to own property, to have equal pay, then you are a feminist.

Here is the definition of feminism according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary...

"Feminism." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 26 Aug. 2013. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/feminism.

So guess what?  You are probably a feminist and you didn't even know it!  Feminism has nothing to do with bashing men.  It has nothing to do with wanting to be men.  It has nothing to do with abandoning femininity.  It just means that you believe that men and women should have equal rights.

For an even better description of what feminism is, watch this adorable video of a super smart (and super cute) girl who tells it like it is...

So happy Women's Equality Day!  Do your part in supporting the rights of women by passing this post along to your friends who don't realize that they are feminists yet.