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An open letter to Katy Steinmetz of Time on whether we need to ban the word “feminist”.

Dear Katy,

Bae, we need to talk about your “Words that should be banned in 2015” article. That thing you wrote for Time makes you some like some basic bitch who’s worried about being bossy concerned she might disrupt the natural order of things by admitting that the word feminist is not only a word that’s never going to be worn out, but one you should be embracing.

How can you, a woman who’s looking to be an empowered voice on the web, suggest that we give that word up?

I can’t even…

I have no doubt you’d rather be an influencer in the world and create powerful articles that change people’s minds. That you worry that, as a woman, if you’re not edgy and unique, you may be relegated to writing silly articles about kale. That you literally worry about using words like “om nom nom” because someone will think you’re a “girl” instead of a “woman”.

But, here’s the thing, Katy. We need that word. Because, and I’m not trying to be obvi here, but when we live in a word where women are not equal, where we’re called names just for being women, where we are paid less, treated as less, respected less, just because of our gender, that word matters.

That word pisses people off because it reminds them that it’s necessary.

“I’m a woman who’s totally okay with being treated like a second class citizen”. – said no one ever.

I think you wrote this because you’re trying to be cool. But, throwing your gender’s equality under the bus to make a point is beyond uncool and makes you look desperate. #sorrynotsorry.

Instead of saying you need to get turnt, I’m going to suggest that maybe you might want to look at this again and consider that you just devalued yourself. You’re smarted than that. You’re more talented than that.

You’re better than that.

Feel me?

Yaaaaasssssss ;-)

p.s. If you speak geek, let me put it this way — “You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means”.

Update: I’d like to add a little note for the editor at Time who thought this post was a good idea.

image via The Oatmeal.

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One Comment

  1. That poll was hijacked by MRAs from 4chan – as has this thread.

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