Sir, can you not...

Recently I was accused of not being a feminist because I posted a Beyonce quote on my Instagram for International Women's Day.

For the record, the quote was, "Who run the world, girls". Just saying.

At the time, I didn't really want to get into a racket about it because it wasn't really worth it to me, but now here I am, stewing as per usual, sipping coffee from my new Keurig out of my Rae Dunn "Feminist" mug. And the devil just got right up in me.

The reason it has been festering so much, I feel, is because as women we can literally never do anything right in the eyes of society.

Sexual assault happens because we drink too much or dress provocatively. If we marry young we should have waited to "sow our wild oats", which would then cause us to be labeled as sluts. If we don't marry at all, it's because men don't want us. If we are lesbians, obviously, it's also because men don't want us. Don't want kids? Something must be genetically wrong. Do have kids but stay home? You should get a job. Have kids but work? You're neglecting them. Don't want to sleep with a guy? He just got "friendzoned" because girls only like assholes. In an abusive relationship with one of those assholes? It's our fault because we should just leave.

Like Beyonce? You're not a feminist.

First of all, feminism has zero to do with music. Second of all I'm getting real tired of this idea that because a woman wears pink and gets her nails done and wears lipstick and a bra and shaves, she is not a feminist.

Maybe her nails are done because it's easier to claw out the eyes of men while they mansplain things as though they are superior to women. Maybe she wears lipstick so you can see her mouth better as she is proper schooling you on how wrong you are about what a feminist is. Who knows? Women are mysterious like that.

And just in case you were still a little confused, feminism is this crazy idea that all genders are equal. It's this idea that the safety of a woman is priority over the feelings of a man. It's the belief that a woman, no matter what colour she wears or how long her nails are or what music she listens to, does not need to be cared for or protected.

Feminism is the belief that women deserve equal opportunity and equal pay and equal education and fair treatment. That being smart is more important than being pretty.

I know to some this may seem bananas, but it's true.

It literally has nothing to do with music or makeup or clothes, sorry (jk not sorry).

And not all of us are in your face feminists. Some of us are quietly working to raise our daughters to grow up to be strong, smart, and independent. Quietly fighting to bring better sexual health options to women in their area. Quietly working to have a sexual assault nurse in their emergency department. Quietly speaking to young girls in schools about how to protect themselves and what their options are if they feel they've been sexually assaulted. I don't know, I'm just saying. Hypothetically, of course.

Bottom line is, feminism isn't a little box that a few outspoken women fit into. Sometimes the most unassuming, frilly, manicured girl could be fighting her ass off for women's rights. And maybe sometimes she puts her lipstick on in the rearview mirror and dances around in the car to Beyonce, but that same girl probably also listens to Rage Against The Machine at the squat rack, so watch yourself.

"We are the granddaughters of the witches they couldn't burn."

-unknown