James Bagley

Period 2
What I meant not what I said
Today we will be discussing the virtues and greatness of the feminist movement, an institution
dedicated completely to womens equality. This is an issue that I am very strongly supportive of,
because by it and through it is the only way out of the discrimination towards the female sex. I myself
am a basic feminist. I am not an extreme feminist, as the ideas of this group are cultish and not of what
feminism is about. Feminism is about equality, not hate. Today I will give you an accurate and true
description of what feminism really is. And so, without further ado, I begin. Ladies and gentlemen, I am
proud to say that you are all feminists. Or at least, I should say, ladies and men. We all know that men
are not and cannot be gentle. And if you do not believe this then you are a misogynist who deserves to
be locked in a prison until you realize the values of femininity and the oppressions woman-kind has
faced for millennia. Not that this will do you men any good, as throughout all of history you have
proven time and time again that you will not give the woman the respect she deserves. Lets go back to
the revolutionary war for a prime example of the under appreciation and hate men subjugate women
to.
It is 1775, and British troops are in America. What are they doing here? The crown has sent a
militia over to suppress an uprising in the colonies. These two groups did not get along, and eventually,
in Concord, Massachusetts, the two armies met. Armies consisting of all men, of course, because the
womans spirit was not strong enough at the time to fight the dominating men of the era. So here at
Concord it was time for the woman to take a stand! As the colonists and the royal army stood at the
bridge, an unknown soldier fired a shot that started the Revolutionary war and eventually led to the
creation of the United States. One would think that the male race, being so proud of its country, would
remember the soldier who fired the shot that led to its conception, but that didnt happen, did it? And

Ill tell you why. Because it was no man that fired a shot, but a brave woman who wanted to fight back
against men. No man is going to want to give a woman credit for doing something great. Because of
their proud and vain nature they claim that the identity of the shooter has been lost to history but I tell
you this is simply not true. The testosterone-poisoned monsters have led you to believe a lie, that the
United States of America is a product of their works and their works alone. They will not allow their
inflated egos to be hurt by allowing the fact that a woman is the creator of our great country, when in
fact, nothing has been truer. And I can prove it, too. We all know that men are inherent liars and
cheats, as history has proven. History doesnt lie. Many great men have achieved their greatness
through deception. Men have also been the primary recorders of history. So who better to hide the
impact of women on history to those who come after than the liars who put themselves in charge of
recording history? Even the name has oppression built into it. History is a blatantly obvious way of
saying his story, inherently excluding the marvelous achievements of women.
We can look back to early twentieth century aviation to demonstrate this. When it came to solo
flights across the Atlantic Ocean, Charles Lindberg was the first person to do so, with Amelia Earnhardt
as the first woman to do so. Notice the word choice separating people and women from each other, as
if we are something entirely different from men. This is completely and utterly untrue! Also, what is
Amelia famous for in history? She is remembered for a failure in an attempt to perform a solo flight
around the world. How unjust is this? She was an inspiration to millions of young girls, being and
excellent example of strength and independence from men, and she is remembered for a failure? The
past is typically not remembered by failures. It is my firm belief that men could not stand the idea of a
woman beating them to circumnavigation in a solo flight and sabotaged her flight, and killing Amelia off
so she could never let the communal womans spirit hear of their plight, and rise up against mens rule
in an act of revenge.

These examples demonstrate the effects that overbearing patriarchy has had on humanity since
its onset thousands of years ago. They show that my words are not extreme, radical feminism in any
way, but simply are reasonable words dedicated to a change for the betterment of society. Look at our
representation in the government. There are very few women, while half of the populous is female. Is
this fair? The answer is an astounding no. There needs to be a change in society. Women need to be
more involved in everyday life. Too often we sit back and stay home to be wives and mothers, tending
to housework as expected by gender roles made permanent through a long time of mens rule. But
what can be done? Actually there are many things you can do in your daily life that will assist in the
feminist movement. Here are just a couple of them.
While walking into a building or a room, a man may be there to open the door for you. When
this happens, do not accept the help he is offering you. What may seem like a nice gesture is actually
a subtle device used to belittle and gain control over women. That common courtesy actually does
nothing but show that women are even incapable of opening their own doors, and men are needed to
help with this. As a people how can we be expected to be independent if we cannot open a simple
door? We cant be, and that is why this simple thing is of such importance. The next time a man tries to
open a door for you, you tell him no and make sure he knows why. Social reform cannot be brought
about without the reasons for the change being known. Without reasons an idea will never get traction
driving on the road to accomplishment. Let these ideals be known. Maybe it is convenient, and maybe
you really do not want to open that door yourself, but there is a greater good at stake here. Do not give
in to selfish and vain reasoning which does nothing but inhibit the progress of our great cause. There is
enough opposition already, resistance from within could be catastrophic.
Another simple thing all of us can do to further the noble cause of our movement is to point out
all of the oppressions we see in everyday life, especially those on social media. All of us know people
that post misogynistic comments. All of us have those friends that post misogynistic comments online,

whether they are obvious like women in the kitchen jokes, or more subtle, like a cute post about how
he wants his wife to be a mother when he is married, the oppression needs to be shown. Most men
and some womenhave been so indoctrinated into this dogma that they do not even know these things
are oppressive. Honestly, for a man to say that he wants a woman who will stay at home and be a
mother is not cute, but a disgusting statement of self-acclaimed superiority. What is being said is that
he wants a woman that will do what he wants her to do, and will not accept anything else. It takes a
real pig of a man to deny a woman her right to be what she wants to be and subjugate her into a life
spent almost entirely in the home. Such a thing is cruelty to the highest degree. It is treatment
unrivaled by the darkest times history has shown us. For physical pain is no match for the psychological
scarring which results from this abuse towards our gender.
Ladies, it is time for a revolution, so grand the likes of which have not been seen since the Pax
Romana of Europe! It is time that we pull ourselves out of the dark age of submission and acceptance of
a patriarchal, dictatorial rule of a violent, unintelligent, faction of the human race that dedicates
themselves wholly to the oppression of and rule over women. And as has been stated, this benefits men
too. Men also can and should be feminists. When the genders achieve a true equality, then and only
then society will prosper. Feminism is for the greater good of all, not just women. Feminism doesnt
imply that it is something only for women. If nothing else about this essay gets across to the reader let
it be those two statements. At its most basic levels, feminism is about equality for all people, as I have
just described. This essay is not purposed to fight against men but rather to promote equality between
the genders. As you read and study it I know you will begin to see that feminism is a beautiful ideology
about the betterment of society. The views are not extreme, not even close. The ideas may come off as
harsh to those with a narrow mind about the social issues that have plagued humanity for millennia, yet
they are out there as a beacon of hope for all who need to come to the light. It is my sincerest wish that

you all may participate in the blessings that feminism brings. Thank you for your time spent reading and
enlightening yourself to this higher understanding. :)