Speaking on the first United State of Women held in the White House last June, President Obama said "This is what a feminist looks like." Following that pronouncement is a powerful essay that is titled with the exact words, written by the president himself who proudly declares himself a feminist.
On the President's 55th birthday, Glamour Magazine released online an essay Obama personally wrote about his take on feminism. He talks about the fight of women throughout history that has led to the equal opportunities being enjoyed by both men and women today.
"...one thing that makes me optimistic for them [daughters, Sasha and Malia] is that this is an extraordinary time to be a woman. The progress we’ve made in the past 100 years, 50 years, and, yes, even the past eight years has made life significantly better for my daughters than it was for my grandmothers. And I say that not just as President but also as a feminist," he wrote.
He continued further, noting the roles women have taken in society that were unimaginable before. The progress is remarkable, according to the President but he acknowledges that there is still a long way to go in the fight for gender equality.
"At the same time, there’s still a lot of work we need to do to improve the prospects of women and girls here and around the world. And while I’ll keep working on good policies—from equal pay for equal work to protecting reproductive rights—there are some changes that have nothing to do with passing new laws," he wrote. "In fact, the most important change may be the toughest of all—and that’s changing ourselves."
He goes against gender stereotypes in society and how these backward notions do nothing to help the nation move forward for the better. He calls people from all genders to stop focusing on meeting societal standards of what a woman and a man should be, and instead work on being themselves.
"We need to keep changing the attitude that raises our girls to be demure and our boys to be assertive, that criticizes our daughters for speaking out and our sons for shedding a tear. We need to keep changing the attitude that punishes women for their sexuality and rewards men for theirs," the President detailed.
"We need to keep changing the attitude that permits the routine harassment of women, whether they’re walking down the street or daring to go online. We need to keep changing the attitude that teaches men to feel threatened by the presence and success of women."
"We need to keep changing the attitude that congratulates men for changing a diaper, stigmatizes full-time dads, and penalizes working mothers. We need to keep changing the attitude that values being confident, competitive, and ambitious in the workplace—unless you’re a woman. Then you’re being too bossy, and suddenly the very qualities you thought were necessary for success end up holding you back," he wrote.
President Obama took pride in what he and wife, Michelle, have taught their daughters. Malia and Sasha were trained to speak up when they see a double standard or discrimination based on gender or race. Parents should do the same to their children, regardless of how stubborn society can be.
"And yes, it’s important that their dad is a feminist, because now that’s what they expect of all men," President Obama continued.
He went on to emphasize Clinton's nomination as a historic event in the fight for gender equality. Before women had no rights to vote, and now women can be voted themselves, even in the highest position of the land.
He ends his essay with a powerful statement on what 21st century feminism should be: "the idea that when everybody is equal, we are all more free."
According to Business Insider, Obama is the first President to publicly declare that he is a feminist. As per The New York Times, Chairwoman of the gender studies department at Indiana University, Brenda Weber, was delighted that "a politician at that level of influence" would release "all pretty radical statements" on feminism.
Do you agree with President Obama's thoughts on feminism? Which points did you like the most and which ones do you disagree with? Comment below your reaction and follow Parent Herald for more news and updates.
