November 23, 2007

Living in a Material World, and I am a Feminist Girl

When we immerse ourselves in a mission, like ending sexism, we often forget that there other causes worth fighting for. Just look at PETA. Their valuable message is clouded by their sex-saturated ads and radical scare-tactics.

Anarchist values and feminism go hand in hand, even if we aren't passing out "Fight the Power!" buttons at Planned Parenthood rallies. Today in particular is the time to remember our roots.

As you probably know, today is Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving that promises mega-savings and mega-crowds at your local shopping mall. In protest, it's Adbuster's Buy Nothing Day, an informal day in which people are urged to shun consumerism and, in essence, buy nothing.

Even if you don't support the Adbuster's cause, and even if you did buy a sandwich today (I was hungry!), it's important to remember that as feminists, we have a certain responsibility. It's not enough to just fight sexism. That's only the first step. It is our duty to speak out against any atrocity, whether that be homophobia, genocide, or racism.

Just do what you feel is right, and protest what you feel is wrong. That's what feminism is all about.