How does politics impact your gender?
i'm pretty sure all of my politics are feminist politics. i hate the word 'feminist'; it always makes me think of angry boot-wearing lesbians who hate men and yell a lot. not that there is anything wrong with boot-wearing lesbians; it's the implied anger that gets me. to me, feminism should be about equality more than anger. feminism doesn't mean making women more than; it means making people equals.
i believe that misogyny is the root of all evil. hatred of women leads to violence against women, violence against straight men because of women, violence against gay men, violence against anyone who is perceived as violating the gender binary. homophobia is misogyny. transphobia is misogyny. patriarchy does not have to be misogyny, but is so often (mis)interpreted that way. in that sense, all of my politics and certainly all of my political activism are feminist, because those are the things i work to end.
i don't know if my identity as a femme/female strengthens my resolve politically, but i am sure that my dedication to anti-misogynistic causes has strengthened my pride in my woman identity. fighting misogyny that affects others has helped me to overcome my own internalized misogyny against myself, and that--that has to be worth something.
