5 for Feminism

Solomother tagged me for this meme making the rounds in celebration of International Women’s Day. I am a feminist. Here are five reasons why:

1. For my daughter whose life, I hope, will be filled with love and the opportunity to learn, live and work according to her intelligence, ambitions and talents.

2. For my son, who deserves do much more and to think more deeply than what some would say is “expected of men.” For my son, I reject the idea that men are less loving, more violent or more dominating than their wives, mothers and sisters.

3. For my husband, who does not have to carry the financial burden of raising a family alone and who does not have to remove himself from all that is warm, loving and nurturing while parenting.

4. For my mother, who was widowed so young and taught us that just because life doesn’t always turn out the way you plan, doesn’t mean that life can’t be OK.

5. For my father’s memory so that through how I live, he might learn that we are OK and rest in perfect peace. We miss him, but losing the head of our family did not drive us into poverty, desperation, and hopelessness. A feminist works not just for her own, but to protect orphans and widows around the world from those three terrible things.  

How and why do you support equality among all people? Why are you a feminist mother or father?