(But Make Sure Everyone Defines the Term Correctly)
by Dr. Ellen Brandt
All good Americans - and all good humans - should certainly be Feminists and Masculinists, too.
The Democratic Party has embraced divisiveness as a tried-and-true political strategy for decades.
But the recent comments about Feminism from two mature female icons and Hillary Clinton supporters - Ms. Magazine founder Gloria Steinem and former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright - took the divide-to-conquer worldview to a whole new level.
First, Steinem told comedian and (generally biased) pundit Bill Maher that so many young women were voting for Bernie Sanders, because "that's where the boys are."
Now possibly, Steinem was misinterpreted and had the popular 1960 movie, starring Connie Francis and Dolores Hart, on the brain and meant to compare the Sanders campaign to a raucous spring break in Fort Lauderdale. Or possibly, she was resetting female-male stereotypes back to the 1950s at best - or maybe the 1850s.
Still, Steinem's unfortunate comment seemed benign compared to what Secretary Albright, previously considered a venerable role model for American women, said the next day. Albright talked about "a special place in Hell" for women who don't "help each other" politically - ergo, by voting for Hillary Clinton.
Golly, Madame A. Hell must resemble a sold-out rock concert at this point, with not only non-Clinton supporters among Democrats sent there without supper, but also, presumably, the destination of choice for all us Republican or Independent women - shame on us!
OK, I hear you, Dear Readers. Both Steinem's and Albright's comments were essentially pure silliness, albeit in line with the aforementioned divide-voters-to-bully-them campaigns Democrats perpetually utilize, as they attempt to pit sex against sex, ethnic group against ethnic group, religion against religion, and generation against generation.
But we've been hearing some unfortunate remarks from GOP pundits, too - if not, luckily, from our Presidential candidates - as they continue to refer to Feminists as They, rather than as Us - and U.S.
We Support All American Women - and All American Men
In the spirit of our Party of Yes effort, I'd like to propose that we turn the festering sore of anti-Feminist rhetoric around once and for all by embracing the proper definition of the term - and the equivalent but less-used term Masculinist, referring to the basic aspirations of males.
Here is the definition of Feminist that is both the correct historical usage of the term and the one that seeks to unite Americans - and human beings - rather than to divide us:
An American Feminist believes that American women are worthy of and should be given the same opportunities as the opposite sex - American men - in education, in employment, in politics, in culture, and in every other aspect of American life.
Similarly, an American Masculinist believes that American men are worthy of and should be given the same opportunities as the opposite sex - American women - in education, in employment, in politics, in culture, and in every other aspect of American life.
This correct historical definition and interpretation of the term Feminist - and the lesser-used term Masculinist - should be acceptable to and accepted by all Americans of common sense, integrity, and goodwill towards their fellow Americans.
Let's all start utilizing these sensible and acceptable definitions whenever a discussion of the rights of American women - or American men - comes up.
Let's share these definitions in our correspondence and publications.
And let's simply stop ourselves and censor ourselves, if we ever consider talking about Feminists or Masculinists as The Other, rather than as Us - and U.S.
