Having a little rant – Feminism, #MeToo & #TimesUp – Part 1

There are many people I look up to in this world, in fact I could easily make a list of 100 people right here, right now – I won’t, but I could. I will name a few, just to give you an idea.

My Gan Gan, my Gan Gan is my grandfather on my Father’s side, he was the kindest person I’ve ever met. Unfortunately he passed away just over two years ago from cancer. My Gan Gan was more than I could ever dreamed of, he treated everyone with respect and gave everyone he met a chance. He was a catholic man who enjoyed going to mass each weekend. He believed in God and he believed in same love. He believed that everyone should be allowed to love who they love. He was a gentlemen, he loved his four granddaughters more than anything and every time he seen us his face lit up. Up until he was too sick to walk, he brought my Grandmother breakfast in bed, he adored her and I’m so grateful for him for loving her so much and being the best husband he could.

My Mother – my Mother left my father when I was fourish, maybe five. She walked from his emotional and domestic abuse and left everything she knew and loved behind. She left her friends, her dream job and her house, with no money and had to return back to her own Mother. She has worked everyday of her life with no help from my Father to buy me and my three sisters school books, uniforms, a roof over our head and food to eat. She has given us everything she had and hasn’t asked for anything in return. By doing all of this, she has missed out on some things and recently she’s decided to start over and face things she’s never faced before and work towards her and it is a movement I’m proud to be apart of.

My Three sisters – they are strong feminists raised by a single Mother, they are kind, intelligent and hilarious. They work hard for every single thing they’ve ever gotten and have never taken anything for granted. We, together, know a life that hasn’t been great and we’ve been judged and discriminated and we’ve been hurt but what we know is love and laughter. We know how lucky we are to have each other.

I am a feminist.

I’ve said and will always stand up and say #MeToo.

I will always scream #TIMESUP from the top of my lungs until I’m heard.

I have a great group of girl friends and I treasure all of them so much, but some of the best friends I’ve ever had have been males. In fact, one of my male friends, who now lives on the other side of the world is a person I’d pick if I had to pick anyone to hang out with ever, apart from my family or my dog, because I love spending time with him that much.

Why am I saying this? Because I do not hate men.

For sometime now, there has been this stigma around Feminism. I think because it sounds like Feminine people think Females. Yes, feminists are females but they are also males. Feminists are females and males standing together as one looking for equal rights.

Feminist: The person who believes in social, political and economic equality of the sexes.

So, let me say this IF I was in a job and I was doing the exact same job as the male sitting across form me and we’ve have been in the job the same amount of time, we should be on the same amount of money. I do not want to be paid more them him and I don’t think he should be paid more than me, we are doing the same job.

If he was in fact there longer than me and the pay goes up each year you work there – that’s fine. If he worked more hours than me – goes without saying he’s earning more. If he has more responsibility – he deserves the raise. However, if we clock in at the exact same time and clock out at the exact same time and do the exact same job everyday – na, we both deserve the same money and respect.

By the way, I know some managers (including female managers) won’t give women the promotion because she might get pregnant, well that is complete BULLSHIT and you need to check yourself and think about the best candidate for the job not the fact that they may get pregnant because that shouldn’t even be on your checklist. On that subject, men/women deserve more paternity leave, they should be paid because they are needed at home with their partners and their babies.

I guess I’m a crazy person for wanting the same thing for male and females, right? Is that why people think feminists are angry assholes? Is it simply because they are the ones who are calling BULLSHIT and TIMES UP for the males and females all over this world or is it because you’re afraid? Afraid of confrontation? Afraid of the truth? It’s ok to be afraid – but challenge it – ask yourself ‘why am I mad about this?’.

I am a big fan of Liam Neeson, he’s Irish and his work is some of the best – I am not a fan of him calling the #MeToo Movement a “Witchhunt”……. more on that tomorrow, stay tuned for more rants!

Lots of love,

Belle x