Raising a feminist son.
Written by: Ariel M.
Yeah, I said it. My son will be raised to be a feminist. Before you keep scrolling, let’s dig into the actual definition of feminism... Feminism: political, social, and economic equality for all sexes See? It’s not about one sex rising to power over another. It’s not about dominion at all. In fact, feminism has a lot to do with respect regardless of sex. We try to be very intentional in our house with our words and actions to teach our little how to be a feminist.
Raise your hand if you have ever heard one or more of the following phrases:
-You ____ like a girl!
-Boys don’t cry!
-You’re acting like a girl!
-You can’t do that, you’re a girl!
I could go on, but I’ll stop right there. There is nothing negative about females.
I will say it again for the people in that back: THERE IS NOTHING NEGATIVE ABOUT FEMALES.
Considering a female gave him life, my son will certainly be taught that females are to be respected. We make a conscious effort to not use language that would never put down a female. It can be hard because these are phrases that WE grew up hearing. Breaking the generational mold can be touchy, but especially with this topic, it is necessary! So, my boy wants to help his mommy clean, great! He will know how to take care of himself and be an active partner when he lives with someone in the future. Yeah, I have no issue if he wants to play with a baby doll. He is learning how to be caring and compassionate. If you have a problem with that, then maybe you need to practice with a baby doll. I don’t compare my son to a girl when he cries. Crying is okay. Crying is natural. Neither sex is wrong for crying. Plus, I don’t want my son growing up thinking that being compared to a female is detrimental. That gives the notion that being a female is somehow bad, and it’s not. Not only do we show him how to show respect with our words, we show respect to him as a person with our actions. Never do we try to force or goad our son into being affectionate if he says no or shows signs that he is not feeling hugs. That’s okay. He is allowed to make decisions for his body and personal space. That is his right as a human being. My goal is that he will learn through our actions how to respect someone else’s body and space. This is not a how-to with five easy steps to getting a feminist son. This is just me sharing my thoughts and ideas hoping that it resonates with another parent out there. It might not change the whole world, but it can change somebody’s whole world! I’ll let you know in ten years how it works out for me! ;)
Love and light,
Ariel
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Ariel is a blogger and proud wife and mama of a young gentleman. She writes a lot about Midwest livin' and has some fun recipes and meal prep ideas.
To learn more about her blog, click here. You can also follow her on Instagram.
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