Here comes the bride, all dressed in feminism.

“Democracy does not guarantee equality of conditions - it only guarantees equality of opportunity.” - Irving Kristol
Sorry for the hiatus in posting. Work was stressful which really takes away from my motivation. Plus, I moved into a house so that has been hectic. HATE MOVING! And **drumroll please** my boyfriend proposed to me so we are engaged!!! Attempting to plan a wedding while moving, working, living, writing, thinking, worrying, is quite hectic. Now I know why weddings take so long to plan. We will be having ours sometime next fall, most likely toward the end of September or the first week of October.

Anyway! The last thing I want to do when I get home from a day infront of the computer is sit infront of my computer. I'm pretty sure I've said that before.... But even if it is sitting infront of the computer and writing about feminism, sometimes it can get a tad depressing. It weighs down on me having to hear about these politicians decide the health and happiness of millions of women. I don't care if it's a wrinkly old man or a young woman, I do not want anyone telling me or any woman out there how to live. Nobody should be forced to have a child they do not want just because someone else out there has an issue with abortion. Lately, these churches around my town have been posting large banners and little white crosses saying "Pray to end abortion." and "Everyday 4,000* babies are killed because of abortion." Let's get one thing straight, I DO NOT like abortion, nobody does. Even if you support it, you do not like it. You just realize the risks involved in forcing someone to have a child they do not want, the risks involved in forcing a woman with severe health issues having a child, in forcing a victim of rape or incest to have a child, etc. If someone wishes to keep their fetus/child/baby/what-have-you, that is their choice. We live in America, we believe in liberty (and if you do not know the definition, I encourage looking it up), in freedom, in equality, in opportunity, in achieving our dreams, bettering the economy, being the best at things worth bragging about. We do not believe in stifling the dreams of others based on our own beliefs and dictating someone else's life and freedoms based on our chosen way of life.
*Couldn't remember the exact number, made it up based on my foggy memory.

Driving to work one morning I saw a woman with the bumper sticker "Moms drive America." and it had Romney's website on it. I know Obama probably has a similar bumper sticker for moms. His is something like, "Obama Mama". But it really got to me and made me think that the only value I have to society is that I can bear children in a pro-life/Republican/Conservative's eyes. I will give them the benefit of the doubt and say maybe that isn't the ONLY value they see I have, but to me it feels like it's the most important one to them. I am more than that. I have had dreams that I have accomplished thanks to my education and the opportunities I was given to not have children. I am saving money to buy a house, to feed myself, pay my bills, pay for my wedding, and to help educate, feed, and take care of my future children.

Something I have been thinking about a lot is this whole thing about equality and how granting women access to free birth control will make them equal. While some are confused and yelling, "But men do not use the pill, an IUD, the shot, or Nuvaring! HOW IS THAT EQUALITY?!" Let's just settle down for a second and look at the bigger picture. Do men become pregnant? No, they cannot (unless they are trans). And that is the equality we are asking for. If one does not have to worry about becoming pregnant, then one can accomplish more in life before they sit down and decide, "Yes, I am ready to take care of one or more children." They can finish high school, go to college, get their masters degree then doctorate, travel, study, teach, learn, and overall add to the intelligence and accomplishments of society to make our country a better place. I like to think of it as "Quality, not quantity."

I know not all of those reading this blog live in America or are U.S. citizens, but hopefully you all see the importance of feminism and equality. Ignore the politicians' names and see the bigger picture and how important you can be to your family, community, city, country, and to the world. If you are religious and hold your convictions close to you, if you are spiritual in any sense, if you believe in a higher-power, if you are atheist, if you believe in evolution, or in anything or nothing at all, please realize that you cannot force your beliefs onto others and that when you try to you become the oppressor and in turn create the oppressed. You are hurting those you judge, ridicule, tease, torture, and punish, which just breeds more hatred in our world and causes deep pain. It does not create love and harmony, we travel further and further away from a happy world. It should not make you feel better about yourself to do this, if it does then I hope you one day realize the ignorance and pain you spread across the world and through the minds, emotions, and feelings of others.