Damsel in Distress

So recently we've been talking about the term "feminist" in class and how it comes with a negative social connotation. Well this morning a possible explanation for what a feminist actually is came to me.

Take the story of a damsel in distress. A beautiful woman is taken captive by a maniacal male villain. She has been tied up and left on the train tracks to perish by the approaching train, unless the brawny and handsome male love interest comes to rescue her.

While this story is cute and romantic, it leaves the audience with the implication that the damsel wasn't smart, cunning, or independent enough to sit up and scoot her butt off of those pesky metal rails.

So we have the "feminist" version of this story. Now this is where I see the problem arising. When the average person thinks of a "feminist" they probably see this:

The damsel in distress is taken captive by a maniacal male villain. She has been tied up and left on the train tracks to perish. Enter the brawny and stupid male love interest; he has come to rescue her, and lets the "feminist" damsel know this. But rather than accepting his help, the "feminist" decides that she can do it all by herself. She sharply spits, "How dare you assume I'm helpless, you ignorant prick! What do you think I am? Some treasure or prize you can claim for your "valiant" and "courageous" efforts? Well too bad, because I can free myself without a man needing to help me!" She then proceeds to cut herself free, storm pass the awestruck man without the whisper of a "thank you for the thought of helping save my life," and leaves him as the train speeds by throwing a cloud of dust into the abandoned man's face.

Now again, I have a feeling this is the idea that most people have from "feminists." They see us as some sort of crazy, power hungry, tyrannical-sort-of-bitch that can't accept any help from something with a XY chromosome. This is a problem. So, in order to make it more appropriate for what "feminists" really are, I've written my own version of this melodramatic tale.

The damsel in distress is taken captive by a maniacal male villain. She has been tied up and left on the train tracks to perish. Enter the intelligent and average-looking male love interest; he has come to rescue her, and asks the true feminist damsel if he can help in anyway. But by this time, the damsel has already scooted herself off of the track, out of the way of the speeding train, and was in the process of finding a sharp rock to cut herself free. She notices the caring man and says to him, "Hey, would you mind helping me cut this binding rope from my body? It would really narrow down on the time it takes me to escape..." The love interest replies, "Why of course! I'm here to help, and help I shall! In fact, I brought a knife that will be much more effective for freeing you." He carefully cuts the rope, as she wiggles out of the binding in order to make the process easier, and helps her off of the ground because it's easier on her knees this way. The damsel looks at her helpful partner and says, "Thanks for coming to make sure I was safe; now let's go find that manipulative villain and make sure he doesn't cause any more problems for the other towns-folk." The two leave the scene holding hands knowing that they share a bond of love and equality in their healthy relationship.

So it's a little more involved to represent what a feminist actually is, but it is extremely important that the population knows "feminists" aren't just some crazy women trying to take revenge on the male sex. Feminism is about equality, and that's it. It's about caring for people no matter what sex, creed, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or race. It's about being human, equally.

So the next time someone says they don't understand what those "crazy feminists" are "whining about," remember this tale, and help make the feminist name something worth calling yourself.