The value of an opinion is the entitlement to it, and yet, that value has gone down in flames.
Recently, I read the Harper’s Bazaar interview with celebrity Kirsten Dunst about being feminine that has feminists in an uproar with the following comment: “Sorry, but men need to be men and women need to be women. That’s how relationships work.”
It should’ve ended there. Opinions are what give people the opportunity to say what’s on their minds. Opinions are established on values, beliefs and things that we’re taught. If everyone decided to be angry about every little thing said by others, then everyone would be angry until the day they die. That’s what happened. People started throwing “You’re hindering women’s progress!”
I’m a woman, and I was not offended by the interview, because who cares? What one woman believes should not be influenced by every other woman — the way we dress, the way we put on make-up, the way we like to binge watch How I Met Your Mother — in the end, shouldn’t feminism mean to empower every woman in the way of her own choosing?
I like to describe myself as a laid-back, independent person. However, that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy getting “girly” sometimes. It doesn’t mean that I don’t embrace chivalry when a man opens a door for me or helps me lug something I can’t across campus. It doesn’t mean that I don’t appreciate having a man take me out on a date when he wants to pay or pulls out the chair for me.
No, I don’t even consider that anything but an act of kindness. It doesn’t lessen my worth as a woman. It’s just a person helping another person because an act of kindness goes a long way. Shouldn’t the way we treat each other be more important than the gender that’s doing the action?
Before the pitchforks get sharpened or the angry emails flood in, let me tell you something: You don’t know someone until you understand what experiences they’ve had. Experiences are personalized and are individualistic. No two perspectives are alike and thus, no one’s opinions are going to be exactly thought out similarly.
Respect the women in the military, in the workplace and also, the women who are stay-at-home moms. Help the woman who is harassed or discriminated against. Respect her not because she is a woman, but because she is a fellow person.
It doesn’t mean you have to change what you believe. One opinion does not hinder your own progress in life. One opinion does not change your character. One opinion does not mean you’re less-than. You’re in charge of you. Give others the freedom to be themselves, even if it offends. They’re entitled to it.
However, the way we choose to respond can define the type of person you are. Take your pick.
Hannah Yang is a junior studying journalism and a writer for The Post. What’s your definition of feminism? Email her at hy135010@ohiou.edu.
