Relax a little people

Recently I was hanging out with my friend and fellow blogger when she mentioned something about feminism and mainly feminists that got me thinking. She pointed out that some feminists think everything in life is somehow a feminist issue and that they scold other feminists for being lax feminists. I agree with Jessa. Some people need to relax. One example would be people who think that wearing make up or high heels makes you a bad feminist. While beauty standards are usually unattainable without great financial or physical burden, and the whole system is put into place and regulated by men, I do not believe that you cannot be a feminist if you put high heels on. People care about their looks. It is a sad but true fact of our society. Most people want to be physically appealing. I think that as long as people are aware that it is all a bit superficial, there is not any harm in putting an effort into your look. The bigger issue I have with this nit picking of feminist issues is the focus on the mundane things. I feel that the effort would be better served towards changing the multi billion dollar beauty industry and its unrealistic expectations of women. I do not think it is effective to condemn a woman because she wears a skirt. There are bigger issues to deal with in feminism. Stop nitpicking the stupid little concerns. Change will not happen by not wearing make up or high heels because there will still be women who do wear these items. I feel like the focus should be on larger issues like reproductive rights, the wage gap, rape/sexual assault, public harassment, work harassment, exct. I think some people just get a little to crazy with feminism and try to find a feminist element in everything. Not only that, but they try to make this strict regulated world that is the only way to adhere to feminism. I got into feminism because to me, it was a community that had open arms to all kinds of people and beliefs. If I wanted to follow a strict code of conduct I would be a right wing nut. Stop ridiculing everything women do as unfeminist, ridiculing everything women do is strictly for the right wing sexists. Now obviously there are some women who claim they are feminists that need to be called out for the bullshit (Sarah Palin, concerned women for America, Ann coulter, and Elizabeth haseelback to name a few). But those women are like sticks in the mud, you can pick them out right away. Some of the most awesome feminists (in my humble opinion) wear make up and/or high heels (Jessica valenti, Amanda Marcotte, and the alpha female Gloria Steinem). Somehow these amazing feminists manage to be awesome while simultaneously wearing make up and such! So my point is, relax people. Do not turn on each other, we need a strong sense of community to get anything accomplished.