Happy International Women's Day!

Here's a little quote from Sady Doyle of Tiger Beatdown, telling you to wave your feminism flag high and don't worry about being the epitome of feminism or stamping out every single wrong all at once or you're not doing it right:

sometimes, the bravest and most activist thing you do — and the most annoying, if you’re into that sort of thing — is to just step out there and be as feminist as you please, all on your own [emphasis mine]

Be yourself.  Or if you're not happy with how you've been being, be better.  Do new things until you find the things that make you feel good and smile when you catch yourself in the mirror.  Fashion is not always important, but wear something that makes you walk tall.  Eat.  Eat for health and eat for pleasure and don't apologize for it. Go take just one bellydance class.  Do this, you'll thank me I swear.

 Remember that at the end of the day, even ladies you don't like very much are your allies, and if you think really hard you might like them more than you think.  Re-think statements like, "I like being friends with men better" and ask yourself a lot of questions.

Ask lots of questions-- do not be quiet!  Being quiet gets us in a lot of trouble, even if being loud does, too.  Voices carry.

Remember that it's OK to be proud if there's centuries or millennia of history where you were devalued. Be valued now.  It's OK to be proud of good things, and remember that the definition of good is changing for the better.

If you are paying attention, you will be mad a lot.  It's OK to be mad-- it isn't your period, and when it is, that's OK too.

Remember that though the patriarchy is full of grade-A powerful douchebags, but it's more full of dudes who don't know any better, and they are capable of change. Also there are LOTS of guys in there who are great, who are feminists, who aren't feminists yet.  And all of them can be.  And when they all are, and we all are, we won't need the word anymore except to look back and remember how it used to be.