by Joe Forbes
I’m a feminist. I had no idea I was when I was younger and I don’t know if I ever made a conscience decision to be one. As a young man, I had a couple great female bosses, who gently nudged me in that direction. Of course, I didn’t think about it at the time, but Brenda Sweet and Joyce Fichtner helped mold my expectations of what good leaders should be and they also helped me realize that good leadership was gender-neutral.
However, the event that pushed me over the edge into feminism was becoming a dad - to daughters. I have two amazingly, smart, beautiful girls who - unbeknownst to them, made me a feminist. The reason is - I believe in my daughters and I believe that there is nothing that they can’t do. And there is no-one that can tell them they can or can’t do it. It’s really as simple as that. I have nieces who wrestle. With boys. And they’re good. Their dad is an ultra-conservative, right-wing, former Marine. The last thing he would think of categorizing himself is - would be a feminist. But, when it comes to his girls - the sky's the limit. They can do anything they set their minds to. That’s how I feel.
So-men, embrace your feminist side. Embrace equality. We may be able to write our names in the snow, but the fairer sex is right there to tell us that we spelt it wrong.
First published on LinkedIn