The pledge of an evolved feminist

The Pledge of an Evolved Feminist is a personalisation of the ‘The Memorandum of an Evolved Feminist’. In my journey, I questioned, I challenged and sometimes disagreed with basic tenets of the feminist movement. I thought I failed but indeed it was an amazing personal evolution. What good is feminism, if not to make women happier and to sow happiness and harmony in society? I believe my vulnerabilities and imperfections as a feminist have opened the space for a finer feminist to evolve. The pledge I make is founded on gratitude to the feminist movement and is guided by an uncompromising and unwavering desire for happiness and harmony in society. 

The foundational principles of equality and self-determination for which many have fought must  never again be up for debate, but how we each translate the freedom the movement has afforded women – is our lives, in our families, in our communities and in society –  is a personal prerogative. I invite all women to openly make their pledge as Evolved Feminist. How do you commit to live your freedom, your unquestionable right to self determination in a way that fosters happiness and harmony for yourself and in society? 

This is my Pledge:

1. I am Grateful: I am grateful to the feminist movement for making it possible for women to explore all that which is ‘womanly’ possible. With that freedom, I have benefitted from an unlimited ability to make the most informed choices of what I desire for myself and opened up the space to support and encourage other women to achieve their wildest dreams.  

2. I Understand that Equality is a Human Right Issue: I firmly believe that the legal and political equality of the sexes in all spheres of society must never again be up for debate: Not only is it just for women to be able to determine what they want to be, it is a fundamental human right. My right to self determination and the obligation upon society to preserve and protect that right is a course I am ready to defend always. 

3. How I Exercise my Right to Self Determination is my personal Prerogative: My ability to make informed choices for my happiness and to sow harmony in society is a prerogative I hold close to my heart. I encourage other women to use the opportunity the feminist movement has opened up to make choices that support them to be meaningfully happy and to sow happiness in their families, communities and in society. My accomplishments give me much fulfillment but my agency is in finding the balance and pursuing my happiness and forging harmony in society. I understand that collectivism in the pursuit of happiness is a fallacy, I must define happiness on my own terms and conditions. 

4. I Pledge an Unconditional Support to Women: I understand that a woman’s life is complex and I commit to be supportive of women in the plethora of choices they make to build happiness for themselves and to sow harmony in society. From a stay at home mom to a high end executive, to a woman who does it all, I fully support women in the variety of informed choices they make to be the happiest they can be and to sow happiness and harmony in society.  I believe that no contribution borne from an informed choice is superior to the other. I understand that an empowered woman is one who knows what makes her truly happy and pursues it, whether that choice is confined within traditional gender roles or out of it.

5. I Constantly Separate the Public and the Private: I understand that my fights in public aren’t identical with my desires and aspirations in private. I pledge to continue to demand legislation that protects women’s rights in public, that protect women in the workplace. And I will manoeuvre the private in whatever way I see fit and necessary in advancing my happiness and in advancing harmony in my family, my community and in society. I desire to live in a community where men know what it is to be a protector, a provider, a reliable partner. When my achievements in the boardroom become a source of discord and tension, I will find ways to foster happiness and harmony. Separating the public and private isn’t hypocrisy, it is wisdom. I will not mix up the boardroom with the bedroom. Common sense is not cowardice.

6. I see a Woman as a Life giver, a Caregiver and Nurturer: I pledge to take my role as a caregiver and a life giver seriously. I will invest my time in building and educating the younger generation of men and women to know their rights and responsibilities in society. I value the contribution made by every woman as a caregiver. I demand that the feminist movement protects women who have chosen to uphold traditional gender roles as fiercely as the feminist movement protects women who take up conventional gender roles.

7. I Am an Aspiring Matriarch: I aspire to be the cord that holds my family and my community together. I aspire to be the cord that holds society together. I will constantly find ways to sow happiness for myself, for others and in my community. I will find solutions to societal challenges in a fair and balanced manner.

8. I see a Man as an Ally in Building a Harmonious Society: I see a man as a son, a father, a brother, a nephew, a husband and an indispensable partner in building a happy and harmonious society. I will try my best to be selfless in my interactions with them. I will invest my time and energy to lift up good men in society. 

9. I Hope to be a Reliable and Trustworthy Support Structure for Men:  I understand that the success of a man is inextricably linked to the love, support, perseverance and sacrifice of a woman. I pledge to go the extra mile to support the men in my world to be the best they can be and to be a source of happiness and harmony in society.

10. I Am not Rebellious to my Culture nor to my Religion: I was not born in a vacuum and I uphold cultural values that protect women and men and stand up fiercely against those that hurt women and men. I am not rebellious against my culture or her religion. I will embrace cultural and religious values that are unharmful, that seek to sow harmony and I will oppose those that create harm and hurt in society. 

11. I pledge to give Patriarchy a Benefit of Doubt:  I believe that not all forms of patriarchy seek to enslave women. I know that some elements of patriarchy seek to protect me. I consider chivalry as a necessary spice in the relationship between men and women. I encourage men to take up the role of protectors, of providers, of defenders of family and protectors of society. I believe this is a necessary step in dealing with the social scourges in society.

12. I Understand that Relationships are a Matter of Give and Take: I will not allow myself to be a victim of sexist exploitation, but I will be selfless and devoted to giving of herself to build a world that is harmonious and one in which the sexes coexist with respect, love and harmony. I will try to understand men from the perspective of a mother as a function of building a happy society and for enhancing my own happiness. I believe that selflessness is not a weakness and must never be. 

13. I Encourage Women to Uphold their Role in Fostering Humanity and Forging Harmony in Society: I am devoted to women’s empowerment, but my obsession for harmony in society overwhelms me. I know that no one ever walked the surface of the earth without a woman consenting with her body. I will take the responsibility borne from that consent seriously in my approach in fostering harmony in society. 

14. I Value the Uniqueness of my Womanhood: I believe that every creature in the universe is unique. A cat never seeks to bark and does not think a dog is superior because it does. I know my power and I will be relentless in using it. In my world, men and women are equal but they are different enough.

15. I Demands that this Wave of Feminism Focuses on Encouraging Women to Pursue Happiness in any way that is True for them and to Uphold their Duty to Sow Harmony in Society: I believe that feminism has come full circle and we must invite women to come with their culture, with their religion, with their jobs, with their men, with all that defines them and to live a life of tangible happiness and to foster harmony in society. This wave of feminism should be about harmony, love, togetherness and respect. It should be about building a happy you and a harmonious world  for all. It has to be a wave that is devoted to building a harmonious society for women and men to be the best they can be for the good of humanity. 

This is for all women who are committed to building a happy and harmonious society with love, perseverance and selflessness.  If you are that woman, join me on this journey. 

What is your Evolved Feminist pledge? Share your story and your pledge as an Evolved Feminist seeking above all to sow happiness and harmony in society?

Join other women making informed choices to sow happiness and harmony in their families, communities and in society.

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