Anti-feminist bull

I am steaming over comments by Gloria Steinem and Madeleine Albright implying that women have to support Hillary Clinton to be considered feminists. Equally infuriating is the implication that as a young woman, the only thing on my political agenda is chasing a campaign where I might at long last be able to complete my MRS degree. I haven’t fully experienced inequalities that affected previous generations of women, but I’ve felt my value ignored too many times for comfort.

We, as women, must constantly work to be strong-willed and educated and to demand respect from others so that we might play a part in creating a system of equality for ourselves. Insisting that women blindly follow someone rather than form our own opinions is the most anti-feminist bull to be forced down the throats of female voters so far.

To truly make a difference and gain well-deserved respect, this generation should stand together in choosing a candidate we believe in.

Bottom line: Equality begins when my vote is trusted to be a reflection of my beliefs and desires for this country. How silly of me to believe all this time we were fighting for the right to voice our opinions and think independently, when the goal was to become political puppets.

This story was originally published February 19, 2016 at 8:40 PM with the headline "Anti-feminist bull."