Individualism

  Every once in a while, I am given a glimpse of fear, crazy, and misunderstanding. On Monday night, a threat was placed at my university, Utah State University, to have the "biggest school shooting in the history of America" if a feminist speaker spoke on Wednesday. The feminist speaker is a video game critic and speaks out on the portrayal of women in video games. The person who placed the threat claims that feminists  have ruined his life and that he will have his revenge. Because of the laws in Utah, the most the university could have done to prevent the shooting would be to not allow bags or backpacks into the speaker's venue. The speaker canceled her presentation.
  Today, I was uneasy about going on campus because everyone around me has the possibility of carrying the weapon that could create a mass shooting. After a brief conversation with my cousin, who happens to be a feminist, I made the decision to go to my classes. She told me that the choice to not go to class gave him power. After a lot of thought, I felt pity toward the threat person. What could have happened to him to make him believe that creating fear, even taking lives, would be the solution to his problem?

  Then a question crossed my mind, "Am I a feminist?" I wanted to know because then I could be an actual target as well. I thought and I thought. And, okay. Yes, I want people to see each other as equals-because a husband can not be without a wife. Yes, I don't think that women need men to be happy. Why? Because I personally haven't been able to depend on men for my happiness; I had been used, but also with my own permission (on some strange, unfortunate level). I am also a strong person. I have had some crazy life happen to me and I keep moving forward. When something awful or sad or terrible happens, I feel awful, terrible, and sad for a bit then the next day, I keep going. With every decline I get in a job application, I put out two more resumes. When someone is being beat on, disrespected, and hurt, including myself, I have no fear to speak out. I believe that everyone matters and no one should be hurt. In the words of Kid President, I want to be somebody who makes everybody feel like a somebody.
  It dawned on me. I am not a feminist. I am an Individualist. Feminists have a sort of reputation that I don't want to be a part of. I love Emma Watson's speech "He for She," but I don't think I could ever be called a feminist. An Individualist believes in the moral stance, political philosophy, ideology, or social outlook that emphasized the moral worth of the individual. That makes sense to me. I could handle being classified as such. I could speak out about the moral worth of a single person without a single doubt.