Ladies don't cuss

I didn't know this about myself until recently, but I'm a pretty vehement feminist.   The surest way to piss me off is to tell me I can't do something because I'm a girl, or to try to limit my actions because of being "too pretty to _____."

It's hard to admit to being a feminist, there seems to be some backlash against the word,  like wanting to be treated as an important contributor to a healthy society is somehow equal to being a man-hating lunatic.  Nope. I'm a feminist because, guess what? I like men.

I'm a feminist because I'm female.  It means I don't believe either gender is superior. I don't want to have more because historically women have been treated as less.  Equality might feel like "less" if you are used to having more than your share - but accepting less also means you open the door to MORE.

What if you could just be yourself?  What if boys could wear sparkly nailpolish because they thought it was fun, and not get teased because of it.  What if men could say "I'm tired and I just feel a little sad" to their guy friends and get hugged instead of shut down?  What if women could say "I need more money because the skills and talents I bring to my job are worth more" without being labelled a greedy bitch?

I believe men and women should have the chance to be individuals who offer their strengths, talents, and weaknesses to make our world better.   Clearly, a tall person will be better suited to getting things off the top of the refrigerator than a short person. The person who isn't freaked out by spiders should be the one to escort said spiders out of the house.

I want autonomy. I want this for myself.  I want this for my daughter.  I want this for my son.  Equality to be an authentic, honest, SELF.   I want to move away from the unspoken expectations and labels of what "being a good man" or "being a good woman" is,  and make and live in a world that places more emphasis on  being a good human.

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All of these thoughts came about from a recent conversation I had with a friend about  ladies and gentlemen vs. woman and men  vs. guys and girls

The summary of that discussion:
Ladies and gentlemen dress up and have very formal, polite manners.
Women and men are less dressy, and less formal and might be louder
Guys and girls are younger. Guys could apply to a mixed gender crowd. When asked how they behave - the description used was "Rowdy boys in college."  Boys.  Not girls.
The point being - ladies, women, and girls are not rowdy or loud.  Ladies don't cuss.  Women are not formal.  Girls are not loud.   Those were the unspoken, ingrained cultural expectations.

So fuck that.  I am a feminist. I will cuss.  I will still be a lady when the situation calls for it, but I reserve the right to speak up, to be loud.  To be noisy.  To be called names because I refuse to stick to some ridiculous cultural "norm" that makes no sense and in fact limits the contributions I can make and the recognition that should come with it.

Ladies can cuss. They don't have to, but let silence be your CHOICE, not your default.