I reject the title of feminist. I reject the whole notion of raging feminism.
As a young Millennial woman of color in Hollywood, I realized some years ago that feminism is a trap. In my career, no feminist has ever promoted my music or lent a helping hand. Feminists haven’t helped me share my creative projects. Today’s feminism has done nothing for me.
I was not raised to value my physical appearance as an asset to get me the job I wanted, nor to devalue it. I looked at things with my mind and my heart, my creativity, and my soul. And I thought about how much I could achieve if I worked really hard in the face of negativity, hardship, even hate.
That’s how I’ve been able to be a strong woman—to fight for the rights of others, female and male. To stand up for the unborn and the born. To stand up for the freedoms and rights we hold dear in this country—and to back the candidate of my choice because I believe he is the right person to continue to protect the United States from all threats, both internal and external. That man is President Donald J. Trump.
As a little girl, I always looked up to the strong women in my life. My aunt was a captain in the Marines. My mother, a pastor’s wife, battled mental illness—yet, as a stay-at-home mom, she woke up every day to take care of her three children. She also provided for her family as a fiber artist who created beautiful rugs, paintings, and artwork.
I also looked up to Mae Jemison, the first black female astronaut. In 1992, Jemison flew aboard the space shuttle Endeavour for NASA and was the first African American woman in space. I thought, maybe that could be me one day. And Rosa Parks—I looked up to her because she fought for equality for all people.
Today’s feminism, however, tells women that there’s this entity lurking like a demon in our lives. Like a monster hiding under the bed, it tries to snatch our dreams away. What is this demon? It’s that big, scary word—patriarchy. Ooh. Five points at least!
In this day and age, women in the West have more rights than ever before. If you are blessed enough to be born in America, or if you’ve immigrated here legally, you have equal rights as a female.
Having rejected the title of feminism and all of its restraints and restrictions, I’m not afraid to be vulnerable, yet I’m stronger and better because I let these womanly feelings show. I guarantee you that today’s feminism will never tell you this.
What the feminists push is not equality. It’s domination.
Feminism may say, “We want equality. We want girls to be seen as equal to boys.” But the reality is that when we have it—which we do in America—it’s never enough. Now we want female-led imperialism. Now, if we want more young women in the science or math fields, feminism says, “Let’s overlook the male applicants and put women there instead.” By doing that, we’re pushing women into fields that they may not even want to be part of—and pushing men out of these fields.
By the way, modern feminists really don’t support the empowerment of women. If they did, they wouldn’t be advocating against strong women who value their Second Amendment rights!
This is why “feminism” today needs to be redefined. When I say I love and fight for women—and I want women to be stronger and better, and believe in themselves, and have happy families, happy bodies, happy careers, happy lives—I am not a feminist. Instead, I am pro-woman. And that doesn’t mean I’m anti-man.
In 2020 and beyond, I say: We need to use our God-given minds, our judgment, our intelligence, and our reasoning to reach conclusions and make decisions.
It’s OK to be “pro-woman” and pro-Trump. It’s OK to be “pro-woman” and a conservative. These things are not mutually exclusive. Not at all. They’re part of being American.
This article is adapted from Joy Villa’s book, Kickass Conservative! How I Escaped Liberal Feminism to Become a Freedom-Loving Trumplican—and How You Can, Too (Joy Villa Productions, Sept. 1, 2020, © copyright Joy Villa). The singer-songwriter is a No. 1 Billboard, Amazon, and iTunes artist, actress, and conservative activist. Visit www.joyvilla.com to learn more.