Watching High School Boys Talk About Why They’re Feminists Is The Best Thing Ever

I’m always yammering about how I want to raise my sons not to be total douchecanoes, and nothing has made me happier today than watching this video and seeing how young men articulate why they consider themselves feminists. It’s so amazingly rare that we see men who are proud to identify as feminists who aren’t total mansplainers, and even more rare that we see high school and young college aged dudes who are willing to do so. The young men in the video took the feminism class at LREI during the 20112-2013 school year.

I wish they would all make a mass field trip to George Will‘s house and then make a stop at all high schools to discuss intersectionality and misogyny. I love when the interviewer asks the one kid what the future of feminism is and he replies with a resounding “Us.”

I know it’s sort of a big discussion to have with your boys, about why feminism is important, but I think it’s important for moms to realize we are eventually sending these young guys out into the world where we want them to be good citizens of the world and treat everyone with kindness, respect and equality. We can’t expect our kids to instinctively know these things unless we take time out to explain to them why equality is important. I’m not saying you have to raise your own little tribe of activists, but I am saying that it’s incredibly important that we give our sons the foundation of understanding that everyone, regardless of gender (and of course include race, nationality, and sexual orientation in there too) deserves the same rights and respect. Maybe a woman’s studies course should be required for all high school students like the one shown in this video.

(H/t: Jezebel, Image: YouTube)

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