Feminism

One of the reasons I call myself a feminist is the horrible damage that the "normal" expectations of the male stereotype did to me when I was younger.

Those expectations actively ruined my life for a while (which was entirely my responsibility and fault that I let it happen). Whilst at university I was so ashamed of being a virgin that I let pursuing sex (very, very badly because of how bound up I was) take over my life - to the extent that the humiliation of the things I did and said in pursuit of that were a substantial factor in my drug psychosis which resulted in homelessness and years spent rebuilding my psyche (obviously the copious quantities of LSD were also a substantial factor).

So I can personally attest that the societal pressure to conform to the male role is, and can be, horribly damaging to men. Feminism, the pursuit of real equality and the destruction of "normal gender roles" is the movement I see actively working against this - and it can be of tremendous benefit to men as well as women.

I also identify as pro-choice. Pro-choice doesn't mean being pro-abortion, it simply means supporting a woman's choice - regardless of whether it be abortion, adoption or giving birth and raising a child. I don't feel like I have any right to make these kinds of difficult decisions on anyone else's behalf.

I strongly believe this is the morally righteous attitude and I will fight for it whenever I can.