What Is a Financial Feminist?
Alright, let’s talk about the money game – there’s the pay gap, the investing gap, and the confidence gap, to name a few, but when it comes to finances, gender inequity is the biggest issue when it comes to women and money. So, is being a financial feminist any different from being a regular feminist?
The answer is, not really. A feminist is someone who believes in equality, and a financial feminist is all about believing in financial equality for women. But is the issue important enough to be slapped with its own label?
You betcha it is. Historically, talking about money has been hard for women. We’re told it’s impolite or that it isn’t proper, when men talk about money all the time. This societally-imposed censorship has been a costly mistake for women. When we talk about feminism, we touch on all the obvious things, like access to healthcare, intersectionality, reproductive rights, and rape culture, and although financial abuse is one of the leading reasons women are unable to leave abusive relationships, we rarely attach financial matters to feminism.
In a nutshell, financial feminism is about having those open discussions about money, everything from earning, investing, spending, saving, and taking risks. It’s about empowering women to take control of their financial futures.
Know Where You Stand.
Whether you’re wealthy, or you have major credit card debt, or are simply confused about how to start managing your finances—own it. Conversations about menstrual cups can get real pretty quick when you’re hanging out with friends, so why don’t we allow ourselves the same sense of freedom when it comes to talking about our money (or lack thereof)?
Look At Wealth As An Act of Self-Care.
We love wellness—give us all the healing crystals, super green smoothies and positive affirmations. But devoting some quality time to focus on your finances is just as critical as hitting up a yoga class. Download a budgeting app, consult with a financial advisor, dedicate a weekly hour to learning about investing, focus on spending your money with companies and on products that align with your values—you can literally start anywhere, but you have to start. Taking ownership of this important aspect of your life will have a lot of mental and emotional benefits.
Keep Talking About It.
Advocating for yourself when it comes to money can be scary, and uncomfortable, it can make you feel vulnerable, but don’t let the fear stop you from speaking up. If you know you’re earning less than your male co-worker, talk about it. If you don’t like that there’s a “pink tax” on your feminine products, talk about it. If every financial article and retirement goal seems male focused, talk about it. If your partner is pressuring you to start a family and he or she assumes you’ll make career sacrifices when the time comes, talk about it.
Women have been playing it small, polite, and quiet for too long. So, let’s ditch the hush-hush attitude, make bold money moves, and own our financial futures.
