Another Observation

Earlier today, I wrote a thing about how feminism has built a space for me to have sustaining friendships with other women.

I also want to observe that feminism has built a space for me to have better friendships with men, too.

My closest male friends view me as their equal, and they don't treat me as an Exceptional Woman—not like those other women—and they don't oblige me to tolerate misogyny as the cost of our friendship. (And whooooooops if they fuck up, as we all do, I can talk to them about that and they listen and we can move on.) That's because they are feminists, too.

And because I am a feminist, I am empowered with the right to believe I am entitled to friendships with men in which I am not diminished or exceptionalized.

Including my most important friendship of all, with my husband, whom I love and I like.