What does feminism mean to you?

I recently read Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus, a multimillion copy bestseller and a debut novel celebrated because of its fierce feminism. But I noticed something about the women (and men) described in this novel that made me realise popular feminism is quite clear about what we should look like, how we should behave, and what we should do. There’s a true hype about retellings of myths with a feminist perspective or fictionalised biographies of historic women, or simply stories set in the past with a strong female character. That’s because they show us how to be a fierce woman.

But do we have to be fierce? When are we good enough? What does it mean to be a woman? What is feminism, really? Do we need novels to tell us who we are and what how to change the world? Which novels inspired you? And is it enough to read them, or do we need to do something more?

Do you have an opinion on these questions? I am currently working on a longer post in which I am trying to find out what feminism is, and what modern novels about this topic say about us. And I need your help. So please let me know what you think and share your opinions in the comments below! Thank you so much!