I can think of countless conversations I’ve had with friends in which they tell me, “I believe men and women should be equal, but I’m just not a feminist”. However, this is contradictory. Feminism is a movement campaigning for social, political and economic equality for the sexes. So how can someone believe in that, but not believe in feminism?
There are a lot of misunderstandings about feminism which can put people off claiming it as a title. If you find yourself believing in equality, yet squirming at the idea of being called a feminist, hopefully, I can clear up some of these common misunderstandings for you.
#1 Feminism seeks to oppress men
Feminism is not about oppressing anyone or taking away anyone’s rights. It simply seeks to create a world where everyone has equal access to things like healthcare and jobs. Even more so, feminism has been a driving force in tackling toxic masculinity and helping remove the stigma around sexual assault against male victims. It is about looking at the way the world is structured around us and knocking down barriers that prevent people from reaching their full potential. Whether that be equal pay, equal maternity/paternity rights or simply just removing the social constraints of gender norms. Feminism simply fights to create a fairer society for everyone.
#2 Women are already equal, so why are feminists still complaining?
Yes, things for women in the West are a lot better than they were 100 years ago. We have access to contraceptives, more and more women are attending university, and climbing higher and higher on the career ladder. However, misogyny can be insidious, and a lot of times it goes unnoticed. Therefore, by having an open conversation, feminists can bring to light often ignored issues such as mansplaining and catcalling. But it does not end there. Feminism is about ending gender disparity worldwide, and this can bring to light many issues faced by women who do not live in western society. For example, a girl in South Sudan is more likely to die in childbirth than finish primary school. They have also highlighted the difficulty many girls face accessing sanitary products. Feminism is about helping oppressed groups all over the world and that can range from smaller scale issues such as manspreading to larger issues like access to health care, education, and protection from sexual abuse and violence. There is still a lot of work to do.
#3 Feminists are career women who are anti-marriage and anti-children
This is a common idea that women try to free themselves from the supposed “shackles” of marriage and child-bearing. The reality of this is that feminism aims to put the power back into the hands of women. Unlike previous years where a woman’s options were limited to traditional gender norms, feminism aims to educate women on the options available. This means women can then make choices that best suit them. If that means working in a fast-paced job and being very career driven, then great! On the other hand, if that means doing the often-underappreciated role of stay-at-home mum, then also great! Feminism is all about women being able to make that choice for themselves.
#4 Only women can be feminists
Finally, feminism is for everyone! I know that men can be apprehensive to call themselves feminists for many reasons, either because they have misunderstood feminism to be guilty of the previously listed offenses, or because they believe that feminism is something for women and they would be trespassing by claiming it as a title. We need more men to proudly call themselves feminists as it impacts them too. The issues that feminism advocates to have a knock-on effect for everyone in society. It is as simple as wanting to make the world a safer, fairer place for everyone.
So if you believe in equality, then there is no better movement to advocate for this goal than feminism.
Photo sources from Google images
South Sudan fact https://africaeducationaltrust.org/girls-and-women/