Feminism
(Disclaimer: This is a gender specific and a generalized article. Exceptions, even though not mentioned, are acknowledged.)
First and foremost task is to define the word “feminism” correctly. It simply means, all genders having equal rights. It is not about hating men or women being better than men, as is widely promoted by the activists or the radicalists.
There are different branches of feminism. They are, liberal, radical, socialist and intersectional, to name a few. In my earlier post named “Women and gender bias”, I did mention that I do not agree with feminism. By this, I meant radical feminism, which says that the root of gender inequality is patriarchy.
Radical feminists call for complete elimination of men from society. They have immense hatred for men, so much so that they blame them for anything and everything. They argue that the only way to achieve true liberation for women is to create a world without men. Not only that, they go to the extreme of taking advantage of the fact that they are women, and can demand for anything.
Radical Feminism:
The focus of this article is radical feminism. The problem lies with the thinking they have adopted for gender equality. Hating and bashing up men is not the answer. They do not realize that by doing so, they are actually widening the gap even more.
It is true that women have been oppressed for so long. In some countries, women are still treated as second class citizens, and the reason is patriarchy.
However, going completely against men and demanding unjustified equality is not the way to go about it. Yes, I use the word unjustified and I will explain why.
Why Radical Feminism is problematic :
We have to understand, everyone has a role to play in society and both men and women are important. They have different strengths and abilities and there is nothing wrong with assigning roles according to these differences.
For example, women are better at multitasking and communication, while men are better at problem solving and physical labor. This means that women may be better suited for roles in childcare and education, while men may be better suited for roles in engineering, construction, and law enforcement.
Sometimes, the radical feminists demand to be considered for various such roles which are a bit risky for women, like, in construction. Agree to it or not, some jobs are riskier for women and that does not ensue from gender inequality. It is a fact.
Feminism in Workplace:
Women, who are radical feminists, demand certain privileges on the basis of gender, like equal pay for equal work, flexible work hours due to more responsibilities at home, etc. You wonder, what’s wrong with that? Well, there is nothing wrong when you ask for it for your needs. It is wrong when you ask for them just for the sake of feminism.
The most alarming incidents occur when they accuse men of sexual harassment, without being aware of what it actually constitutes. Every touch, every pat on the back and every little fun conversations do not entail sexual harassment.
Feminism and Society:
The other annoying thing about these feminists is their hypocrisy. On one hand they demand to be treated equal to men, and on the other hand, they want men to open doors for them, or pull chairs for them. Women keep fighting for "ladies seat" in public transport!
They ask men to be involved in childcare with the same sense of responsibility as them. What they do not realize is that, there will always be some difference in how a father and a mother interacts with their child. Both of them bring different experiences and perspectives to parenting.
The incidence of single motherhood is on the rise. And most of the time, women decide to do everything single handedly just to make a statement. They are sometimes too proud to ask for help.
In cases of divorces, especially the mutual ones, where both the parents are ready to take equal responsibilities for their children, women decide against it.
They aim to play both the roles herself, not realizing the impact this decision has on the child. These also stems from feminism.
Feminism and Independence:
These feminists often view feminism as a way to achieve independence. They believe in making their own choices in life, sometimes unnecessary. They often challenge traditional gender roles and expectations.
Final Thoughts:
It is important to fight for your rights. It is needed to raise your voice when oppressed or discriminated against. It is crucial to voice your opinion when you face bias because you are a woman.
However, we have to keep in mind, we have to do all these without any resentment against men. We need to find the balance.
We need to be able to call out sexism and misogyny, but we also need to be able to have productive conversations with men about the challenges that women face.
We need to remember that we are all in this together. One cannot survive without the other and it is very important to acknowledge that. Both need each other to create a more just and equitable world.
We cannot achieve gender equality without the cooperation of both sexes.
Sucheta
0 Comments