Feminism

The Webster dictionary describes Feminism as, “ The belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities.” When we type the word feminism the first description which pops up is the advocacy of women's rights on the ground of the equality of the sexes. Most people think of Feminism to be simply the advocacy of women’s rights, women empowerment, facilitating women, conveniently ignoring the later part- the purpose, which is nothing but simply Equality of both the Sexes.

Often people, mostly men tend to think of women who propagate feminism as Misandristic. I am sure many people are unaware of what misandry means and its difference from feminism. Misandry is dislike of, contempt for, or ingrained prejudice against men (i.e. the male sex). I have seen people often confusing the meaning of feminism with that of misandry and having a negative idea or connotation about feminism.

My dear readers advocating for the women and being against men is not feminism it is misandry, and with this comes Pseudo-Feminism.

India is a patriarchal society, here we women have to battle daily against many odds ranging from sexual harassment, eve-teasing, to rapes. We women need to fight for equal pay in offices, we need to fight for our right to dress up according to our choice. We need to think before we venture out late at night or even at evening in some places, we need to think before we drink, we need to think before we smoke, we need to think before we speak and we need to follow decorum- We are expected to speak less, our tone must be soft and in general submissive. But it is also the society where a woman expects her husband to earn more than her. It is the society which expects that the man has to be the principle bread-earner. 

Pseudo-Feminist is a person that claims to be a feminist yet ignores the main point of feminism i.e. equality. Pseudo-Feminists will tend to blather on about how terrible men are, or assume how men do not face social issues in regards to their gender. A pseudo-feminist is a person who claims to be a feminist but has little idea what equality means. They talk about equality but want everything more than what men get.

The following instances explains the above.

In a crowded bus a woman perfectly capable of standing throughout the journey, expects a man to give over his seat to her, irrespective of him being tired and exhausted or him having some carriage with him.

"She called him fat? Well, he is fat!"

"What? He called her fat? That is female objectification!"

Similarly on a date expecting the man to pay the bill is not feminism. ”Why should I pay the bill? He should”- NO.

On a lighter note it is the guy who is expected to propose and as well rejected. Well feminists don’t expect that or do they?

Please note that the above are examples of sexist views and not of feminism.

My dear women I don’t mean to offend you or the women race in general, for I am a girl too and I don’t wish to be “the bird who hath foul’d her own nest”, but seriously we women ned to consider the above and many other things where we expect men to do it all, simply because they are men.

It is Pseudo-Feminism to speak only of women rights or harassment against women only. It is high time that we realize that men too face problems they are harassed too, they are often accused of false rapes and atrocities against women. Many women wrongly take advantage of their rights to accuse men and ruin their life. Women readily accept seats reserved for them irrespective of their requirement. I agree, that that we women have long been oppressed and still are, We should raise our voice for our rights, for equality, but at the same time we shouldn’t criticize and be too judgemental about what men say, we need to consider their point of view, we should relate to and understand their problems. Only then can you term yourself as a feminist.

This is my personal request to all women when a gentleman offers you privileges and says “Ladies First”, be courteous enough to be a feminist and politely ignore the offer.

So are you a Feminist or a Pseudo-Feminist, or are you Misandrous or a Misogynist? 

By,

Sanhita Pal

A NeoPhyte (^_^)