The “F”-word is terribly misunderstood.
Often followed by a cringe, scowl or laugh, it has the power to incite a revolution, just as much as it can irritate your friends and family on Facebook.
The word I’m talking about? Feminist.
A feminist is “a person who believes in the social, political and economic equality of the sexes,” as defined by author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie in her popular We Should All Be Feminists TED Talk.
But most people have been exposed to images that cast the movement in a negative light, shared by mass media and in particular, women.
Its definition has been debated and dissected so many times, that even supporters seem confused on what the word actually means.
Modern descriptions tend to sound a little more like this: A feminist is a bra-burning hippie. She is a maneater who believes women are the superior sex. She feels she is entitled to things simply because she is female, thus promoting a double-standard in society. She is a feminazi warrior who feeds on the tears of men and seeks to ‘smash the patriarchy.’
Although criticisms aren’t usually that extreme, (but I would be remiss if I said they weren’t) I think a lot of people have been taught that feminism is anti-men – which isn’t exactly their fault. The name stands in the way of its own movement.
“Why can’t it just be ‘equality’ or ‘egalitarianism?’”
I’m glad you asked.
The feminist movement began and spread in three separate waves, each focusing on a specific set of issues relevant to the time.
First-wave feminism was centered on political equality for middle and upper-class white women – our suffragettes.
The second wave addressed a wider range of issues, like family, domestic violence and reproductive rights.
Currently, the third wave, which started in the ’90s, continues to confront the same issues of the previous decades with an emphasis on sexual freedom and balance in the workplace.
Feminism got its name because it involved women fighting for rights they didn’t have – yet.
The belief that women innately have the same social, political and economic rights as men, just as fellow human beings, is at the core of the movement. This isn’t a radial proposition.
It’s important to understand the history behind a term, but it’s equally important to recognize when its meaning has been stretched, hyperbolized or wrongly interpreted.
For one, feminism is not anti-men.
Self-proclaimed fems have been known to speak out against the male persuasion as a whole, which frankly, I can’t support.
These are misandrists, or people who hate men.
They label all men as abusers and rapists and blame them for centuries of oppressive behavior without taking individuals into account.
Yes, it could be argued that a lot of feminists hate men, but that speculation is irrelevant and shouldn’t deter people from associating with the term. These women are not representative of feminism, nor do they exemplify what the movement is about. Just as any radical group should not be used to portray the ideology it follows.
Now say it with me: Feminism is not anti-men.
And it’s not about women demanding special treatment based solely on the fact that they’re women, either.
Feeling entitled because you have female reproductive organs is not part of the feminist doctrine. And after everything that’s been fought for, this way of thinking only drives the movement into the ground.
A true female feminist seeks to debunk this ill-founded concept of sexual entitlement and wants to earn something because she has the credentials and nailed the interview.
Another important issue to remember is that, on a global-scale, women are overwhelmingly uneducated, underprivileged and underpaid compared to men.
Most of the time, this is because they don’t have the same access to resources compared to their male counterparts.
Because this degree of oppression is particular to developing countries, it’s understandable that many western women feel out of touch. But it exists to a very real, detrimental extent.
Of course, no belief system is without fault.
Feminism garners some well-deserved criticism, specifically in regard to its inherent whitewashing and tendency to leave out contributions from women of color. This lack of intersectionality is problematic, but in the last few years, the cause has become more inclusive to minorities and even men.
In moving forward, it is critical that feminism is regarded as a synonym for equality – because that’s what it means.
“So why can’t we change the name to ‘equality’ or ‘egalitarianism’?”
Well, I don’t know. I guess it’s just an unfortunate matter of the English language.
But it’s disappointing to see so many young, educated men and women focus on a word, just eight insignificant letters, as opposed to the substance and power behind it.
And it pains me to see people, especially young American women, denounce the feminist movement because they don’t want to be labeled as victims and man-haters, or because they feel they don’t need it in their individual lives.
But let me tell you this:
We need feminism to ensure women are no longer viewed as the secondary sex.
We need feminism to ensure women have equal access to social, political, economic and educational opportunities.
This is a multi-national conversation about empowerment versus oppression, human right versus privilege and equality versus inequality.
