By Emerald Green
Feminism is a word that leaves those that hear it either empowered or emasculated, and those that feel emasculated just don’t get it. By definition, feminism is the advocacy of women’s rights on the basis of the equality of the sexes. On March 8, people around the world spread awareness in support of women and their rights by wearing red on International Women’s Day.
Between extreme feminists and meninists, it is understandable how only 33% of American men and 60% of American women identify as feminists according to the Washington Post (2016), but that doesn’t make it acceptable. There is a difference between feminists and people who believe that women should be superior to men or that men should not have rights, also known as “misandrists.” Misandrists are not feminists, and they are different than radical feminists who believe that male supremacy should be eliminated from all social and economic contexts with the intent of completely abolishing the patriarchal process. True feminists simply understand that women are capable and deserving of equal opportunities and rights as men. Even though the term implies femininity in its name, it does not exclude males from joining the movement. Feminism is for everyone because it is about equality– equal treatment in status, rights, and opportunities.
It is impossible to deny the plight of women in history. Equality is not only about the right to vote, which women did not earn until 1920, 144 years after the country was founded. The gender pay gap is still very real. Women are paid 74 cents to a man’s dollar, and the gap is even wider for trans women and women of color according to cbsnews.com (2016). Women in business have to fight harder for the same respect as their male co-workers.
For some ridiculous reason, sexual harassment is still very much overlooked. Men do not fear getting raped when walking the streets alone at night, nor should anyone have to. Men do not have to be slut-shamed for wearing what they want to wear. Men do not have to face cat calls while minding their own business in the middle of the day. Don’t forget about the objectification of women in the media with the idea that only women of a certain body type are desirable. Women should have the freedom to look like they want without fear of harassment or persecution. Sexual objectification should be equal for both sexes or completely eliminated.
The term “meninist” was originally coined to represent men who supported feminists, but because of the quantity of fragile masculinity on the internet, the movement became a parody, making a joke out of the very idea of feminism. Unfortunately, this satirized version of an on-going revolution distracts from the real issues that the female population has to face every day, making it sound like the very idea of equality of the sexes is absurd.
For anyone who believes that women are equal to men but has been too afraid to identify as a feminist, have no fear. Equality is near with the rise of feminists in pop culture through women’s rights advocates like Zendaya, Emma Watson, Alicia Keys, John Legend, Ryan Gosling, and so many more. Feminism is not a bad word. If you want equality of the sexes, say it: “Feminism.”
