The phrase "I hate men" has become far too common. Every time I log on to social media I see at least one derogatory post directed towards men. Funny enough, the women posting about men are the same women who claim to be feminists.
So many posts say, "Don't be afraid of the word feminist", yet these women are not even practicing the ideals of feminism.
Feminism is the equality of men and women, not the superiority of women. If a woman were to say, "I hate men, they're only good for sex!" then she's automatically a quirky icon. If a man were to say, "I hate women, they're only good for sex!" Then he's a misogynistic pig. This kind of thinking is hypocritical and has been normalized.
Men and women are different, but that does not mean that we should have different social expectations for each gender. We are supposed to be progressing, but in my opinion, we are taking steps backward. For example, "A man can't tell me what I can and can't do with my body." Your body is yours, yes, but the way this is phrased is not appropriate; it's hostile.
The correction that needs to be made is the use of gender in this sentence. "No one can tell me what to do with my body," is more appropriate because it applies to both women and men, and it does not come off as hostile or condescending.
As far as cheating, a lot of women will post on social media that men are notorious for cheating. To say "men cheat more" is incorrect. Rather, it is vocalized by women more that men cheat.
I'm sure plenty of men held their silence when a partner cheated on them. Though this is only my opinion, I believe that cheating is not gender specific, but rather men are less vocal about cheating because they have to be perceived as the "strong" sex.
Another gender equality issue is finance. Plenty of women have expressed that a man should be paying for certain things, taking her certain places, and doing things around the house for her. Sure, these things are nice, but in a sense, they're sexist.
If a man were to say, "I need a woman who is going to bear my children, do my laundry, and cook me three meals a day." He would be considered a sexist asshole. This statement is as sexist as women saying, "Men should pay for dates, buy me everything I want, pump my gas, change my tires, mow the lawn and take out the garbage."
Instead of having gender-based expectations for your partner, recognize their strengths, needs, and quirks and do your best to keep them happy. It isn't about what your partner can do for you, it's about the good that you bring out in each other.
If you're proud to be a feminist you will recognize the hypocrisy in society. Posting "men are trash" doesn't make you a feminist, it makes you hateful. Instead of getting angry about social inequality, inform the people around you. Spreading hate only pushes people away, when in reality we need to all come together.
