As I was scrolling through my Facebook feed this week, I stumbled upon an article also published right here on Odyssey titled "I Am A Female And I Am So Over Feminists." Recently I have come into contact with many anti-feminist articles, a popular one being "I Am Not A Feminist, And That Is Okay", and every single time, they hit me like a truck. Both of the aforementioned articles were written by women, not who you would expect to be speaking out against women. And as a woman, and as a *gasp* feminist, I refuse to sit idly by and let these women speak with a distorted view of the gender equality that both you and I and the entirety of humanity need--not just want.
The author begins with the claim, "I’m all about girl power, but in today’s world, it’s getting shoved down our throats."
First of all, the stereotype that all women who identify as feminist are man-haters is sexist itself. If you think feminism is about female dominance, you are miss-informed. Merriam-Webster defines feminism as "the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes." It is about gender equality, but we call it "feminism" because women are the ones being persecuted and treated unequally here. Men can help us, but we are the ones who must fight for our own rights. Regardless, this stereotype can partially be attributed to the portrayal of feminists in the media. The media works for profit, so it only shows the most entertaining depictions of feminists, like Slut Walk (side note: if we want to stop being slut-shamed, maybe we should stop referring to ourselves as such). Not all feminists walk around burning bras and refusing to wear tampons, although it is their complete right to act in such a way if they please. If my desire to have the same rights as my male counterparts is too much for you to handle, I am not sorry.
She then proceeds, "First of all, this is the 21st century. Women have never been more respected."
Maybe this is true; we have come a long way. But just because we are improving does not mean we are there yet. Because we are not there yet, we should not stop. Would you quit college after one year because now you know more than you did before you started? NO! If you achieve something, that in no way means you should stop trying to achieve more. We are striving for equality; why should we settle for any less?
And then, "We’re doing a kick-ass job, let’s stop the complaining."
This sentence reduces the entire feminist movement to a complaint. Am a whining if I am upset that I make 78 cents for every dollar my male counterparts make? If a Hispanic woman is upset that she makes only 54 cents to every dollar? In my opinion, I kinda think it sounds like whining if you have to say you're "so over" something, as stated in the title of the article; that is, the entire article is a complaint. But we are not complaining; we are protesting.
And, "Whatever happened to chivalry?"
If you think feminism is just about the wage gap and men "being chivalrous," you are wrong. 77 percent of girls in Nigeria are forced to marry and submit to their husbands before the age of 18. Globally, women are more at risk for domestic violence than cancer or Alzheimer's. Less than every two minutes a woman is raped, and there is a 97 percent chance her rapist will never set foot in jail. This fight is about more serious issues than who opens the door for you or who pays for your meal.
And finally, "There are just men and women. Women and men. We coincide with each other, that’s that. Time to embrace it."
It's time to face reality and look past your privilege. The article completely fails to mention a crucial aspect of feminism, intersectionality, and instead focuses on some less important issues. Start worrying about something other than a boy not treating you like a gentleman would. Other women out there are being denied opportunities for education, paid way less than they are worth, sexually harassed, raped, abused, and murdered.
So this article is completely wrong, we are NOT "OK."
I'll finish with this: as women, we must reclaim the term of feminism before it is derogated right before our eyes by those who are too afraid to claim it for themselves. Let's show them what true feminism is about.
