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Feminism has garnered a lot of hate - both online and offline. Is this hate justified? What exactly is Feminism, after all? This post has the answers!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/evaekeblad/2230497789
Feminism has garnered a lot of hate – both online and offline. Is this hate justified? What exactly is Feminism, after all? This post has the answers!
Some words are crystal clear. “Rape,” “violence,” and “abuse” are some words that have it “easy” as compared to their counterparts. They are definite. They are an entity within themselves. They convey without hesitation, and haunt without restriction. Then come the words that, at a meagre glance, would seem absolute but dwell deep within, and suddenly you are caught off guard, in an ocean of contempt, hatred, and power, but at its root is a word misplaced.
Feminism, like most new, badly “translated” words is under fire. It pops up every now and then on our Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr feeds and every time it does, it leaves a sour aftertaste, often evoking a raging disgust. Unlike “assault,” “murder,” or “rape,” this word (feminism) is regrettably misunderstood in today’s world. So, here is my attempt to explain feminism — not to convince you or deviously manipulate you- but simply to make you aware, so that you can choose to be associated with this word, or not.
Feminism is a movement. It is a spiritual, physical, virtual movement. A movement (or cause) that promises equality and respect at all fronts for both women and men. Why do we need feminism?
We need feminism because every time in the United States when one individual gets paid 77cents and the other makes a dollar for the same work just because of the category society put them in, a large portion of equality is snatched right out from under our feet. We need feminism for every time a woman who is sexually assaulted is asked to “keep it quiet” or is blamed for the assault while her perpetrator is able to roam the streets freely.
Contrary to popular belief, feminism does not aim to take power or jobs away from men. We (for I am a proud feminist) are here to enable equal opportunity for women and to share this power with men. Often, people, especially men (read any feminist article, website or blog and you’ll see this heinous trend), love to berate the ‘fact’ that feminists “hate men”.
Why? Because feminists merely want women to be able to be credible engineers and scientists and not just tokens? Because feminists know that women are as good as men at math? Because women, like men, should have the right to choose a career over marriage? Because a woman’s clothing shouldn’t determine her character?
Why is it that when women stand up for themselves, for their bodies, and for their choices, they are shamed and bullied for it?Never miss real stories from India's women.Register Now
Why is it that when women stand up for themselves, for their bodies, and for their choices, they are shamed and bullied for it?
Why should loving yourself be equivalent to hating someone else? Why is it that when women stand up for themselves, for their bodies, and for their choices, they are shamed and bullied for it? How come when men do the same they are applauded for it? Feminism wasn’t born out of a figment or illusionary context, it was a seed that was sowed and matured after years of harassment, sexism, and discrimination towards women. After years of women being treated as inferior to and by men.
To enable equal opportunity, individuals need to be seen as equal, irrespective of gender. And as simple as that concept may sound, we still somehow struggle with it in the 21st century. Everywhere we look, women are the “lesser” beings. Hollywood, Bollywood, engineering, cooking, athletes, you name it. It’s abundantly clear, when The Huffington Post or The Guardian choose to make a symbol of a woman who succeeds in engineering or computer science, that we clearly have not made enough progress. Why is it that when a woman does well, it’s still newsworthy?
Feminism isn’t petty. It has various forms, definitions, and branches, if you will, as does every movement — some of which I don’t necessarily agree with, and some which I actively defy. In a world where so many opinions and experiences exist, perspectives will differ and they must. And while this may often lead to misunderstanding, conflict and even hate, it ultimately helps pave the way for better solutions.
Most, if not all, schools of feminism aim to empower women. They aim to give women a choice — a choice to live her life however she wills it, to have sex (gasp!) if she wants, to not have babies (even bigger gasp!) if that’s her choice, and to wear what she wants. But most of all, feminism aims to recognize women as individuals first and then as “women,” and not just as baby-making machines.
Women are no one’s right and they owe society nothing. They are a whole being, not a link or an association, and that is what feminism preaches – equality. That’s it. Not so complicated now, is it?
Pic credit: evaekablad (Used under a CC license)
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UP Boards Topper Prachi Nigam was trolled on social media for her facial hair; our obsession with appearance is harsh on young minds.
Prachi Nigam’s photo has been doing the rounds on social media for the right reasons. Well, scratch that- I wish the above statement were true. This 15-year-old girl should ideally be revelling in her spectacular achievement of scoring a whopping 98.05% and topping her tenth-grade boards. But oddly enough, along with her marks, it’s something else that garners more attention – her facial hair.
While the trolls are driving themselves giddy by mocking this girl who hasn’t even completed her school yet, the ones who are taking her side are going one step ahead – they are sharing her photoshopped pictures, sans the facial hair, looking nothing less than a celebrity with captions saying – “Prachi Nigam, ten years later”.
Doctors have already diagnosed her with PCOD in their comments, based on photographic evidence. While we have names for people shamed for their weight – body shaming, for their skin colour- racism, for their age- age shaming, for being a female- sexism, this category of shaming where one faces criticism for their appearance has no name. With that, it also has zero shame attached to it.
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