Check out 16 Return-To-Work Programs In India For Ambitious Women Like You!
Why do we need to categorise feminism into two? Is it authentic or bogus? Is she a genuine feminist or a pseudo feminist? Sounds familiar, right!?
So apparently, I just got intrigued by this “trend” that’s going on for years on Social Media. Talking and advocating for women’s rights and the much debated ideology of Feminism has probably resulted in dividing the very concept into two branches, for real!
When you talk about feminism in a group or on social platforms, it’s no novelty to end up hearing about “Fake Feminism/ Pseudo Feminism” etc.
Looking up in a dictionary, feminism implies the advocacy of women’s rights on the ground of equality of the genders. I can’t help but say that this definition indeed is a narrow one and too vague for understanding.
Cases of women misusing their rights in the name of feminism have been witnessed so many times, which in turn have proven detrimental for women who are actively seeking to make the lives of women better than before. It has cultivated a sense of spurious and unauthentic spotting on the very ideology. Unfortunately, feminism doesn’t come with a handbook but it surely doesn’t equal to Misandry and Misuse.
My question here is: Why do we need to categorise feminism into two? Any incident, any action or even a reaction by a woman related to her rights or interests is judged by people on this basis. Is it True Feminism or Fake Feminism? Is it authentic or is it bogus? Is she a Genuine Feminist or a Pseudo Feminist? Sounds familiar, right!? I can’t help but wonder who even came up with that. The notion of selectively picking up adjectives for Feminism has consequently dissected it into two branches, majorly True or Fake.
Let’s dig a bit deeper. If I give you a glass filled with some liquid and ask you to find if the liquid is water or anything else, what will be your response to it? If yes, then it’s Water, if no then its not Water. Will you seriously say True Water or Fake Water? I bet you won’t. My comparison of Feminism to Water might sound hilarious to some people but I honestly couldn’t think of something as basic as this.
Taking the very instance forward, if we encounter or witness someone misusing their rights as a woman or indulging in Misandry, why do we have to categorise them into True or Fake? Why can’t it be like ‘Feminism’ or ‘Not Feminism’? If any action doesn’t qualify for the very meaning of it, then it obviously isn’t Feminism!
I understand that feminism is a subjective concept and narrowing it down to black and white or binaries could be a task but it certainly doesn’t qualify for undue use of it.
Adding up everything, the essence of this write-up is to terminate the adulteration of feminism. Feminism is a pure concept and ideology, precisely came into existence, for the motive of bettering the lives of women. It doesn’t intend to suppress others who aren’t females or inculcate Matriarchy.
In the light of this, you’re either a Feminist or Not-a-Feminist. Let’s NOT CONTAMINATE Feminism!
Image source: Still from Helicopter Eela
A writer, who writes for a cause. Deeply committed to raising awareness and advocating for critical social issues, aiming to inspire action and positive change through my work. Whether it's through thought-provoking articles read more...
Women's Web is an open platform that publishes a diversity of views, individual posts do not necessarily represent the platform's views and opinions at all times.
Stay updated with our Weekly Newsletter or Daily Summary - or both!
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.
Please enter your email address