FEMINISM AND WHY DO WE NEED IT

Along with worldwide appreciation feminists have also faced criticism not only from men but also women. There are some who believe themselves to be Feminism but are still not au Courant with the actual meaning of Feminism and practice pseudofeminism

Let’s begin by understanding what actually Feminism is, according to wikipedia “Feminism is a range of social movements, political movements, and ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social equality of the sexes.“

It has been well quoted that Feminism is not about making women strong, women are already strong it’s about changing the way the world perceives that strength.

Feminism is about tackling the misogynistic mindset, the advocacy of women’s rights on the basis of the equality of the sexes . To make the world realise that no gender is superior and we should get over the deep rooted patriarchy. It’s about shutting down sexism. It is not about hating men but about keeping women equal to men. To accept the fact that a female is as capable as a male. And it is also about ditching tha fact that certain tasks are for a specific gender and the opposite gender is not worth performing them. Feminism is about accepting that women are free to make their own choices.

But why do Feminism face worldwide criticism?

• we have seen many Feminism moments worldwide aimed at equal opportunities for women. Feminism has associated with empowered, forceful and angry women, and the society finds it hard to accept words of forceful women.

• some fear that with Upliftment of women there will be imposed a great danger upon their culture and traditions. But it is wrong to change traditions which satisfy only a part and leaves the other in grief ?

• others who hate Feminism are those who presume feminism about considering women superior to men. A good lot of people who firmly believe in equal rights for both male and female but still don’t align with the word Feminism solely because they don’t accurately understand what feminism is.

It was stated by emma watson that “The more I have realized that fighting for women’s rights has too often become synonymous with man-hating. If there is one thing I know for certain, it is that this has to stop. For the record, feminism, by definition, is the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities. It is the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes.”

So why exactly do we need feminism?

First of all we need feminism because a lot of men hate the idea of women getting equal opportunities as them in all fields. It is considered necessary for a man to be earning and be financially independent but the same is not necessary for women. The household chores are considered sole responsibility of the female of the house even though men also live in the same house. A male doing household chores is considered helping the female whereas for females it considered their duty.

Secondly ,We are all well aware that 1 in 3 women are sexually assaulted in India. Gang-rape, sexual assault, sexual harassment, child sexual abuse – these terms can be found daily in headlines. And even in these circumstances the patriarchal mindset becomes the bread winner by putting blame of the female for the assult faced by her. We are more concerned about our daughters getting sexuality harasses that thinking about can our son harass someone.

Next is because sexist jokes are the ones we find most funny without realising how deep patriarchal meaning they carry. A successful indipendent female is considered to be great deal, but why not same for men? Women are told what to wear what not to but why not men? Who gave men the authority to impose upon women what to wear what not to? Why do women that accept the oppressive misogyny appreciated and those who stand against it shamed?

Once there is full equality in political, economic and social life, there will be no need for the word ‘feminism’. It will simply become obsolete. As we are nowhere near this Utopia, this is why we sill need feminism.