Feminism is not man-hating. Stop thinking like that. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines feminism as “the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes.” Today, most people have turned that into a mix of truth, myth, and exaggeration. Some people call themselves feminists without knowing what it is. For them, it’s an umbrella for them to carry out their oftentimes, nefarious agenda. And it what makes people not take feminists seriously.
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Social media hasn’t helped in furthering this cause positively, either. Many women use the streets of twitter to further their misandry and femmephobia. And adding feminist to your bio doesn’t make you one. It feels like a curse sometimes to say that you are a feminist. And what’s more, most people think that feminists are all women, or rather, must be women.
This article is making an attempt to debunk all the myths that people hold as truth. Stick with us, and see what feminism is not.
Feminism is not Misandry
Contrary to what most people think, feminists do not hate men. All feminists like men. Sure, there are some misandrists disguising as feminists, it doesn’t make us all misandrists. Feminists understand that men and the patriarchy are not one and the same, cut and dried. The patriarchy is a system, men are human beings. Feminists do not hate human beings.
Feminism is not Binary
Most people think that men should not be feminists. That is wrong thinking. If a man is a feminist, it doesn’t strip him of his manhood. He’s only acting like a human being who thinks all humans should have equal rights. Plus, anyone can be a feminist regardless of their gender or sexuality.
Feminism is not Victimization
It is not. This accusation is often flung in the face of feminists. Anti-feminists say “y’all are searching for ways to blame innocent people for some misdeeds that aren’t their fault.” True feminists do not blame a few single men for centuries of oppressive behavior. Feminism attempts to right the wrong that is sexism, even if some people think the opposite.
Feminism is not trying to be Superior to Men
This is the major reason why most men and some women too, do not like the word “feminist”. And it is why men are scared of marrying a feminist. “She’ll have you cooking, cleaning and popping out the babies, if she can.” That statement is a blatant lie. Feminism is not trying to be superior to men. It is wanting to be able to do whatsoever we want, without having to break through a glass ceiling. We are not trying to take anything away from men.
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Feminism is not agreeing to Abortion
It is not! It means that feminists support women’s rights to do whatever they want with their bodies. Truth is, most pro-choice feminists will never have an abortion personally. They just support women who want to do so. And they do have the right to do so, it’s their choice to make.
Other myths and false truths you should debunk include the following :
Feminism is not hating chivalry (we like doors to be opened for us). It is not hating women who want to be full-time housewives (that is a full-time job on its own). Neither is it calling all men rapists, neither is it treating men like lesser beings.
The goal of feminism is to create a society when one’s happiness is not restricted by gender, race, color, or social status. Feminism is not a perfect movement, no. It has flawed people, and people should stop thinking that feminists are trying to take anything away from anybody. They’re not. So help further the cause of true feminism by correcting the wrong opinions of society.
