Why We All Need Feminism

Nowadays there are lots of Indians who do not like to be associated with the most dangerous F-word in the dictionary. Indeed, I’m writing about Feminism. These people cringe at the mention of the word and deny ever having any association with it. After-all isn’t feminism all about women hating men and trying to become the supreme power in the world under the mask of pretentious equality? I for one am neither ashamed nor afraid of it and proud to be a female and hence a feminist.

 

Unlike countries in the West, India’s Feminist movement was initiated by men and later joined by women. Our forefathers who had fought for the freedom of our nation knew the importance of educating the women and upholding their rights. As a result women started breaking out of the shackles imposed on them and also played a major role in India’s Freedom Movement. Unfortunately this feminist spirit in our countrymen eventually died out and a majority of today’s men are sexist. That is why I believe that we need Feminism. Real feminists do not want to rule over men. Real feminists do not want to be the supreme power holders. Real feminists only want to co-exist in the society with equal rights and equal respect. However in order to achieve the Utopian idea of a peaceful co-existence, the men have to be supportive and empathetic towards the women’s issues and not act like these issues do not exist. The wage gap does exist. The rape culture and objectification also exists. So does the practices of dowry, domestic violence and female foeticide.

 

Lots of people argue that Feminism is not a movement for Equality because there isn’t a fair representation of the issues of all genders. With all due respect I would like to disagree with that statement. Feminists, for instance, coined the term rape culture. Every single day innumerable women, trans-people as well as men become victims of rape. But the victims are not the problem. Victims are NEVER the problem. The rapists, the offenders are the problem and the offenders in this case happen to be men almost all the time and these are the people the real feminists are up against. Objectification of women also happens to be another issue which feminists keep bringing up. Anti feminists retaliate by either saying that men are objectified too or that women sign up willingly to portray those objectified roles. That is true but once again they miss the basic point that the models and actors who sign up for those roles, it’s their job, their work and source of income. The directors, producers or music composers who create such low-quality work which won’t survive a day without the skin show are the ones to be blamed and they too mostly happen to be men; the sexist men feminists are against.

 

As a woman, it infuriates me when I realize that my life would have been very different and much more privileged had I been a man. That is exactly why I need feminism. Irrespective of my gender, I should have the advantage of living life the way I want to and not be judged for it. And that is going to be possible only when the society, especially the men changes their attitude towards women and enable to create a world where all genders have equal rights, responsibilities, duties and perks. Living in the city I must admit that I have a much better lifestyle compared to women who are living in underdeveloped rural areas. Given the chance I would indeed like to help in bringing all of them at par with us privileged urban girls so that we can aim for an egalitarian society. A society which does not allow progress to a majority of its population is regressive. Let's not stay regressive. Let's try to achieve perfection.