Feminism & Myth Busters

Feminism is a theory of political, economic and social equality of all genders. Feminism began as a form of resistance against the social order that confined women to assigned gender roles such as birthing, caring and managing the household. It then grew into organised, multi-faceted negotiations for economic, civil and political rights that were denied to women. Today, feminism has expanded to include the concerns of the evolving spectrum of gender, sexuality and its intersectional dynamics.

Feminism means different things to different people. But one thing's certain - there are many myths around Feminism & what is stands for. Have you ever been told that feminists "do not support marriage as an institution"? That feminists believe that women "never have to take responsibility for their actions"? And that feminism stands "only for women”? Well, all these are just myths and these myths make it difficult for people to understand what feminism essentially and actually means. In reality, feminism is about men and women being equal. Different, but equal.

So, here are some myth busters about “Feminism”.

Myth 1." A feminist is the female equivalent of chauvinist."

Fact: Feminism does not support sexism against either gender. Feminism works towards equality, not female superiority. It is based on the belief that all genders should have equal rights.

Myth 2."There is no more need for feminism; women have the vote, they have jobs. The goals have been met."

Fact: These achievements are great milestones in the history of feminism, however there is much more we want to achieve with our aim. There are still many internalized inequalities in society's perception of the roles of men and women, which often go uncovered, but are equally as harmful. We want to build a world in which no person has to restrict their dreams and hopes because of their gender.

Myth 3. "Feminists are ‘intolerant’, 'rebellious’ & 'man-hating'."

Fact: Among the numerous efforts put by feminist initiatives, most people only catch on to when feminists exert anger. Hence feminists are generalized and called "frustrated”, intolerant". "rebellious" etc. We are so used to women being silent about their rage that when it is expressed, we degrade women for going against narrow social norms, instead of looking into the cause of the rage. Moreover, they are not 'man hating'. What they actually hate is the system of oppression which promotes inequality. In fact, men are oppressed by these same systems, too. Anger and hatred are two different things, and feminist anger cannot be misplaced with hate. To say that their resistance against mistreatment is hatred towards men beats the point of feminism. Again, feminism is about equality.

Myth 4. ’Feminism is only for women.”

Fact: This is not true. When we fight for feminism we do not just liberate women; we also liberate men and other genders by breaking down stereotypes created by the society. Men who are concerned about the state of women can be feminists too. There are many notable male personalities proud of being a feminist, such as Harry Styles, Farhan Akhtar, Will Smith etc. Men can be feminists too!

Myth 5. “Feminism is about fighting men, hating men, and eliminating men."

Fact: Feminism is not about the glorification of women. The movement was not born to prosecute men at every given opportunity. Any prosecution that follows is not out of the intention to malign the male community but out of the need to stand up against violence and oppression. For Instance - rape, domestic abuse, assault, eve teasing, harassment, cyber bullying etc., are crimes that are committed majorly on women, children and trans gender people, by cis-het men. This is not to diminish the gravity of suffering of men by the same issues, but to highlight that comparatively, it is women and trans people who have been subjected to violations by men. Thus, the root meaning of the word "feminism” suggests that it is about challenging systemic inequalities. It does not portray men as the enemy.

Myth 6."Feminists believe that women never have to take responsibilities for their actions and can always be excused because of the discrimination they have suffered."

Fact: Seeking rights comes with responsibilities and feminists understand that equal rights mean equal responsibility. Previous discrimination may explain negative behaviour but there is no excuse for feminists to be unaccountable to their actions.

Myth 7. 'Feminism says that all women are disadvantaged in our society and that all men are privileged by their gender."

Fact: Feminism says that no one should be disadvantaged merely because of their gender. Feminists understand that gender ideals are restrictive and affect both men and women and thus society as a whole.It seeks to reduce and eliminate these constraining ideals, for all genders.

Myth 8. "Marriage as an institution is not accepted by feminists."

Fact: This is not true. Most feminists are married. What feminists are against is when society considers marriage as the only institution that "good' women live in, and punishing those who are not married or divorced. If a marriage is treated as a way to control women, then for sure feminists will raise their voice.

✏️: @rishika_arora, @tarini_puri & @jasmeet_kaur,

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