F#@!, F**K, ****
No matter how it is written, you know exactly what the word is. It’s one F word with multiple meanings and everyone is still able to understand what it means. However, Feminism is another F word with one meaning that not many can grasp the concept of.
Feminism: Noun. the advocacy of women’s rights on the basis of the equality of the sexes.
No, you’re not an ‘equalist’ if you think both sexes should be treated equally. You’re a feminist.
No, feminists are not angry women who hate men. That’s misandry.
Feminists are both men and women who believe and advocate for equal rights between both sexes. And if you don’t want to call yourself a feminist because you think it has a negative connotation, you’re suffering from the lie that the patriarchy wants you to believe in. In other words, claiming not to be a feminist, is borderline misogynistic.
Misogyny: Noun. dislike of, contempt for or ingrained prejudice against women.
Misogyny is thinking that women don’t need equal rights. The term feminism derives from the word female because females are the ones in our society who are constantly at a disadvantage simply for being female. Do I need to give some examples?
History is filled with misogynistic laws and societal norms. For example, in 1913, four women were denied the right to sit law examinations as The Law Society claimed that women were not ‘persons’. The Court of Appeals upheld this decision in Bebb v The Law Society. Women finally were deemed as people-or ‘persons’-in 1919 under the Sex Disqualified (Removal) Act.
Even then, females still didn’t have the right to vote until 1920. The reason being that the framers of The United States Constitution, didn’t believe that women were responsible enough to vote. Many men at the time believed women were too childlike in their mind. Anti-suffragettes often argued that women didn’t have the time to vote or get involved with politics as they were meant to be at home, in the kitchen with the children. Those are only a few examples of Misogyny.
Thanks to feminism, women are now seen as people (for the most part) and have the right to vote. Yes, we have come a long way since then, I mean we even have a female vice president. However, we still desperately need feminism as females are still at a disadvantage-yes, even in America.
At the time of publishing this article, doctors in Iowa can deny a woman’s request for a hysterectomy (the removal of the uterus, usually due to health reasons) if she doesn’t have permission from her husband. Not all doctors in Iowa are requiring this from women, but there is no law making it illegal to ask for this requirement. Iowa’s Republican Representative Eddie Andrews, proposed a bill that would end this requirement for this surgical procedure. See? Men can be feminist too, it really isn’t that hard! Although there is at least one man advocating for women, there are still many against it. This is evident by the fact that his bill (initially introduced in early 2021) has yet to be passed.
While Representative Andrews’ bill is waiting to be passed, the Supreme Court has ruled the right to carry a gun outside the house for ‘self defense’. Then, the very next day, overturned Roe v Wade (the initial ruling that allowed women to have legal abortions). Basically, guns have more rights than women. Regardless of how you feel about guns or abortions, everyone deserves to decide what they want to do with their bodies and how they wish to protect it.
Women are working hard to get these rights, but it isn’t just women who need to fight. We need males too. Men are very important in helping women fight for equal rights. Of course, male feminist are just fighting for the rights of women, they are fighting for their own rights too. Feminism doesn’t just benefit females. It benefits men too-Shocking, I know.
Equal opportunities for both sexes, will allow men the freedom to express their emotions, relieve the pressures of having to be the sole breadwinner, and grant them the ability to connect with their children. Allowing women in male dominated spaces, allows for more diversity which leads to more creation and innovation. So why are some people trying to hold women back?
In the end, regardless of what sex you are, life is never fair. However, if we can give men and women equal opportunities, life can be a little easier-for everyone. We have to stop fighting over the F word and start fighting for it. Feminism is an F word that no one should be afraid of. It’s an F word that both men and women need to F#@! with.
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