By Sin Ying The mere mention of the word ‘feminism’ brings up mostly negative reactions. Images of bra-burning women, angry and irrationally emotional women, or fierce and overly masculine women start popping up in people’s heads. You start thinking of names to call them - feminazis, man-hating b*tches, and more. How is feminism ever going to benefit men, when the concept of feminism only serves to benefit women? Noting the difference between feminism and misandry The point of feminism is to push for gender equality by empowering women without hurting any other groups of people in the process. Yet it seems to be a common generalisation that feminists are out to destroy and ruin the lives of men. Some people see it as a zero-sum game, but the empowerment of women does not mean the removal of men’s rights. Women are not going to deny men of their rights just because they are in the process of fighting for the same rights that men already possess. Hence, it is important to understand that feminists strive for gender equality rather than a world dominated by women.
On the other hand, misandry means a dislike for males. It can manifest itself as male objectification and perceiving men as inferior. While some misandrists are also feminists, not all feminists are misandrists. 1. Feminism fights against gender stereotypes. It fights for your right to be who you are and the freedom to do what you want in life. A patriarchal society, one that places men on a higher status, can be detrimental to men. There are so many expectations for men which create unnecessary pressure on them. Traditionally, men are looked upon as the head of the household and regarded as the breadwinner of the family, especially in Asian societies. Sometimes, various reasons such as an unfavourable economy or the nature of their work hinder them from obtaining a stable and constant income. Perhaps a man might simply prefer to play a more nurturing role at home and keep the house in order. There is nothing wrong with being a house-husband, yet such expectations rob men of the freedom to do so. Men are supposed to be able to ‘keep their emotions in check’ and it is considered unmanly to shed tears, especially in public. The problem with such stereotypes is that men face social pressure and must demonstrate their masculinity to reaffirm their status and worth in society. Phrases like ‘man up’ and ‘stop being such a girl’ reinforce the superior status of men at the expense of women. Why should one’s gender, something we have no control over at birth, be used as an insult? It is also very damaging to impressionable young male minds if they must grow up with the idea that to be a real man one must never reveal his emotional side. In spite of whatever suffering men may have to go through, they are expected a certain level of ‘manliness’ in terms of their behaviour. This is very restrictive. People deserve the right to be who they are and behave however they want (keeping in mind that their actions do not hurt others, of course). Hence, feminism is important in doing away with gender stereotypes in a patriarchal society. 2. Feminism fights rape culture According to Audre Lorde, a Caribbean-American writer and civil rights activist, ‘rape is not aggressive sexuality, it is sexualized aggression.’ Let us not forget that men can also be victims of rape. Making offensive rape jokes and trivializing rape can contribute to an environment in which people are desensitised to the concept of sexual violence, even though the impact may not be immediately visible. Men can also oppress other men. Rape was used as a weapon during wartime, as in places like East Africa. Soldiers were brutally raped over and over again as a form of punishment and the impact of such treatment caused long-lasting psychological and physical trauma. Yet, male victims of sexual abuse do not have an institution to turn to for help. However, rape does happen to men and it is more frequent than you think, as most cases go unreported. Rape is about power rather than attraction. In fact, most male victims of such sexual violence do not even think about getting any form of help simply because of the potential ridicule or judgements that can ensue. Many lose their self-esteem as they no longer feel ‘like a man’ while coping with the aftermath of brutal rape. 3. Feminism helps you better to see females as individuals Lastly, feminism concerns the women you love in your lives. Some men push for feminism to empower their daughters, and some do it because they can empathise with their sisters and girlfriends who face gender discrimination. More importantly, feminism concerns people. A female is more than just someone’s daughter, lover or mother. A female is an individual, a human being just like you. As we fight to bridge the inequality gap which was created centuries ago, some say gender equality is an overly idealistic notion, as men and women can never be equal because of various innate differences. However, it is a step forward and we should not underestimate its impact. a
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The Taida Student Journal has been active since 1995 with an ever-changing roster of student journalists at NTU. Click the above link to read about the authors Archives
May 2024
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