Okay so hear me out. Please do not jump to conclusions and or hate me all because I do not agree with you. Which is why this blog post will be in parts. As my understanding of the subject grows, I will keep adding in.
A recent discussion with a professor on women empowerment and gender development led me to explore these topics further. These are all my understanding of the topic. There’s a very good chance I might have it all figured out wrong, but there’s also an equally good chance, I am trying to express my preference without sounding disrespectful of those who do not agree with me.
On a broad level, feminism speaks of equal rights for women and men and it is not something that I do not stand for. I do. As someone belonging to the former section of the society, this is a cause very close to heart. I believe women should face absolutely no discrimination in any field, be it their homes, academia, or their professional life.
I do not believe that women were created different from men. I stand against the culture that discriminates between our sons and our daughters. But I also believe it isn’t just the woman who can lead the cause of gender development. I am sorry but this isn’t me implying ‘men need women’ or ‘women need men’ to survive; what I mean is men have an equal role to play in shaping the future narrative on women’s rights. When we exclude men from the equation, we are losing on the core objective of feminism: equality.
Men have played a key role in undermining the efforts of women in society, have been at the forefront deciding what women should and shouldn’t do. But this can change. It will be a painfully long process, but we can get there. Remember, inequality was born out of the single idea ages ago that was fed into everyone’s minds: girls are weak, boys are strong.
It took time, discourse and eventually culture to plant that single seed of what we now are bearing the cost of.
I believe women should have the right to do whatever they want; none of their decisions, may it be how they dress up or who they marry.
I am strongly against the notion that covering your body is repressive. I know I may have touched a nerve with this one. Maybe I have been lucky enough to have met, known, worked, studied with women who were not forced to cover themselves, and they did it all on their own no society pressure, no patriarchy at play: just simple decision taken solely by themselves. Why is that hard to believe?
But do you see where the problem lies? All throughout I, as a female, a member of the society feminism seeks to empower, has been unabashedly trying to apologize for her views. It shouldn’t be like that. If I am to embrace what feminism is all about, feminists also have to embrace me.
Is that possible if I choose to exercise my individual right?
I thought feminism was all about giving power to the woman, but when you are unwilling to respect someone who disagrees with you, even though they too DO INDEED try to reject the daily stereotypes associated with their gender, try their best to raise above the puny level society allots them, they are still looked upon with scorn.
.……to be continued
Widi. Wicki. Winchi. 