There are a lot of misconceptions about the very concept of feminism, but in short, it’s the belief that men and women should be equal. However, I think it’s the meaning of feminism that has got clouded (in the minds of both men and women). Feminism is all about having equal rights for men and women, and all the people who don’t accept feminism do not understand its true meaning.
I believe that feminism signifies the need for equal space for men and women. It’s about people who want equal rights as well as people who support equality. Feminists do not assert that we are the same as men. It isn’t about superiority either. But equality. Being the same and being equal are different. Those who don’t get it are either misapprehended or have been conditioned with those thoughts instilled into them from a younger age.
Feminism is a fight for gender equality. Everyone should be respected in all their forms, genders, ages, economic status and nationality. Any sentient entity has the right to be respected.
Now, let’s come to men.
Certain men assert dominance. It’s harder for them to understand because they can’t imagine a world where a woman is treated as equal. A lot of men are also misinformed and that we could fix by letting them know what feminism is. This has created a male chauvinistic society where the male ego is too fragile to be hurt. Indians have an especially harder time with things like this. Indian culture considers women to be the housekeepers and men to be the worker bees, although that’s not the case.
Religion also plays a critical role. It’s not the religion, but the individuals who modify the religion in the way they want. Nowhere in the Quran does it say that ladies should conceal their entire body. Be that as it may, we’re made to accept so by patriarchs who only want women’s subjugation.
Indeed, certain parts of Hinduism are adapted in a way that oppresses women and Dravidians. The Vedas, Manu Smriti and so on are considered as a code of conduct for Hindus and have undoubtedly been composed by men, and not God. However, many people who are accustomed to these traditions cannot accept anything beyond this. This leads orthodox people to reprimand anybody that restricts their principles.
Then there’s this hasty generalisation. Some people, claiming to be feminists, have a insulting attitude towards men and tend to insult them out loud in public places. This gives a wrong interpretation of feminism to others. What they need is a more broad identification of what is right and what is wrong.
Another factor is the chauvinistic thinking of society. The society’s collective ego is too fragile to accept a healthy change. People think that they’ll have to give up everything they’ve practiced. Such people are affected by patriarchy; like monetary control, they think that patriarchal control, too, is vested upon them as a birthright, and they gain social capital from it, a kind of respect from society.
Women, who are often homemakers, are unpaid workers with zero respect from society. Such people firmly believe that equality, when practiced, would result in women making money, that it will take away social capital from men. Hence, they troll feminists.
Like Adichie said, “When you’re accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression.” Another cause is patriarchal supremacy. When women come forward and voice demands for equal rights, such people believe that they will have to give up the privilege that they relish. That’s why they troll feminists — they feel that a woman is too low a creature to be raising their voice.
In fact, these people treat women like objects. That’s the privilege this patriarchal society gives men. That’s where the problem lies. Society believes women are meant only for reproduction, that they can’t take up any higher works other than homemaking, or do anything physical. Femininity itself is defined as weak, in being a property of husbands, and never as a quality equal to masculinity. But, more importantly, the distinction between “male privilege “ and “patriarchy” is important.
Every individual across the world ought to widely, specifically, and broadly have the opportunity to be able to grasp this ground-breaking message of women’s liberation and have the option to make a positive change to their notion of womanhood and womanliness. Nonetheless, regardless of the fact that women’s liberation is a solid effective development, disparity and discrimination against women is a tragic reality. If the women are being exploited and made to suffer, it is the obligation of one and all to prevent it from happening and to guarantee that this sort of generalization is rectified and a clearer inner conscience is framed!