Editor’s Letter: Feminism – a dirty word?
Feminism seems to have become a dirty word and you have to wonder how that happened. It is getting to the point where people are reluctant to say “I am a feminist”, but it shouldn’t be something controversial.
Hell, it shouldn’t be out of the ordinary. Some people seem to conjure up the idea that to be a feminist you have to be female, and not just female, but a strong, assertive and loud woman who despises all men.
I think there are two main problems here; one being a large misunderstanding, and the other being sheer ignorance.
Firstly, the misunderstanding: For some reason people don’t see feminism for what it really is, the firm belief that, although they do not currently, women and men should both have equal rights, equal opportunities and equal freedom of choice. This has been confused by some into the belief that women deserve more rights than men; that women should be elevated to higher ground. This is the idea that a kind of role-reversal should be put in place. Women had to suffer being subjugated by men throughout history, so the future should be filled with the subjugation of men. This is not feminism.
Then the problem of ignorance, as I see it, plays its part. People honestly believe that because there are now some women in high paid professional jobs; because some women’s sport gets aired on TV and because some women aren’t forced into a life chained to their home, equality has already been reached. Not only is this view incorrect, it’s offensive to people’s intellect to claim that it has any credibility at all. To suppose that it is as easy for an average woman to get a given professional job as it is for an average man is to be deluded. There is no need to spout figures and statistics, just look around.
To be a feminist you don’t have to be female. You don’t have to be challenging for the highest paid jobs in the country. To be a feminist is to recognise that our society hasn’t yet reached gender-equality and to drive for its realisation. Feminism comes down to the freedom to choose. So if you are not a feminist, you must believe that equality has been reached or that it shouldn’t be reached; you must be either ignorant or sexist. So ask yourself, which of the three are you?
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