You must’ve heard of feminism unless you’re living under a rock. Let’s get started with a bit of history, shall we?
For centuries, women have suffered under patriarchy, societal pressures, and male dominance. Limited freedom, spending their entire lives indoors, having to listen to other males, and suppressing their own feelings. They weren’t allowed to read and write or pursue careers of their own. Even getting married to the person of their choice wasn’t allowed to them. We know how ‘she’ was forced to cover herself all the time and not given any freedom, but was rather divorced unceremoniously and easily because her husband could marry other women. We know of many women in both rural and urban areas who still live a suppressed life. We know how women have had to struggle to get voting rights. Women have suffered no matter how much some hypocrites like to believe otherwise. Period!
The mentality that men are stronger, and hence dominant while women are restricted led to the concept called feminism. Feminism, unfortunately, is a misunderstood term today, often confused with pseudo feminism. Feminism means social, economic, and political equality, where women stand alongside men on an even ground. Feminists consist of men as well. Examples of Feminism can be seen in our respected legends such as Ms Sudha Murthy, Mrs Latha Mangeshkar, Ms Kalpana Chawla, Mrs Anandi Joshi, Mrs Sushma Swaraj, Ms Sania Nehwal, and countless other women who have achieved a lot in almost all fields. Such women have dealt with gender discrimination and have achieved so much in their lives. Feminism means that women deserve as much respect as men. Pseudo feminism, on the other hand, is the exact opposite of male dominance and demands that women rule over men. Examples of this are women who do not give their seat to an old man in public transport because they’re women, women who give statements on social media that they need men only for making babies, girls who smoke because boys do (smoking is harmful to both boys and girls), and so on.
Taking care of your family, cooking, cleaning, washing, and making the house is meant for men as much as for women. Understanding this is real feminism (men and women). Pseudo feminism is using the victim card and to get away with wrongdoing, shaming other men, and looking down upon other women who like being housewives and/or following festivals. When a man is falsely accused, nobody bothers to do anything about it. Pseudo feminism demands that the man be punished regardless of whether he is innocent or not. Feminism demands that the man be given a fair trial and facts be verified before calling him a culprit. Violence towards men is seen as funny, which is another example of pseudo feminism. Shaming a man for his body, behavior etc is pseudo feminism and hypocrisy. Body shaming anyone is wrong regardless of gender. Calling all men as evil and all women as angels is as bad as calling all women as evil and all men as angels.
We need a society where prejudice, inequality, disrespect, and discrimination is eradicated.
We believe that the day women are given equal opportunities as men and both are seen as one by law, order, and society, such a day would be real independence and a day of victory.
Where men can be househusbands without being shamed.
Where women can be housewives without being called backward.
Where both men and women divide their work, cook, and eat together.
Where men and women pay their respective bills and buy their own things without expecting the other to pay up for them.
Where dowry and demands such as ‘He should earn more than me’ and ‘He should have more qualifications than me.’ are nonexistent.
Where men aren’t seen as moving ATMs and being chauvinistic and women aren’t seen as gold diggers and baby-makers.
Where women are paid according to their work and not on personal factors like whether they’re married.
Where women serve in the defense forces as much as men do.
Where a man crying does not make him weak.
We want feminism, not misandry. Do you want feminism or misandry?