FEMINISM- A FIGHT FOR EQUALITY

Feminism is a topic highly misunderstood in the present scenario. There are always controversies revolving around what feminism is, whether it’s required and what it really does. So, I’m here to answer some of these questions for you!

WHAT IS FEMINISM?

Feminism is based on the egalitarian belief that men and women are equal and thus they deserve EQUAL rights and opportunities. It is against the ideas of patriarchy and misogyny and is NOT a concept that states women lie above men or, men, in any form or shape, are inferior to women.

WHY IS FEMINISM STILL REQUIRED?

You might be wondering now, what’s the big deal, everyone believes men and women are equal- c’mon it’s the twenty-first century! Even today in our daily lives, women very often hear sexist comments like “Yeh toh ladki hai, isse technical kaam kaise hoga?!” “Bhai, isko itna jaldi promotion kaise mil gaaya? Jaroor kuch chal raha hai” “Job-wob toh theek hai beta magar shaadi kab kar rahe ho?”

These are comments that are so normalized in our society that most of us fail to recognize these statements are sexist. But the need for feminism still exists since in a room full of women, a man is ecstatic but in a room full of men, a woman is terrified.

WHAT DOES FEMINISM AIM TO ACHIEVE?

Multiple people misunderstand feminists as a group of people who hate men. This statement is completely inaccurate. The only thing feminists around the world aim to achieve is to bring women to the same level as men. Progress and reservations are one thing, women are just asking for an equal share in this race of life. It wouldn’t be the first time someone’s instantly repelled by a woman/man when he/she claims to be a feminist.

I recently watched a really powerful speech delivered by Emma Watson where she talked about how women don’t like to call themselves “Feminists” anymore as they don’t want to come off as too strong, aggressive, or anti-men. This got me thinking about all the girls in my school who silently accepted the fact that “Men and women can’t be on the same level. The society won’t allow it.” It breaks my heart to think that asking for a bare minimum comes with a price tag and in most cases is a privilege.

As a girl who is raised with a brother, I am extremely lucky to have parents who show no signs of inequality. In fact, I only learned about this when I was in school. A major reason being the teachers. My shorts are too short, I can’t possibly move the table myself, etc, etc. I was so accustomed to hearing these phrases that I almost started believing them.

By the age of 12, I cracked out of my shell and learned that I am capable. I deserve to be treated just like the boys in my school and I am allowed to play the games they play.

Some say “The progress is slow, but at least it’s happening” but that’s not where we can stop. That’s not enough. Not nearly enough. Men still have issues with reserved seats and the bra strap showing, take her denial as a yes, claim to own a woman, and do whatever the hell they please with her, stab her in the middle of the city without anyone to stop him, harass her, rape her. The list is disturbingly long.

So, stand up for yourself, Don’t bring down other women who stand up for their rights. And most importantly, raise your voice.

Writers: Navya Jain and Snigdha Chattar