Opinion / Columnist
Feminists have lost track of what they stand for
19 May 2023 at 08:53hrs | Views
Disclaimer: This article is written from a male perspective with a light-hearted tone. It is not meant to trivialize or dismiss the important issues surrounding feminism and gender equality.
Feminism. A word that has gained more traction than a high-speed train in the past few years. It's a movement that seeks to grant equal rights to women in all aspects of life, from the workplace to the bedroom. But here's the thing - feminism is slowly becoming an extremist belief system that is disregarding its own goals.
I know what you're thinking. How can a movement that advocates for equal rights become extremist? Well, buckle up!
Firstly, let's define what extremism is. By definition, it means "the holding of extreme political or religious views" or "the use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims". And while the latter does not apply to the feminist movement as a whole, the former is slowly becoming evident.
One of the major issues with modern feminism is the way it's being portrayed in the media. Feminists are often portrayed as man-hating, bra-burning, extremist lunatics when, in fact, nothing could be further from the truth. Sure, there are a few people who identify as feminists and take things to the extreme, but that's not representative of the majority.
The problem is that the minority is becoming the majority. We have people who identify as feminists who are so wrapped up in their own beliefs that they fail to see how their actions are hurting the very movement they claim to champion.
It's become a game of "us versus them". Women versus men. Feminists versus anti-feminists. And this division is becoming wider every day. Instead of working together to achieve equality for all, we're segregating ourselves based on gender.
And it's not just men who are being excluded from the conversation. Women who don't identify as feminists are also being ostracized. You're either with us or against us. There's no middle ground.
This brings me to my second point. Feminism is disregarding its own goals. The ultimate goal of feminism is to achieve gender equality. But in the pursuit of that goal, some feminists are actually setting us back.
Take, for example, the issue of "cancel culture". Cancel culture is the practice of boycotting or shaming individuals or companies who have done or said something considered offensive or problematic. While there may be instances where cancel culture has been used effectively, it's becoming a tool for feminists to silence anyone who disagrees with them.
This is not achieving gender equality. This is censorship and control. It's creating an environment where people are afraid to speak their minds for fear of being "canceled". And this is not just happening to men, but to women as well.
The feminist movement has become so focused on getting rid of "problematic" individuals and companies that they're forgetting about the bigger picture. Achieving true gender equality is about creating an equal playing field, not stifling free speech.
Another issue is the "woke" culture that has seeped into the feminist movement. Wokeness, or being "woke", is the idea of being socially aware and politically correct. While this may seem like a good thing on the surface, it's actually become a way for feminists to virtue signal and show how "woke" they are.
The problem with wokeness is that it's becoming a tool for feminists to gain social capital rather than actually effecting change. Instead of working towards real progress, some feminists are more concerned with being seen as "woke" than actually achieving gender equality.
Lastly, the idea of "toxic masculinity" has become a buzzword in the feminist movement. Toxic masculinity refers to the idea that traditional masculine traits, such as aggression and dominance, are harmful to men and society as a whole.
While there may be some truth to this idea, it's become another way for feminists to demonize men and perpetuate the "us versus them" mentality. Instead of recognizing that both men and women are capable of exhibiting toxic behavior, some feminists are painting men as the villains.
This is not achieving gender equality. This is creating a culture where men are afraid to express their masculinity for fear of being labeled "toxic". It's creating a generation of men who are confused about what it means to be masculine and who are afraid to embrace their own sexuality.
To sum, feminism is becoming extremist and disregarding its own goals. The movement has become so focused on excluding and silencing those who disagree with them that they're forgetting about the bigger picture - achieving gender equality. It's becoming a game of "us versus them" when it should be about working together to create a more equal world for all. We need to recognize that both men and women are capable of toxic behavior and work towards creating a culture where everyone can feel comfortable expressing themselves. It's time to put the focus back on the goal of gender equality and stop allowing the extremists to hijack the conversation.
Kumbirai Thierry Nhamo |
Writer, Blogger, Poet and Researcher
Call/WhatsApp: +26378002 2343 | +263716984317
Email: kumbiraithierryn@gmail.com
Website(s): https://zealousthierry.art.blog/ | https://www.poemhunter.com/kumbirai-thierry-nhamo/
Social Media: Instagram | https://instagram.com/zealousthierry_?igshid=ZGUzMzM3NWJiOQ==
Feminism. A word that has gained more traction than a high-speed train in the past few years. It's a movement that seeks to grant equal rights to women in all aspects of life, from the workplace to the bedroom. But here's the thing - feminism is slowly becoming an extremist belief system that is disregarding its own goals.
I know what you're thinking. How can a movement that advocates for equal rights become extremist? Well, buckle up!
Firstly, let's define what extremism is. By definition, it means "the holding of extreme political or religious views" or "the use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims". And while the latter does not apply to the feminist movement as a whole, the former is slowly becoming evident.
One of the major issues with modern feminism is the way it's being portrayed in the media. Feminists are often portrayed as man-hating, bra-burning, extremist lunatics when, in fact, nothing could be further from the truth. Sure, there are a few people who identify as feminists and take things to the extreme, but that's not representative of the majority.
The problem is that the minority is becoming the majority. We have people who identify as feminists who are so wrapped up in their own beliefs that they fail to see how their actions are hurting the very movement they claim to champion.
It's become a game of "us versus them". Women versus men. Feminists versus anti-feminists. And this division is becoming wider every day. Instead of working together to achieve equality for all, we're segregating ourselves based on gender.
And it's not just men who are being excluded from the conversation. Women who don't identify as feminists are also being ostracized. You're either with us or against us. There's no middle ground.
This brings me to my second point. Feminism is disregarding its own goals. The ultimate goal of feminism is to achieve gender equality. But in the pursuit of that goal, some feminists are actually setting us back.
This is not achieving gender equality. This is censorship and control. It's creating an environment where people are afraid to speak their minds for fear of being "canceled". And this is not just happening to men, but to women as well.
The feminist movement has become so focused on getting rid of "problematic" individuals and companies that they're forgetting about the bigger picture. Achieving true gender equality is about creating an equal playing field, not stifling free speech.
Another issue is the "woke" culture that has seeped into the feminist movement. Wokeness, or being "woke", is the idea of being socially aware and politically correct. While this may seem like a good thing on the surface, it's actually become a way for feminists to virtue signal and show how "woke" they are.
The problem with wokeness is that it's becoming a tool for feminists to gain social capital rather than actually effecting change. Instead of working towards real progress, some feminists are more concerned with being seen as "woke" than actually achieving gender equality.
Lastly, the idea of "toxic masculinity" has become a buzzword in the feminist movement. Toxic masculinity refers to the idea that traditional masculine traits, such as aggression and dominance, are harmful to men and society as a whole.
While there may be some truth to this idea, it's become another way for feminists to demonize men and perpetuate the "us versus them" mentality. Instead of recognizing that both men and women are capable of exhibiting toxic behavior, some feminists are painting men as the villains.
This is not achieving gender equality. This is creating a culture where men are afraid to express their masculinity for fear of being labeled "toxic". It's creating a generation of men who are confused about what it means to be masculine and who are afraid to embrace their own sexuality.
To sum, feminism is becoming extremist and disregarding its own goals. The movement has become so focused on excluding and silencing those who disagree with them that they're forgetting about the bigger picture - achieving gender equality. It's becoming a game of "us versus them" when it should be about working together to create a more equal world for all. We need to recognize that both men and women are capable of toxic behavior and work towards creating a culture where everyone can feel comfortable expressing themselves. It's time to put the focus back on the goal of gender equality and stop allowing the extremists to hijack the conversation.
Kumbirai Thierry Nhamo |
Writer, Blogger, Poet and Researcher
Call/WhatsApp: +26378002 2343 | +263716984317
Email: kumbiraithierryn@gmail.com
Website(s): https://zealousthierry.art.blog/ | https://www.poemhunter.com/kumbirai-thierry-nhamo/
Social Media: Instagram | https://instagram.com/zealousthierry_?igshid=ZGUzMzM3NWJiOQ==
Source - Kumbirai Thierry Nhamo
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