“Feminism is a women’s issue.”
“Feminists are man haters.”
“Why should I pay attention to something that doesn’t have anything to do with me or benefit me in any way? It’s not a priority.”
Are you sure? Feminism is defined by a simple google search as “the advocacy of women’s rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men”.
In other words, fighting for gender equality. So no, feminism does not exclusively stand for women’s rights. There is an extremely large array of issues that feminists strive to overcome that apply to men. One very significant issue that feminism combats is the traditional gender roles imposed upon both women and men that are often restrictive and make it difficult to express what you are truly capable of as an individual.
Some of the gender roles that apply to men include having to be masculine and strong, and not being able to portray any sensitivity or emotion that may be seen as “feminine traits”. Often times society and the media make will make men seem unmanly or immature for crying, and this is extremely toxic as crying is a healthy and natural function of the human organism. There is also a negative stereotype that comes along with men that show emotion or are loving to their friends, in which they are genuinely or jokingly called gay.
This is not only invasive as you are making assumptions about one’s sexuality for trivial reasons, but also extremely offensive to people that really are gay because you are mocking their sexuality and adding to the stigma that comes alongside not being heterosexual. You are also using the word as a slur with a negative connotation.
Feminism is fundamental for people of all genders, and failing to see that will affect you and the people around you very negatively. Alongside fighting against harmful gender roles and stereotypes, there are many other bones of contention that feminism tries to overthrow that benefit men, women, and people of other genders. It is important to acknowledge this before jumping to the conclusion that feminism is solely for women, because it’s not. Feminism is for everyone.
Jaskrit is sixteen years old and lives in Southern California. She is passionate about human rights activism, animal rights, feminism, environmentalism, fashion, and photography. She is a writer and ambassador for Affinity Magazine and wants to be able to educate people and bring attention to significant current events and topics.
