When did “Feminism” become a bad word? Ashley Judd, an American actress, and political activist read the poem “Nasty Woman” during the Women’s March on Washington in 2017. During the 2014 VMAs, Beyonce was illuminated by the word “FEMINIST” during her performance.
But recently, Katy Perry was quoted saying, “I’m not a feminist but I do believe in the strength of women.” So why are women backpedaling from the label? Why has feminist, a powerful word backed by the millions of women who fought for suffrage and equality, been reduced to a dirty word connoting a man-hating monster?
So I went and looked up opinion pieces addressing why “I am not a feminist.”
Blog link: If you read the blog, my responses will make more sense) http://feminismisahatemovement.tumblr.com/post/55334540059/9-reasons-why-i-cant-stand-modern-day-feminists
- They constantly victimize my gender, and I find it insulting.
My response: Feminism isn’t about victimizing gender. It is realizing that women are faced with certain issues that men aren’t.
- Feminists fail to see the redundancy in the modern-day feminist movement.
My response: You don’t have to be living in a third world country where women are raped and not even allowed to go outside without an accompanying man to still feel victimized.
That’s like yelling at a burn victim “IT’S NOT THAT BAD OKAY?! OTHER PEOPLE ARE DYING IN THIS HOSPITAL!” Your feelings of shame and disgust when someone catcalls you are still valid.
- Feminists refuse to acknowledge that the gender pay gap is the result of women’s choices, not sexism.
My response: While it is true that women do tend to take jobs that are not so STEM-related, which would earn them a higher income, this person does not acknowledge those who DO and the struggles they face. Feminism is for those women to find solidarity in shared experiences and support. My aunt spoke of the inherent sexism she faced as a woman in engineering. People would refer to her as “sweetheart” and talk down to her, thinking that she didn’t know as much as them. Even now, she owns a company she started with her husband that deals with computer security and investors ask to speak to her husband instead of her.
To quote Jennifer Lawrence,” I don’t know why that word is so scary to people. It shouldn’t be, because it just means equality.”
Perhaps the meaning of feminism has been tainted, but I urge people to reconsider the original purpose of feminism. Feminism is about women not being blamed for wearing revealing clothes and drinking a bit too much, not feeling intimidated by a roomful of men in a STEM environment, or not feeling ashamed for being confident and self-assured. Feminism is to empower women and support them.
Citing : http://ew.com/gallery/celebrity-feminists/jennifer-lawrence