Do we still need feminism?
There has been a lot of work this year around feminist action and the word 'feminist' has really come to the front of many people's minds. However, one magazine dared to ask the question: 'should we ban the word 'feminist' next year?'
I see myself as a feminist. As I see the world there is still so much work that needs to be done and the only way this can be achieved is by men and women working together. There are women I know of or I have read the works of who are anti-men. The way I see that attitude is that men will be alienated and this can only lead to a back step in rights for everyone! Men are just as important in the fight for women's rights as women are. Only when we see equality regardless of gender will we be able to truly say that feminism is not required.
The best example this year has been the 'He for She' campaign. This has been adopted by celebrities and politicians alike and was kicked off by the actress, Emma Watson, who made a fantastic speech not too long ago. Since then, men have been seen all over social media sporting the t-shirt showing support from Ed Miliband to Benedict Cumberbatch, all have shown support for the campaign. This is a simple message, men and women need to work together to fight oppression of women. Just because a man doesn't abuse or sexualise a woman does not mean it is enough. Men and women need to stand up and take action together against those who would oppress.
Beyonce appeared on stage a few weeks ago with the word 'feminist' behind her and her dancers. This was the most bold statement any person could make. Here she was stating that she was a feminist herself. It was more than that though. Beyonce has shown over her career that she will let nothing stand in her way. She has fought for all she has and worked hard to get it. On top of that she believes that all women should have that chance. Isn't this statement something we should all be making?
Every day there are women around the world who fear for their safety. There are women who have to go to the toilet only once or twice a day because they have to go in groups and use fields due to lack of facilities. If they go alone they run the risk of rape attacks from men lying in wait like a predator in the Serengeti. There are women who are not allowed out of the house without being accompanied by a man. Women who are not allowed jobs, or to learn to drive cars, or to be educated. In the developed world there are women who struggle to earn the same as men for the same work. There are glass ceilings to be broken. Standing alongside men who feel that this should be changed is the only way to fight this oppression that we all feel. The only way to put these things to an end. In the 21st Century, the fact that we still have to do all this is shocking.
There are those who do no favours for the movement of feminism. Those who would end all the good work that we try and put in. Those are the feminists who would only bash men. Those who will jump on anything as an excuse to put men down and pull focus. This only harms the cause as I see it.
Case in point is the recent success of landing a probe on a comet. This was a project that was around quarter of a century in the making. It took 10 years for the lander to arrive at the comet and no one knew if the probe would be able to land on the surface. Seemingly against all the odds, the little probe did land. Ok, it wasn't on the 'safe' spot that was intended, but it did land! It took samples and it sent back so much data that scientists will be busy for years. This is the seemingly unthinkable! Yet, they managed it!
This should have been the biggest story not just of the day, but of the century. Humans have managed to go from the most basic planes at the beginning of the 20th Century to being able to land a probe on a freaking comet! 100 years is all it took and that should be the biggest triumph to date of our species. Instead it seemed that two other stories began to take over...
The first happened on the day of the landing. Reality airhead Kim Kardashian decided to 'break the internet' with a nude photoshoot showing off the only thing she is really 'famous' for...her infeasibly large behind...arse...butt...call it what you will. Tabloids were brimming with pictures of it and comments from twitter. There were the inevitable photoshopped images. If she wanted to pull focus, she sure did it. Ok, one might argue this was a woman who was confident with her body and happy to show it off. Why should we be ashamed of who we are? Exactly! In that case good for her! Go on girl! What bothered me was that this seemed to be more important that human kind's greatest ever achievement and also the comments were...well, not flattering to any women really.
The second was that one of the doctors who worked on the mission was attacked by many a woman calling herself a 'feminist'. This is why:
I see myself as a feminist. As I see the world there is still so much work that needs to be done and the only way this can be achieved is by men and women working together. There are women I know of or I have read the works of who are anti-men. The way I see that attitude is that men will be alienated and this can only lead to a back step in rights for everyone! Men are just as important in the fight for women's rights as women are. Only when we see equality regardless of gender will we be able to truly say that feminism is not required.
The best example this year has been the 'He for She' campaign. This has been adopted by celebrities and politicians alike and was kicked off by the actress, Emma Watson, who made a fantastic speech not too long ago. Since then, men have been seen all over social media sporting the t-shirt showing support from Ed Miliband to Benedict Cumberbatch, all have shown support for the campaign. This is a simple message, men and women need to work together to fight oppression of women. Just because a man doesn't abuse or sexualise a woman does not mean it is enough. Men and women need to stand up and take action together against those who would oppress.
Beyonce appeared on stage a few weeks ago with the word 'feminist' behind her and her dancers. This was the most bold statement any person could make. Here she was stating that she was a feminist herself. It was more than that though. Beyonce has shown over her career that she will let nothing stand in her way. She has fought for all she has and worked hard to get it. On top of that she believes that all women should have that chance. Isn't this statement something we should all be making?
Every day there are women around the world who fear for their safety. There are women who have to go to the toilet only once or twice a day because they have to go in groups and use fields due to lack of facilities. If they go alone they run the risk of rape attacks from men lying in wait like a predator in the Serengeti. There are women who are not allowed out of the house without being accompanied by a man. Women who are not allowed jobs, or to learn to drive cars, or to be educated. In the developed world there are women who struggle to earn the same as men for the same work. There are glass ceilings to be broken. Standing alongside men who feel that this should be changed is the only way to fight this oppression that we all feel. The only way to put these things to an end. In the 21st Century, the fact that we still have to do all this is shocking.
There are those who do no favours for the movement of feminism. Those who would end all the good work that we try and put in. Those are the feminists who would only bash men. Those who will jump on anything as an excuse to put men down and pull focus. This only harms the cause as I see it.
Case in point is the recent success of landing a probe on a comet. This was a project that was around quarter of a century in the making. It took 10 years for the lander to arrive at the comet and no one knew if the probe would be able to land on the surface. Seemingly against all the odds, the little probe did land. Ok, it wasn't on the 'safe' spot that was intended, but it did land! It took samples and it sent back so much data that scientists will be busy for years. This is the seemingly unthinkable! Yet, they managed it!
This should have been the biggest story not just of the day, but of the century. Humans have managed to go from the most basic planes at the beginning of the 20th Century to being able to land a probe on a freaking comet! 100 years is all it took and that should be the biggest triumph to date of our species. Instead it seemed that two other stories began to take over...
The first happened on the day of the landing. Reality airhead Kim Kardashian decided to 'break the internet' with a nude photoshoot showing off the only thing she is really 'famous' for...her infeasibly large behind...arse...butt...call it what you will. Tabloids were brimming with pictures of it and comments from twitter. There were the inevitable photoshopped images. If she wanted to pull focus, she sure did it. Ok, one might argue this was a woman who was confident with her body and happy to show it off. Why should we be ashamed of who we are? Exactly! In that case good for her! Go on girl! What bothered me was that this seemed to be more important that human kind's greatest ever achievement and also the comments were...well, not flattering to any women really.
The second was that one of the doctors who worked on the mission was attacked by many a woman calling herself a 'feminist'. This is why:
This is the shirt he chose to wear at the announcement that the probe had landed and yes, not in the right place, but it had landed. Women calling themselves feminists jumped all over this and the abuse this man received on line was shocking! He felt forced into a (teary) apology.
Now, maybe he should have thought his choice of shirt through better. The man is known for being a little outrageous (to be involved in something so crazy as to land on a comet you would have to be). When we think of a scientist we think of a middle aged man in a white lab coat and thick rimmed glasses. Perhaps he has long, untamed hair like Einstein. Otherwise he is a man who is ageing, tweed suits and patches on elbows, etc. Not so Dr Matt Taylor!
I am sure he didn't think he would have to make an announcement. The confirmation the day before should have been it. There was an emergency meeting held though and the result of it was he had to go before the world's press and explain the situation. He should have been allowed to celebrate along with the rest of us. Personally I think the attacks went too far.
The shirt is not offensive. The women on it are like women you could see at any beach or any night out. They are having fun and being flirty and feeling confident. Ok, it doesn't fit what we would expect of a man in his position and it may not have been the best for TV, but he was trying his best. His apology should never have had to be.
Dr Taylor works with many women, none of them felt that he had offended them by wearing this shirt and he does support the work that women can and do 'do' alongside men. The whole issue was silly. He was silly for wearing a shirt like that (the only crime was possible against fashion) but the response was disproportionate.
I am a feminist, but please, let us take a step back and work together. It is about time we didn't need feminism...but we do and we will for a long time.
Comments
Post a Comment