Monday, May 6, 2013

Questioning Feminism

It's an easy default to say that you're a feminist.

We're told that if we believe women should have equal rights to those of men, then we're feminists whether we think so or not. Is that really all it is, though? I also believe that men should have equal rights to those of women; does that make me a men's rights activist? Or does it sound completely ridiculous to suggest such a thing in the first place, because, duh, men have all the rights already?


If it does, then it should sound just as ridiculous to talk about women having equal rights. If you disagree, then please, tell me one right that men have that women don't. And no, the 'right to walk home alone at night and be safe' does not count: we all have that right, and we are all at risk of having that right infringed upon. Under the law (in America), men and women are equal.


I believe that feminism has played a hugely important role in history  and it still has a hugely important role to play in many countries. However, in America, in my home country New Zealand, and in other first world countries, feminists of the past have given us an amazing gift. They have given us the gift of legal equality, and the gift of a voice. I believe it is time for us to thank them for this, to celebrate their achievements  and to look towards our future as the equals of men.


Are we completely equal in society? No, not yet. But I don't believe that feminism is what we need right now. In fact I believe that feminism is becoming detrimental to the very values it stands for, creating a gender divide on issues that should simply be about human decency, and giving men a reason to fight back against what they feel is an attack.


The purpose of this blog is not to attack feminism or feminists, as I strongly support the majority of feminist issues. I do intend to question whether or not those issues should be considered feminist issues, or even gender issues, and to explore the validity of claims that we hear so often that it doesn't even occur to us to question them. It might just be me, writing for myself, but if you have stumbled upon this then I welcome intelligent discussion and am always prepared to change my views when presented with strong evidence.

1 comment:

  1. Just found your blog; so sorry you've stopped posting. What you've written is written very well. Not that many minds will be changed - that's very uncommon - but because of the way you lay out your arguments. Best of luck to you.

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