The “F” Word
By Nina Lee Bennett
What pops into your mind when you hear the word Feminism? Do you think of women burning their bras? Do you imagine women occupying high ranked positions in the government and private companies? Do you see independent women who refuse to settle in an unfit environment? Indeed, these are some of the expressions of modern feminism.
However, the real question is, do you think of any man when talking about feminism?
Britannica defines the word “feminism” as the belief in the political, economic and social equality of the sexes. But feminism is not a gender issue; it is a social change. It is about reforming the current social structure with the aspiration of making this world fairer for everybody. And this change should be a mutual responsibility of both sexes.
But is it really?
Women have fought for years to break the stereotype of being born female.
This video sums up some of the contemporary notions that almost every girl has experienced in her lifetime.
Breaking free from those beliefs is the first step when talking about feminism.
Freeing women from social expectations, gender-based roles, and preconceived ideas about how they should behave.
The nature of a real feminist is to be an advocate for the equality of all genders. Feminism is not meant to be a benefit or perk to being a woman. The truth is, the more men adopt a feminist’s way of living, the faster we will achieve social and economic equality.
But how can we ensure that more men become feminists without triggering their innate fear of losing their long-established power and dominance?
The answer is quite simple, actually: we raise boys as feminists from the very beginning.
As primary education starts in the family, role models are crucial for a child’s understanding of the world. Primarily, if we refer to a traditional heteronormative family, the mother and father must carefully establish how they want to present their familial roles. Shared tasks, equal hours of attention, presence and playtime from both parents are some of the arrangements which can contribute to a less patriarchal interpretation of the family.
Moreover, experimentation outside the gender stereotype is key to a balanced and inclusive upbringing. Let’s allow children to play how they’d like and dress how they’d like. In doing so, we open them to experiences that have long been tainted by our unconscious bias.
And of course, on this note, allowing boys to express their feelings is extremely important in understanding equality. In the realm of emotions, boys have primarily been discriminated against, as they are widely considered a sign of weakness. Consequently, it is a “girl’s area.” Please, keep that in mind the next time “Boys Don’t Cry” plays on the radio.
So, do something great. Start nurturing social change by accepting your true nature and those of the people who surround you. It is our responsibility to fight for gender equality. Instead of passively blaming the patriarchy, it is time to realize that human nature is way more complicated and fascinating than a gender label. It is to our advantage that we understand how merging our feminine and masculine energies can be beneficial in making a more fair and balanced society. And maybe this journey will lead us to a world that accepts differences, praises uniqueness, and thrives through empathy and compassion.
Doesn’t this world sound great? Then, fight for it. In every way you can.
The “F” Word was originally published on My Sex Bio’s blog on February 18, 2020.
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