Columnist makes remarks about supposed death of feminism

Addie Conway
Opinion Columnist

In our culture today, the word “feminism” is equal to a dirty word, and most people are ashamed to be called a feminist though it’s really about getting equal rights for everyone.

Why is it that feminism, which wants equal rights for both men and women, has become such a negative aspect in our culture?

Most likely this is due to the stereotype that surrounds feminism: a masculine- looking lesbian shouting about how men are evil and that women are obviously better than any other gender.

Actually, I think it’s time that we get rid of that stereotype. Feminism isn’t about making one gender better than the other; it’s about making all genders (male, woman or transgendered) equal.

Feminism is defined as being in three waves: the first wave dealing with the late 19th and 20th centuries, the second wave dealing with the 1960s through 1980s and the third wave dealing with the late 1980s through current day.

The history of feminism is important; after all, we learn in math and science that things build on top of each other, and feminism is no exception. In order for feminism to build and grow, both as an idea and a concept, people need to join in on it and think of new ideas: in general, people need to be involved. With feminism, I don’t particularly see that happening, and therefore, that leads me to wondering, is feminism about to die?
While it’s true that yes, some extremists do say things like that men are bringing down women, the reality is that not all feminists act or even think like that.

The reality is that most women, though they are gaining on men, are still not paid equally. A Forbes article showed that women get paid an average of $25.08 per hour, while men get paid an average of $29.66 per hour, despite the fact that these individuals have the same qualifications. While $4 may not seem like such a big deal, in the long run it is.

At the same time, women in the workforce also feel they are being judged for balancing their career and motherhood. Women who would ordinarily become mothers in say, their 20s or 30s, postpone that, in order to advance their career, fearing that the men in the workforce would judge them.

Many people believe feminism is dead or that there is no longer a need for feminism; they are wrong, on both counts. Feminism is alive and well, and so long as there are differences such as “only a $4 pay raise,” there is a need for it as well.

In order to change something, you have to be willing to change it. I don’t believe that it is right for people who have worked hard to be where they are at and not receive the benefits, just because they are women.
Maybe this goes back to my last column on respect, but I honestly believe that people shouldn’t judge others, just because of their gender. This includes other things too such as skin color, grades, school and what not. In fact, people shouldn’t judge others for any reason, including the ones above and more.
Feminism shouldn’t be regarded as dirty in our society, as it’s not advocating dirty things. What it is advocating is peace and equality for not just one half of the population but for the entire population. One gender is not better than the other; though in our society, it often seems as though that’s true. It’s not. It’s time to change; it’s time to stop judging and start accepting. 

People make remarks that say feminists are judging others, specifically men. However, in saying that, they are judging feminists. In otherwords, they’re acting the part of a hypocrite.

At the same time, I understand why people are reluctant to call themselves feminists, even if what they believe in is actually very similiar or alike to feminist policies, but as I said before, not all feminists fit the sterotype that most people think of when they hear the word “feminism.”

The future of feminism, just like the future of anything, depends on us, the new generation, to change. If we begin accepting others for who we are, then others will accept us for whom we are as well.
It is a scary thing, changing the way that a society works and thinks, but it’s been done before, and it will continue to be done in the future.

After all, the only way to make a change is if you make the change yourself. If people are willing to change, willing to make the world a better and more equal place for all, then we can all do it.