A friend of mine once stopped dating a guy after he told her that her feminist ideals were “a turn off.” What he was saying, of course, is that he doesn’t want to date a woman who demands equal treatment and respect, because that’s just no fun. Incidentally, he’s still single, but he’s not alone in his mentality. A lot of people believe feminism has a negative effect on society. Others argue that though feminism was once necessary, it’s irrelevant now. But they’re both wrong.
I still need feminism because society misuses women’s bodies. Flip through a magazine and look at the way they sexualize even young girls. Stroll down the street and hear all the catcalling and street harassment that reduces women to ambient sex objects. Walk past newsstands with Photoshopped women on the magazine covers and the headlines telling us what our priorities should be: to “Be Beautiful”, “Tone Every Inch!”, “Resize Your Thighs” and “Get a Sexy Body!”. 80% of ten-year-old girls have dieted in the hopes of conforming and looking more like these fantasy images. Isn’t middle school tough enough without adding pressure to maintain a perfect body before you hit puberty?
I still need feminism because women have a hard time being taken seriously in the workplace. The wage gap of 77 cents on the dollar is by now a well-known figure. Not only are women paid less, there are fewer women in positions of power, both in the political and the business world. That means society doesn’t value the work that women bring, even if it’s the same as men.
I still need feminism because women of color are underrepresented and unheard. The wage gap is even worse for women of color, who according to some estimates make as little as 54 cents for every dollar a man earns. As for representation, women of color are rarely given starring roles in mainstream media. More often than not, Hollywood delegates them to typecast supporting roles.
I still need feminism because the men in charge in Hollywood systematically rape, abuse and oppress women. And they almost never fund female-written or directed films. Film and TV are major contributors to the way women are viewed in society, and women’s oppressors are shaping our culture.
I still need feminism because lesbianism is okay in front of a camera, but still isn’t fully accepted in our society. Many lesbians feel that society views their love as acceptable only if it’s for the benefit and viewing pleasure of men. But women’s happiness should matter in its own right, independent from male desire.
I still need feminism because it’s still normal to ask “what was she wearing?”, “was she drunk?”, or “does she get around?” and victim blame women who’ve been raped. In fact, rape culture is so overpowering, women have to look at every man as Schrödinger’s rapist. Rape culture is everywhere: in Hollywood, in business, in the military, in colleges. And instead of helping survivors, society finds ways to blame the victims. All that matters is that she said no, but too many people still refuse to accept that. Women have the right to feel safe at all times, but because of the perpetuation of rape culture, this is rarely the case.
I still need feminism because men seem to think it’s ok to police women’s choices. Women’s health issues are the subject of constant controversy. Sexual choices always come with judgment, no matter what she decides to do. Articles about “fashion trends men hate” pervade the internet, even though the average guy’s closet isn’t exactly fashion central. Who gave men the right to dictate what women should wear? Whether she’s choosing a miniskirt or a hijab, women must be free to make these kinds of choices.
I still need feminism because too many men don’t respect women. Women are attacked and vilified for rejecting men. Women who “friend-zone” men by refusing to sleep with them get called a bitch, as though it’s a woman’s duty to deliver sex on command. And often, refusal becomes dangerous as men stalk, harass, or physically harm women who turned them down. Women routinely die for speaking their mind to men they are intimate with, or for turning down prom dates, breaking up with boyfriends, or not responding to catcalling. It’s time we started fighting for women’s right to turn down romantic and sexual advances. Her right to no should always trump his desire for yes.
I still need feminism because the word is tarnished by the male-run mainstream media. Too many people see feminism as wrong. Many people, including women, are turning away from feminism. They associate the movement with aggressive bitches, shrill harpies, and hairy lesbians. These huge negative connotations lead to things like the completely disheartening ‘Women Against Feminism’ tumblr page. There, women post photos with signs like “I don’t need feminism because I like men” and “A good man raised me, a great man loves me, millions died for me, and they don’t deserve your shit” and “Men have been predestined to be the head; the role for men is to be leaders, not us” and “As a Christian I follow the bible’s commands that I submit to my husband in all things, and this makes my marriage stronger.”
Feminism was supposed to be the one area in society where women could talk about their issues and seek change. Instead, attitudes like this confuse what feminism is all about, and still make it all about men.
I still need feminism because teenage girls need feminists. Right now, there are thousands of teen girls across the country struggling to find their place in society. They’re doing it with the media idealizing one form of beauty and putting down everyone else. They’re doing it with too few female role models in positions of power to inspire them. They’re doing it with the knowledge that even if they somehow break the glass ceiling and make it as far as a man does, they’ll still get paid less. They’re doing it with society pitted against them in so many ways, they can’t make a choice without getting vilified. I still need feminism because the place society has reserved for them now isn’t good enough.
Why do you still need feminism? Let us know in the comments!
Although women’s rights have come a long way in the past 100 years, the idea that women are now completely equal and thus no longer need feminism just isn’t true.
Women are still defined mostly by looks. It’s way worse with the younger generation because they think their value as a person depends on physical appearances. Yet the younger generation are the ones saying they don’t need feminism in their lives.
As a parent, this is one of the problems I’m currently facing with my 8year old daughter. She thinks being thin is a definition of being pretty. It’s what defines her as a person and it’s what’s socially acceptable. As much as I’m trying to encourage her that she means more than just a pretty face, the other children surrounding her in school are stronger influences.
Many of the women and men who awkwardly avoid being labeled as a feminist are aware that feminism is about equality. You can’t believe in equality but consider yourself NOT a feminist. Those two are one in the same. They’ve heard or read the dictionary definition, and they still stand by their misinformed claim to accept one idea without the other. So then why? What is it about the movement for equality that makes so many women uncomfortable? “Because I don’t hate men,” some of them might say, their answer short and sweet and simple.
Women are mostly the stay-at-home parent because it’s what society says is right, not because it’s what they want. And others say feminism is no longer needed?
In the past, it was normal for a man to be the family breadwinner, while the mother stayed at home and took care of the children and spent most of her time in the kitchen. But over the years, women have campaigned for better and fairer shots at a decent career and some families even reversed the roles, with women doing the breadwinning.
Sexual assault is a pervasive, global problem, regardless of nation, region or culture and if half of all women working have reportedly been harassed for their gender, feminism definitely isn’t through with creating equality between men and women.
Whether it’s being generally considered less fearless and capable of leading, or being sexualized in the media, or catcalled for simply walking down the street… Society consistently puts women second in positions where they could do just as well as men and demeans them in ways men aren’t usually demeaned. We still need feminism…
I notice it often on the internet, in an innocent Facebook or YouTube comment. Just the other day, the mere mention of the feminist movement in my mostly-female classroom produced the same reaction. More and more frequently, whenever I’ve brought up the word, someone is squirming uncomfortably in their seats, adopting an awkward expression and saying, “I believe in equality, but I’m not a feminist.” Now, I’m not going to say that this is wrong. They’re only saying how they feel. Instead, I’m going to say that we have been misinformed by society, by the media, and by the men around us who are intimidated by feminism (not all men are, of course)
In modern society, while pressure exists on both genders to conform to stereotypes, women are still given a harder time.
Sexual harassment in the workplace is still prevalent! It is still a big issue of unequal power between men and women! Whoever said that we no longer need feminism or that it’s no longer relevant is ignorant!
Nearly half of all women in the workforce have been sexually harassed, either verbally, or physically. I agree with you that this isn’t good news at all and is one of the reasons why we still need feminism nowadays.
While I will agree that the WORLD needs to continue a press for equality… I disagree that we in the west need “feminism”. In the U.S. women have all the same rights as men and more. Most of the “reasons” sited by the young and naïve author above are either entirely false, skewed in order to perpetuate the narrative or perpetuated by women in today’s society.
If you want to know why magazines are filled with beautiful people to advertise products, it is because it works to sell said products. Simple economics really. Women like looking at beauty just as much if not more than men. In addition, take a look at the men modeling to sell products… No guys with beer guts there! Thus your first point is without merit.
Second, the wage gap is a myth. This has been refuted time and again but pro-feminist writers continue to trot it out again and again. It is not the burden of society to place you in a job that you are not qualified for. And furthermore, it is again simple economics. If corporations could get their work done for less by hiring women, then men would have a hard time ever finding a job. This is simply false and I defy you to present any real and hard evidence to the contrary. It is not the fault of society that your “gender studies” major does not offer you the same employment opportunities as a law degree!!! Make better choices, ladies!
“Rape Culture”… Puh-leeese!!! All men and women know and are “taught” that rape is wrong. Just like murder and theft, etc… If a person is so morally bankrupt as to become a rapist, then no amount of “education” is going to stop that person from attemting to rape. Slut-shaming??? I’m sorry, but if sleeping with 10 people in a week is your thing, then by all means do you, but don’t expect the rest of society to agree with your choices or to line up to be number 11. C’mon, that’s just gross and irresponsible.
If you cannot afford contraception and your partner can’t either, then perhaps you should abstain from sex…? I think we can all agree that sex does come with risks and also RESPONSIBILITY…? It is not a basic survival need, so stop treating it as such or worse yet as a sport. I might also add that while I am not a pro-life advocate, the idea of abortion as contraception is disgusting and that is putting it mildly.
Being convicted of rape in this country is by far worse than being convicted of murder. Do you have any idea what happens to rapists and pedophiles when they go to prison? If not, then look into it. To say that we as society perpetuate a rape culture is beyond insulting. Victim-blaming??? This just does not happen. Find a detective and ask. Just untrue. And would you have us do away completely with the due process of law??? When the mere accusation can ruin a person’s life? You speak of JUSTICE yet you apparently do not know the definition of the word…
While you have the dictionary out, look up the word egalitarianism. For all that want to promote equality, this is the ideology that you should subscribe to. And, if you are going to write an article, in the future try to do some real research.
Best to you!