Women's Room - Feminism and going too far

By Alexis Moore: The difference between feminism and misandry is often not understood. However, it’s an important distinction because it’s the difference between treating men like lesser humans and trying to gain equal rights for women. Feminism is defined as a collection of movements and ideologies that are aimed at establishing and defending equal rights for women. Misandry, on the other hand, is the male equivalent of misogyny and is defined as a hatred of men. 

Examples of feminist movement goals may include the right to vote, the right to control our bodies, and the right to equal pay. On the other hand misandry includes things like “stop domestic violence against women” or “men should stay at home and do the things women once did.” Now, I’m not saying we shouldn’t stop domestic violence against women but this is something that doesn’t support equality and is therefore not a feminist ideal by definition. We should try to stop domestic violence period because men and women are both victims. Are women more likely to become the victims of domestic abuse? Statistics show that yes, they are but that doesn’t mean that it’s okay to forget that men get beat up by their partners or families too because that’s not what equality, and feminism, is about. 

The distinction is important in all circumstances because what most hardcore feminists claim to want is an equal society.  However, their distrust, dislike, or down right hatred towards men makes this impossible. It makes women bullies. This “I think women should have x because men have had x for too long so they should know how we feel” is an ideal that is often seen when browsing “feminist” websites. It’s bullying and it’s not helping. If a school yard bully pushes you into the mud and then you push them in turn nothing changes. You’re both just muddy bullies who still don’t understand how the other person feels. That’s what a lot of feminism is like.

Do women deserve more rights than we have now? Absolutely. I don’t think I should be paid less that the next person just because I have a vagina and they have a penis. I think that if men are allowed to control what they do to their bodies with regards to sex and children then women should be allowed to as well. If a man can prevent getting women pregnant by getting a vasectomy or wearing a condom and it’s not considered murder a child then women should be allowed birth control or abortion when necessary. My desire for women to obtain more rights however does not involve limiting men’s rights. If a man has been working at a company for longer, or if he’s shown to be better at his job, then of course he should be paid more if that’s how the company chooses to reward his work. If states decide I shouldn’t be allowed to control my body that doesn’t mean I feel men should lose the right to control theirs. No one should be forced to do things they don’t want to and no one should be above others. Making women equal should not mean making men second class citizens because that’s not equality, that’s both genders losing out. So remember ladies, feminism is not misandry, don’t make them the same. Source