To be honest, I believe that all men should be feminists. It’s a weird thing to say, considering that the first image that people see when they hear the word feminist is usually an over exaggerated depiction of a women that inherently hates men, doesn’t shave her body hair, and possibly dresses like a hippy. Now some feminists may have some of these qualitative features but that’s not to say that all do. Feminism is quintessentially the belief that in all fields of society, women should be treated and deserve to be treated on the same level of consistency as with men. Whether this be in social circles, political institutions, centers of learning, jobs markets, and much more. Feminism is not about tearing men down to become some sort of lesser being. Feminism is about bringing women to an equal position in every field that a man would also occupy.
I am a young African-American male. I’m living in a time where racial progression is seen everywhere. Men of color are holding power in almost every field across the country. So again the question is raised: why am I a feminist? While the progress is all nice and good, it isn’t enough. Humans in general seem to have an ingrained penchant for alienating anyone or anything that isn’t like the “norm.” As the evolution of humans continues through the ages, men have failed to change their views on women as feeble and weaker beings. We’ve become better at tearing down the racial barriers that have been in place for centuries but have failed to truly acknowledge the gender barriers that remain in place.
So why am I a feminist? While I am free to do and say almost anything I please, I still feel racial pressure around me wherever I go. As such I can only imagine what women must go through as an entire gender, about 50% of the human population, still has an inherent superiority over them for no legitimate reason. I am a feminist not just because I feel that women should be treated the same as men but because I feel that all people should be seen as equals.
In reality, all men should be feminists for the reason that all men, regardless of sexual orientation, owe a great deal of their lives to women. Coworkers, friends, and mothers most importantly deserve the same rights that any man holds claim to. I embrace my feminism because the age of “women belong in the kitchen” and “go make me a sandwich” shouldn’t be a part of today’s society. In a time where the current and former Secretaries of State were both extremely powerful women, where the renowned powerhouses of daytime television are women, and where the president’s wife is all well known as he is, there is no reason for gender inequality.
Copyright © 2014 University Primetime
