Lately there has been a dramatic increase in the amount of discussion around the concept of feminism, which is awesome. Even when people disagree, at least the concept of gender equality is being noticed and discussed. Unfortunately, the feminist movement receives a lot of backlash and battles being stereotyped. Falling victim to the evil of misconceptions is something the feminist movement deals with on a regular basis.
One of the most noted misconceptions, which forms the basis for the rest of this article, is that feminism is this one lumped idea that carries a single definition. It is unfortunate that the definition involves women manipulating gender for their personal benefit. Not only is that definition a misconception, but also desecrates the entire feminist movement for its true agenda, which is gender equality.
The problem is that one cannot categorize complex things like a movement that easily, and when that happens, massive misconceptions begin to arise. I’ll give an example by what I mean. I Googled imaged the word feminist and this is what pops up:
Feminism is a way to discriminate against men to gain equal opportunity in society and the job force.
Feminists are hypocrites.
Feminism is the hatred of men.
These images and the correlating ideas do not embody what the feminist movement is and what true feminists stand for. These are misconceptions, and these misconceptions are widespread. The easiest way to define true feminism is this: everyone should have equal rights and opportunity regardless of gender. Or just say it is the fight for gender equality through the empowerment of women. Either one works well. However, as previously stated, feminism does not carry a single definition and has multiple platforms. Feminism also means something different to every person. For me, feminism means recognizing differences and being empathetic to achieve peaceful equality while others are much bolder in their ideals. With all of this in mind, here are 20 corrected misconceptions about feminism that I notice on an almost regular basis:
1. Feminists don't hate men
Since feminism is the strive for gender equality, feminists support the struggles of men as well as their own struggles. Both genders face different battles that are difficult to empathize with and to disregard the plights of men for the personal gain of women is not true equality. Hating men is also called misandry, not equality or compassion, and misandry is the polar opposite of feminism. Those proclaimed feminists who degrade men are more feminazi than feminist in my opinion. Feminists want to see their sisters rise and achieve the same amount of equality as their brothers, but lowering their brothers in the process does nothing more than increase the disparity and amount of gender inequality that already unfortunately exists. For example, guys, the gender norms against you are pretty brutal. It’s a disgrace that society tells you that you cannot show emotions or else you’ll be labeled as weak or womanly. What’s equally as unfortunate is that weakness is associated with being a woman in the process. See how the conflicts go hand-in-hand? True feminists do not hate men. If anything, they support the plights men face in the battle for true equality.
2. A feminist and a “feminazi” are two totally different things
A feminist supports gender equality through advocating for women’s rights. A feminazi is an extremely radical sexist “feminist”, but you cannot be sexist and a feminist. That’s incredibly hypocritical and quite frankly, they make the entire concept of feminism look like a joke. Therefore, a feminazi is not a feminist. I’ve had multiple discussions with proud feminazis and they believe all men are hyper-sex driven, hollow, and incapable human beings. They believe a bra is a symbol of major oppression, shaving means giving into the male idealism of being attractive and women who do shave are weak, and we must have gender neutral everything. Like calling an actress an actor because "actress" is socially degrading and saying snowperson instead of snowman somehow makes winter more enjoyable.
This concept is what the hateful memes about feminism are based on. Let me be firm in repeating that this is not what true feminism is, and a feminazi is definitely not a feminist. A feminazi is, well, in their own category.
3. There are different branches of feminism
Feminism has occurred in three different waves. The fist wave embodies the suffrage movements and voting rights. The second wave (1960-1970’s) fought for liberation and the decline in gender discrimination. The third wave is rather complex and the current state for today’s feminist. Within this wave are multiple branches of feminism that go beyond the radial exaggerations on social media. Here are some interesting ones:
Sex-positive Feminism promotes pornography and other sexual acts as a necessary form of freedom, not a cause of oppression.
Black Feminism is the belief that sexism, class, and racism are all tied together and form a more intense challenge that white women do not have to battle.
Christian Feminism, which is the most ignored and under-discussed branch of feminism, seeks to understand the equality of men and women through Christianity.
Pro-Feminismis the support of feminists without being a declared feminist, usually, men who promote gender equality.
Feminists are not the radical stereotypes plastered on social media. Actually, the number of women who support radical forms of feminism are quite minute. There are multiple forms of feminism, and when you break down their individual beliefs it is easy to see how one can support multiple platforms and not even realize it.
Here is a rather interesting test that will tell you if you believe in feminist ideals and what percentage of different branches you may fall under and why. The link also has extended information on feminism that is insightful. Go test away!
4. Feminists do not strive to be more powerful than men
Let me say it again. FEMINISTS DO NOT STRIVE TO BE MORE POWERFUL THAN MEN. The only group who may feel this way are who were previously referred to as feminazis. Sometimes, they will openly admit that they want to destroy men in their path to success, but again, they do not embody true aspects of feminism and are not considered feminists. Feminists want to be equal to men in a society that has told them they are not in multiple ways. Rising above men is doing nothing but oppressing the other side which is not gender equality, but flipping around which gender faces the same unfortunate battle.
5. Being a feminist has nothing to do with sexual preference
No, you do not have to be lesbian to be a feminist. Any sexual preference can be active in promoting ideals of feminism. I really don’t know where the idea came from that the only people capable of promoting women’s rights are women who prefer other women, but regardless it’s an incorrect assumption. Besides, sexual preference is merely sexual preference. Human equality is human equality.
6. Or religion
This is a huge misconception that dominates far too many conversations. You can be any religious denomination and still be active in the feminist community. Christians are active. Atheists are active. Hindus are active. Muslims are active. Pagans are active. Those religious differences matter none when we remember that people are still people, and every person deserves to feel the beauty of equality. When it comes to Christianity, there is a large debate to determine if feminism undermines traditional gender and marriage roles exemplified in scripture. I feel that this is a decision based on the uniqueness and opinion of the individual to determine. If a woman wants to submit or show out, that’s completely her choice and feminism supports the ability to allow a woman to find her own form of happiness. Just keep in mind that feminism is about promoting equality, not desecrating religion.
7. Feminists have body hair and burn bras for a good reason
Fun fact! Bra burning did not occur like it seems. In the 1960’s women threw a multitude of things they felt were restrictive to their freedoms due to social expectations in a pile, but never burned them. This included some bras, makeup, porn, and other things. The bras just came across as more extreme and an easy way to make the feminist movement seem radical and feminists a little crazy. Basically, it was an invalidation tactic to demote the importance of female independence that just kind of stuck.
Do some feminists embrace body hair and going braless? Ohh yea. But here is the thing about it. A large part of the feminist movement is to redefine beauty standards, but the change depends on the individual choice of the feminist in how those standards should be redefined. Some like body hair and going braless, others like facial tattoos and cocktail dresses. The fact that people view these things as extreme and unfeminine validates the point of the movement to redefine beauty standards in the first place. Not all feminists participate either, it’s just kind of an unspoken rule to support any person's decision to find their own form of beauty, confidence, and uniqueness.
8. Feminists are feminine and happy
Feminism is not a correlative idea to anger, hatred, or manly. Are feminists angry and upset about certain things in society? Absolutely, or else the movement would not exist. However, this does not mean that feminists are angry street prowlers throwing shade at men and screaming at children. Again, thank a feminazi or misandrist for that. Being angry about something and believing in something does not make one an angry person in their entirety, just about a particular subject. This is something everyone experiences.
Feminists are also feminine. There is not a rational connection between supporting the plights of women and not knowing how to be a form of feminine. Feminism does fight against the idea that for a woman to be beautiful in society that she must fit this certain dolled-up image. Women come in all forms, so placing them in a box that says “you’re only a true woman when you wing your eyeliner and wear a bra” is a serious conflict of expression. Feminists believe that a woman should wing her eyeliner and wear the bra because she wants to, not because society says that’s the only way she can be pretty and worthy. Strip the bra, don’t shave the legs, forget the makeup, and embrace a t-shirt. Like magic, you’re still a woman and as feminine as you want to be. Embracing this type of freedom actually makes women happier, not increasingly angry. There’s a correlation.
9. “Feminism” and “feminist” are not curse words for men
Guys, feminism does not disadvantage you and it is nothing to feel threatened by since it actually makes your lives easier. Look at it from this perspective. Feminism is the fight for gender equality, and this eliminates certain gender roles for both parties. With concepts like feminism, men are not expected to conform to societal pressures of being the bread-winner, primary provider, and the house super-hero. These pressures make men fragile because it imprisons them behind the ugly bars of gender stereotypes. When these stereotypes are eliminated, both sides benefit. If women are able to show strength instead of sensitivity, men will be capable of removing that tough exterior and act on human emotions. This particular gender stereotype against men is incredibly disheartening and it prevents men from being able to act out a major part of themselves for fear of disappointing society, women, and this preconceived idea of masculinity. Feminism and feminists are fighting for both sides. Through promoting female equality, male equality falls directly in line. These should be happy words for men, not threats.
10. Feminists don’t love all women
This is a tough one for feminists to cope with. As a group fighting for equality and compassion among the sexes, feminists have to remember that others make it a fight for a reason. Unfortunately, women cause a lot of these problems. Feminists cannot support anyone who promotes patriarchy, including women. There are women who openly support a male dominated society and believe women are inferior, even though they are themselves a woman. Supporting feminism is an easy choice for me personally, so it is hard for me to rationalize how a woman can be content with labeling herself as less and supporting such a massive gender imbalance. When women who oppose feminism lash out, it speaks in higher volumes than a man lashing out simply because feminism is a large fight for women’s rights and equality. When a woman demotes the importance of these rights and balances, it makes feminism seem like a stretch. Example: “Well, she said feminism is a joke and she’s a woman, so these other feminists must be crazy and illogical.” Women who support patriarchy and bash feminism demote the importance of the movement, make other feminists look extreme, and basically say that the issues feminism fights against are false. No progress can be made when these perspectives reign, so as much as feminists want to, we cannot support all women.
11. Not every feminist is pro-choice
Feminists don’t love the idea of older men deciding their reproductive status, health, and decisions. That’s just a reality. Men cannot understand exactly what a woman has to go through in terms of birth control and other reproductive issues, so feminists tend to feel that men should not intervene in women’s health as much as men probably feel that women should not intervene in their sexual health as well. Women do not want men to tell them to stop taking birth control as much as men do not want women to tell them to chill with the Viagra. That hits heavy on the concept of patriarchal medicine. Unfortunately, there is a misconception that all (or the overwhelmingly vast majority) of feminists feel the same about abortion. Abortion is a tricky topic that incorporates complex platforms on morality, religion, family and life values, and various other factors when trying to determine it's a necessity as a heath procedure. Many feminists are not pro-choice, and that has nothing to do with feminism. Feminism does push for openness when it comes to issues like these so women have the ability to make an individual choice; however, when it comes to the interpretation of life those feminist values easily fall through the cracks. Abortion is less of a feminist issue and more of a moral issue, so it is not uncommon to run into a feminist who is pro-life or holds no concrete opinion on the concept of abortion and its legal necessity.
12. Feminists also don’t hate sex
Seriously, who comes up with these ideas?
13. Or dislike the idea of marriage and children
While some radical feminists openly admit that they do not believe in the concept of marriage, it is not common at all. Quite frankly, I feel like this has much less to do with feminism and more to do with not wanting to conform to traditional roles, which is a personal preference. Feminists love the concept marriage when each spouse pulls equal weight in their own ways. If one partner has a full-time office job and the other is a stay at home parent, then that’s great as long as one isn’t having to dramatically compensate for the lack of another’s efforts. An equal and balanced marriage is a definite go. Also, supporting gender equality has nothing to do with liking or disliking the idea of children. Again, this is a personal choice. Children are a blessing, and refusing to bear children to push some radical agenda like not risking giving birth to a male because he will desecrate the passage of women’s rights is ridiculous. Feminists are people, and they desire a family as much as anyone else.
14. Feminists support the decision to be a stay at home mom and wife
Like I previously stated, equal effort is key when it comes to this topic. There are some branches of feminism that believe women will only gain higher levels of equality by working alongside men in the job force. Sometimes feminists in these categories promote obtaining education and careers in the “man’s world” to show that women are equally capable of handling the same work despite the difference in antimony. That is a super important concept of feminism to show that women are not inferior, but essentially what matters more with the concept of a stay at home mom and wife is that the woman feels fulfilled in her decision to work in the field or create her own field at home. That’s the beautiful thing about achieving gender equality. Women now have options and the ability to decide if they want to try to advance in the workforce with a career or make a career in their own way beyond the office and assembly line.
Remember how feminists don’t hate children? Well, they definitely don’t look down on the women and men who raise them either or degrade the decision a family or an individual believes is the best option. The woman who decides to stay home does not deface feminism either. You absolutely can support feminism from the home and promote it in amazing ways. By all means, teach your daughters that they are powerful, capable, and beyond enough to make a difference in this world. Teach your sons not to listen to society when they demote the importance of someone’s role and to see the individual value of every person. Teach both to be empathetic and open-minded to the struggles of each side and strive to find happiness in supporting each other. So much good comes from the heart and home.
15. Feminism does not destroy family values
This depends on a few factors. If someone supports traditional gender roles, then they can argue that feminism denotes that submissive nature of how they feel women should represent themselves in society and marriage. However, feminism does not seek to destroy family values. It does seek the destroy the expectations of many views. For example, women should not be expected to submit to a man, marry, have his children, and be forced to be a babysitter, maid, or cook as their life goals. Women are more than those simple things, especially when it comes to being a wife and mother. Some women believe they should stay at home, but the majority of feminists support that decision when it’s a decision. Feminists do not support it when it is expected. Feminists fight for extensions and pay increases for maternity and paternity leave. Feminists promote the naturalness of breastfeeding (especially public breastfeeding) and other things meant to help family values as well. Feminists do not set out to destroy values, just some of the crude expectations behind them.
16. Being a feminist is not limited to one gender
Welcome, welcome! Anyone can support feminism! Men are definitely not excluded and many men embrace pro-feminism, which is someone who is a low-key feminist. A few men popular in the public eye:
David Schwimmer is a sexual abuse awareness activist after dating two women victim of adolescent sexual abuse and date rape. Incredibly important topic of discussion, David!
John Legend says:
“All men should be feminists. If men cared about women’s rights the world would be a better place. We are better off when women are empowered—It leads to a better society."
Thanks, John! Chrissy is blessed.
Ryan Gosling called out many aspects of Hollywood film:
"The MPAA is okay supporting scenes that portray women in scenarios of sexual torture and violence for entertainment purposes, but they are trying to force us to look away from a scene that shows a woman in a sexual scenario, which is both complicit and complex. It’s misogynistic in nature to try and control a woman’s sexual presentation of self."
Being a male feminist is a powerful thing and nothing to be ashamed of. Despite the backlash, male feminists are also by no means going against their own gender.
17. The Feminist Movement is not a political movement
There is an unfortunate misconception that only the Democratic party (we can also put the left and liberals in this same context) can be feminist. There is another misconception that feminists excluded anyone who does not fit this mold. In reality, this is a “welcome all movement”, especially since there are so many platforms of feminism. Feminism is a social movement before it is a political one, and if feminism were to limit supporters based on which political party they like then it would be going against the side of the movement that promotes diversity and equality. Feminists are conservatives, Libertarians, liberals—equality of the sexes really is not limited by a political belief when it is a social issue. Politics do matter when it comes to putting someone in power who either promotes or demotes the importance of feminism and is or is not willing to pass certain legislation, but aside from that feminism is open to anyone who believes in gender equality!
18. Feminists who support bias achievement are not true feminists
People who support the advancement of women by using gender as a crutch are not true feminists. For example, not all feminists voted or supported Hillary Clinton because she’s a woman. Feminism is about gender equality, so pushing for the success of a woman simply because she’s a woman is hypocritical to what feminism stands for. To vote for someone based on gender and not the agreeableness of skills, values, and performance ability is the opposite of what feminism promotes. If a feminist says “I voted for Hillary because she’s a woman” after screaming misogyny and power abuse after a guy says “I voted for Trump because he’s a man”, then they are not true feminists. They’re simply shifting that power imbalance of gender bias to the opposite side and implementing the same oppression they claim to fight against. Now, some feminists say that they voted for a woman simply because she’s a woman in order to lay the foundation for female empowerment in politics and business, which is a tricky scenario to discuss. Here is another example. Say there is a position open and the employer is a woman. There are two people going for an interview with different degrees and skills. The woman is hired over the man because the employer holds a bias against women, even though the man’s degree and skills are a better fit for the company. Now a woman who is less qualified is granted privilege over a man due to gender differences. Those who claim to be feminist cannot support this idea, especially if the gender roles were reversed and viewed as patriarchal.
19. Feminism and equality are essentially the same thing
Basically, this entire article in a nutshell. Feminism faces many false stereotypes and brutal misconceptions. Feminism is nothing to be afraid of! Equality is a beautiful thing, and it’s time feminism gets correctly labeled as just that, the fight for gender equality through the empowerment of women without the ruining of men.
20. We still need feminism
Women have come a long way since the Suffrage Movement. Women can vote, hold high positions in business and politics, and are slowly becoming less sexualized in certain forms of media (sometimes). Despite these advances, however, there are multiple reasons feminism deserves to flourish.
Over 7,000 women are murdered every year for mercy killings due to female inferiority and to restore family honor.
Over half of the world's women have suffered genital mutilation. Some resources estimate over 85%.
Child marriages (girls under 15) occur at alarming rates and a number of children physically and sexually abused in these situations is equally overwhelming.
Rape occurs in all forms, but the majority are men-on-women scenarios. Rape is not taken seriously and is incredibly under-reported. Statics in Bangladesh reports that 61% of urban rapists felt no remorse due to social views on women and over 95% of reported rapes led to no convictions.
Even though women are rising in the workplace, sexual harassment is still thriving as a way to play a power game between genders. Over 50% of women report being sexually harassed at work.
Sex trading and forced prostitution are still a dominating business on a global scale.
The media still promotes women as sexual objects dependent on men.
Women face inferior stereotypes socially, but that is the whole article in itself.
Wage disparity is real and women are paid less than men for the same jobs with the same degrees.
Women are pressured by looks. Look at the makeup industry and how much women pay to get the “flawless natural” look to conform.
I’ll let this recent graph from The Society Pages do the talking.
Feminism is a global necessity that goes far beyond the stereotype of bashing men as an end goal. Feminism is the strive for true equality between genders and promoting tolerance for differences. There are many misconceptions about feminism due to backlash on social media and lack of knowledge on what true feminists stand for. We're not out to be patronizing hypocrites. We're out to make the world a safer place for women and a place for equal opportunity for men and women, even if that means maybe burning some bras along the way.
