Feminism: Re-branded | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

Feminism: Re-branded

We can still be friends.

25
Feminism: Re-branded
Radical Women in Gainesville

If someone were to walk up to me and say, “Hello, I’m a feminist,” I wouldn’t take them seriously as a person. Because when I think of a feminist, I get the image of some woman standing on a street corner with a sign that says something like this:

I am to understand, that at its core, feminism promotes equality of all races, creeds, religions and genders. Isn’t that such a beautiful thought? Everyone is equal. Man, that just feels good to type. But why is that not what I imagine when I hear that word? It’s not that I’m uninformed, ignorant or even arrogant; it’s actually quite the opposite. It’s the fact that ever since I came to college, I’ve been exposed to a radical feminist agenda. I guess when you go to a liberal arts school it's just included in the package, right?

These are people, not necessarily women, who are usually toward the extreme end of their idealogical spectrum. They come off as arrogant, prideful, hypocritical and contradictory. They taint the image of what feminism should be. A comparison I like to make is that not every person who owns a Confederate flag T-shirt is a racist, but some are. But because the flag has such negative connotation, it bleeds into the people who just use it to represent their heritage. The radical feminists are the flag that bleeds into the feminist ideals.

These are the people who paint white men as racists and rapists who supposedly prolong an unsubstantiated wage gap. I am not racist nor a rapist, but I am a white dude. I understand that there is such thing as white privilege, but I try to not capitalize on that. I check my privilege when I need to — but that’s not what this is about.

What this is about is the degradation of feminist ideals. This is the corruption of the original ideas of equality, and these corruptions have now succeeded in replacing the original principles of feminism. And, honestly, there’s no going back. Feminism just leaves a bad taste in your mouth; it’s like a company that gave people food poisoning and needs to polish their reputation. I'll have more on that later.

For now, I’d like to jump on an idea that these radicals cling to for the validation that they so desperately seek: The wage gap. The supposed wage gap entails employed women making 78 cents compared to every dollar a man makes. Kerri Anne Renzulli of Time.com said that occupational segregation (women entering lower-paying fields than men), maternity leave and a focus on experience and overall skills were to blame for the pay gap — which, by the way, is actually closer to 93 cents per male dollar — meaning that the 22-cent difference may not be entirely based in gender bias.

Forbes also commented on the apparent wage gap:

“We have roughly 150 million people in our workforce, about half of them female. And there are pervasive claims out there that women are paid 23% less than men. You’d think we’d be able to find a few matched pairs to demonstrate this factoid.

As a matter of fact: If there were such ubiquitous gender wage disparities in violation of federal law, why are there not extensive investigations by the Department of Justice or the Office of Civil Rights? And why isn’t there a cottage industry of law firms specializing in representing women who are victims of the supposed pervasive gender discrimination, the way there are hundreds of law firms representing mesothelioma victims who were exposed to asbestos on the job?

Occam’s Razor should lead to the conclusion that there are no such investigations because there’s no examples to make. Perversely perhaps, maybe the false '77 cents on the dollar' narrative is actually perpetuated by the total lack of any evidence that any employers actually pay women 23% less than men for the same job. After all, it’s better to keep those mythical violations very vague, ambiguous, and undocumented as a way to keep the myth alive, like very rare sightings of Bigfoot.”

The article then asks, if the 22 cents is the average difference in pay, where are the women who could be making 50 or 60 percent less than men?

So now that I’ve whittled away at the strength of this wage gap argument, I’d like to go back to the topic of feminism and its need for a serious rebranding. Now, what I’m about to suggest is groundbreaking…

Everyone should just be decent to each other.

Bros, be good to the people around you. Ladies, be good to the people around you. And as long as no one flies off the handle, I think we’ll do just fine.

Sources:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2015/11/27/if-there-really-is-a-gender-pay-gap-then-where-the-heck-is-it/#59379ab77c24

http://time.com/money/4009768/wage-gap-men-women-equal-pay/

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
singing
Cambio

Singing is something I do all day, every day. It doesn't matter where I am or who's around. If I feel like singing, I'm going to. It's probably annoying sometimes, but I don't care -- I love to sing! If I'm not singing, I'm probably humming, sometimes without even realizing it. So as someone who loves to sing, these are some of the feelings and thoughts I have probably almost every day.

Keep Reading...Show less
success
Degrassi.Wikia

Being a college student is one of the most difficult task known to man. Being able to balance your school life, work life and even a social life is a task of greatness. Here's an ode to some of the small victories that mean a lot to us college students.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

6 Signs You're A Workaholic

Becuase of all things to be addicted to, you're addicted to making money.

404
workaholic
kaboompics

After turning 16, our parents start to push us to get a job and take on some responsibility. We start to make our own money in order to fund the fun we intend on having throughout the year. But what happens when you've officially become so obsessed with making money that you can't even remember the last day you had off? You, my friend, have become a workaholic. Being a workaholic can be both good and bad. It shows dedication to your job and the desire to save money. It also shows that you don't have a great work-life balance. Here are the signs of becoming a workaholic.

Keep Reading...Show less
10 Life Lessons For The Camp Counselor
madison miller

Spending five, 10 or even more weeks in the outdoors leading elementary to high school aged kids for a week at a time is unique, to say the least. You see things in yourself you didn't think were there and experience emotions you can not explain. What you learn is valuable for more than just camp, but extends to life after the summer.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Things You Can Get Away With Now That You're At College

83% of my trends in college would have been shamed in high school.

1931
college life
Google Images

Transitioning from high school to college can be a stressful experience, especially if you're like me and hate change. Over the past two years I've realized there's many things I couldn't get away with in High School that are typically applauded in college.

1. Eat

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments