Why Most Women Will Never be Feminists: My Personal Relationship with Gender
Feminism is often viewed in a negative light but the definition of feminism by bell hooks is actually quite simple….
“Feminism is a movement to end sexism, sexist exploitation, and oppression.”
That’s it and that’s all….
Why is it often looked at as the hatred of men?
Most people are simply uneducated on what feminism actually is.
It is clear that we live in a man’s world and that has always bothered me for various reasons. I grew up in a traditional Christian household where my father made most of the household decisions and he was also the provider. Growing up like that has shaped how I view other men and how I feel I should be treated in a relationship. I expect a man to be able to carry his own weight and to be responsible.
I also associate gender with safety. When my father passed away, I no longer felt safe because there was no man in our house anymore. I know that women are strong, but they are also heavily targeted. You don’t hear many stories about a grown man getting kidnapped or taken advantage of. It is usually children or women. My father made me feel safe because I had the protection of a man, and people don’t bother men.
Most people grow up knowing that gender inequality is a real thing, but they aren’t in a position to do anything about it.
I personally grew up in a bubble.
A big Christian bubble.
I knew nothing about different gender identities and that sometimes people consider themselves to be genderless. I grew up thinking there were men, women and drag queens; that’s it.
My church didn’t speak on sexuality often but the people around me made it clear that a man and a woman should be the only kind of romantic relationship. I also closely associate gender and sexuality because the terms intersect. I notice that people who are a part of the LGBTQ community often use different pronouns or identify as a different gender.
So really, why aren’t we taught to be feminists?
Why are some women so accepting of unfair treatment?
You would think that most women would be screaming for equality and respect, but the fact of the matter is that most women are not feminist and never will be. People don’t always speak up about gender inequalities because it benefits them. Some women are against feminism because they want to be taken care of. It’s kind of like having the mentality if something isn’t broken, then don’t fix it. Men and women often enjoy traditional gender roles. They don’t always want to admit it, but it is definitely a big part of the reason why things have not changed. For a long time, I myself was blind to the truth. I subconsciously held men to a higher standard. I used to think they were stronger and smarter than women based on how I was raised. The truth is that, men and women are equal.
It is clear that we live in a man’s world and that has always bothered me for various reasons. I grew up in a traditional Christian household where my father made most of the household decisions and he was also the provider. Growing up like that has shaped how I view other men and how I feel I should be treated in a relationship. I expect a man to be able to carry his own weight and to be responsible.
I also associate gender with safety. When my father passed away, I no longer felt safe because there was no man in our house anymore. I know that women are strong, but they are also heavily targeted. You don’t hear many stories about a grown man getting kidnapped or taken advantage of. It is usually children or women. My father made me feel safe because I had the protection of a man, and people don’t bother men.
Most people grow up knowing that gender inequality is a real thing, but they aren’t in a position to do anything about it.
I personally grew up in a bubble.
A big Christian bubble.
I knew nothing about different gender identities and that sometimes people consider themselves to be genderless. I grew up thinking there were men, women and drag queens; that’s it.
My church didn’t speak on sexuality often but the people around me made it clear that a man and a woman should be the only kind of romantic relationship. I also closely associate gender and sexuality because the terms intersect. I notice that people who are a part of the LGBTQ community often use different pronouns or identify as a different gender.
So really, why aren’t we taught to be feminists?
Why are some women so accepting of unfair treatment?
You would think that most women would be screaming for equality and respect, but the fact of the matter is that most women are not feminist and never will be. People don’t always speak up about gender inequalities because it benefits them. Some women are against feminism because they want to be taken care of. It’s kind of like having the mentality if something isn’t broken, then don’t fix it. Men and women often enjoy traditional gender roles. They don’t always want to admit it, but it is definitely a big part of the reason why things have not changed. For a long time, I myself was blind to the truth. I subconsciously held men to a higher standard. I used to think they were stronger and smarter than women based on how I was raised. The truth is that, men and women are equal.
I challenge you all to think about how you view gender roles in this society. The way we grew up greatly influences the way we view gender and gender roles.
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