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Among the moderate crowds of our world today, feminism is seen as too radical, too uncomfortable or simply unnecessary. Feminism is both misunderstood and degraded nowadays, you may think the past has evolved but you would be horrified to know what really goes on, every second of everyday, and even right in front of our unwary eyes.
WHAT IS FEMINISM? Feminism is the radical notion that women are people; that women deserve the economic, political & social rights equal to those of men.Its more than just a movement, it’s about our lives.
WHY DO WE NEED FEMINISM? Because:
– Our work is underpaid & unpaid for.
– What we look like is more important than what we do. Even while we’re doing it.
– If we get raped it’s our fault; because we didn’t wear the right amount of clothing or we weren’t sober enough or it got too late out or we made poor relationship ties or we weren’t careful enough; and can you see how the list is never-ending but does not include even once about the rapist that is the reason for rape occurrence in the first place.
– Giving birth is hardly a choice anymore; If we give birth and cannot support the child it’s our fault and if we don’t give birth then we’re known as “murderers” and how many unwanted children are you prepared to adopt or what would you do if you were pregnant with your rapist’s baby?
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– Up to 7 in 10 women around the world experience physical and/or sexual violence at some point in their lifetime. With assault on the rise, you could be surrounded by someone who has faced such a traumatic incident and you wouldn’t even know it.
– We shouldn’t have to be worried about being ogled at while going for a run, while going to the beach, while going to college, work, home, going any place, doing anything.
– How dare “You’re such a girl” be used as an insult? -1/3 of little girls’ worries are how their body is portrayed.
-“Go make me a sandwich” is poor-lighted humour on your part and shows the lack of intelligence one may possess to not be able to make a child’s snack on their own.
– Choice of clothing labels women as if it’s worth it to impress or be accepted, and freedom of choice is completely disregarded. Women are pressurized to adhere to society’s so-called norms and values, afraid of being put down unless they do so.
– Why do your religious beliefs get to trump by rights as a woman?
– Double standards “Why is he called ‘boss’ but she’s called ‘bossy’?” Why can he wear shorts and take his top off while girls can’t? Why is he called popular surrounded by girls but she’s called a flirt surrounded by boys? If she’s a working parent she’s an unfit mother and if she’s a housewife she doesn’t know how to take matters into her own hands.
– It’s patriarchy that says men are stupid and incapable and unchanging. It’s patriarchy that says that men are animalistic and just can’t control themselves from harassing and assaulting. It’s patriarchy that says men can only be attracted by certain qualities, can only have particular kinds of responses, and can only experience the world in narrow ways. Feminism holds that men are capable of more or are more than that.
– Its battles have been for education, for the vote, for better working conditions, for childcare, for social welfare, for rape crisis centers, women refugees, reforms in the law and above all, for equality. If someone says to me “Oh, I’m not a feminist”, I ask “Why? What’s your problem?”
Do YOU still believe we don’t need feminism?
Hijab Gillani
A’ Level Student
Karachi, Pakistan
