RE: Men need to fight rape culture, Sept. 18-24.
In Darren Major’s piece last week in the Charlatan, he argued men need to be part of the process to end rape culture. He described the effect of gender stereotypes placed on university aged men and wrote that “masculinity” has been framed to mean dominant, and that to be a real man is to “have sex with several (female) partners.”
This piece is especially relevant in light of Emma Watson’s televised speech to the UN Sept. 20.
Watson spoke thoughtfully, with a quiet confidence. In less than fifteen minutes she effectively shattered a leading counter point against feminism, and enlightened the united world on a plan to make things right.
Until now, a serious difficulty facing feminism has been its title. The hatred of men has been unfortunately connected to the word “feminism” since the early period of female liberation, where many noticed a hatred of men as a reaction to the patriarchal oppression they had faced.
When the name of a movement for equality becomes synonymous with man-hating, men will immediately reject it, and it turns out that women will as well.
Sites such as womenagainstfeminism.tumblr.com compile numerous women’s rationalizations for being “anti-feminist.” The majority of these posts include the same ideas as this one: “I am against feminism because: I am not a victim. I don’t hate all men. I love my boyfriend. It’s not wrong to believe in traditional family values. I take responsibility for my own actions.”
Somewhere along the line, the meaning of feminism changed. Now people believe to be feminist is to be a victim, to hate men, to be unable to love a male partner, to be against families, and to be completely irresponsible.
“I have realized that fighting for women’s rights has too often become synonymous with man-hating. If there is one thing I know for certain, it is that this has to stop,” Watson said.
To do so, she immediately puts the true definition right out on the table.
“For the record, feminism, by definition, is the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities,” she said.
Yes, you can still love your boyfriend or husband if you are a feminist. To be a feminist is to believe that if you and your male partner worked the same job, you should be paid an equal wage.
“It will take 75 years or for me, to be nearly 100, before women can expect to be paid the same as men for the same work,” Watson said.
And that is the problem being addressed.
Watson said she wants gender inclusion in this matter, and as Major’s article shows, men want to participate.
She goes further than to point out the problematic man-hating connotation of feminism, and further again from leaving men out of the conversation. She expands the issue of gender inequality to the struggles it poses for males specifically.
She said she is upset that her father’s parental role is less socially valued than her mother’s. She said she is upset that men facing mental illness avoid asking for help, because they fear it would be considered unmanly. Watson stated plainly that, “men don’t have the benefits of equality either.”
Gendered stereotypes have a negative effect on everyone.
“If men don’t have to be aggressive, women won’t be compelled to be submissive. If men don’t need to control, women won’t have to be controlled,” Watson said.
It is men that need relief of their medieval masculine stereotypes. It is clear that relief and freedom for men is the way for women to find their own freedom.
Evidently the issue of feminism is in the forefront of people’s minds here at Carleton. The key to solving this issue is men. If Watson’s invitation wasn’t enough, here’s another: men, husbands, fathers, sons, brothers, boyfriends, and friends that are male, please make a pledge to the feminist cause.
Liberate yourself from gender stereotypes—it is then that all women can be free as well.
