Feminism: An Unladylike Contradiction
- ifibeme
- Mar 5, 2015
- 3 min read
Dictionary.com defines feminism as “the doctrine advocating social, political, and all other rights of women equal to those of men.” The word that sticks out to many people here is "equal". Equal is good, right? Everyone should be treated the same and given the same rights, shouldn't they? Or has the idea of equality become skewed over the years?
There was a time when women were not trusted with the task of voting, and women's suffrage groups demanded equal rights. In modern America almost everyone (if not everyone) will agree that it is only right and fair that women should be able to vote – they have brains just like men do and, like men, they also work. They earned their right to vote. But what happens when people at the bottom gain a little bit of power? They begin to hope – they begin to taste freedom – and they want more. Over time, women have worked hard, and in reward, they have come to be seen as equal to men in America. But is this true? Women are just as important as men, just as valuable, and have just as much potential – on this level, they are indeed men's equal.
But feminism carries within itself a contradiction: in its attempt to empower women, it ironically tries to turn women into men. How? Simple: a woman can only be only so “equal” to a man before she becomes a man.
Many women are satisfied knowing that they are seen as equal to men, meaning that they are not discriminated against or looked down upon for being females. They are respected and appreciated just as men are, and they are happy with that.
But then there are the feminists – those who want more. Their arguments ironically make points that support the opposite of femininity: they say that they can do anything that a man can do – no more damsels in distress with knights in shining armor to save the day – damsels can save themselves.
Or so they think.
Men are almost always bigger and stronger than women, and even they need a hand every now and again. There is no shame in needing to rely on someone else sometimes. Men and women are instilled with complimentary qualities; for example, while men are often strong, big, handsome, rugged, rough, and emotionally “tough,” women are more often delicate, small, beautiful, refined, gentle, and compassionate. Both sets of traits are important. For example, if a child is raised by a parent that was only rough, he would be likely to grow up feeling as if he lacked support and love, yet if he were raised by someone who was only gentle, he would be likely to grow spoiled and lack discipline. These traits work together to create a sort of balance.
Feminism uses an approach that makes feminists seem to be fighting. They don't just want others to think that they can do anything a man can to do – they demand that women be treated the same as men.
I find it highly hypocritical that in the same breath, a woman can call herself a “feminist” and then say that she thinks that women deserve the options of abortion and contraception. The four most obvious tasks that women can do that men can't that separate a woman from a man are their ability to conceive, carry, bear, and nurse children. And yet women who claim to be fighting to defend the rights of women want “rights” to take away their femininity, their womanhood – their motherhood. What way can more quickly take away a woman's femininity? It only makes sense that homosexuality is on the rise in America – if woman see themselves as men in every other aspect, why would the two roles not get mixed up? Do feminists want to be treated like men so badly that they want to be men?
I propose that women support femininity – not feminism. I propose that women be grateful for what they have and protect their modesty, womanhood, and children – what is more feminine than that?
Work Cited
"feminism." Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. 05 Mar. 2015. <Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/feminism>.
