“You must be a woman to be a feminist”, “Feminism is not a man’s thing”, “Feminism means being anti-men”.

It has been observed that such myths about the concept of feminism are very common, making it almost a forbidden subject and undermining its importance. Feminism supports women’s rights, their contribution to society and their comprehensive growth and safety; nonetheless, it does not believe in any rivalry against the opposite gender. In its core sense, it means standing against patriarchy and oppressive forces detrimental to a community’s progress. The system of patriarchy is deeply rooted in our civilisation.

 

Books such as ‘The Creation of Patriarchy’ (1986)assert that “patriarchy is a social construct and therefore can be dismantled through historical processes. It is widely believed that patriarchal ways affect only women’s lives and glorify men while keeping them in a safe space. Ironically enough, several studies claim that the male-dominated structure hampers mental sanity of males from childhood. Young boys are bombarded with various beliefs revolving around gender roles and choices, often forcing them to behave in a certain manner against their will. For instance, they are always instructed to suppress their emotions and ‘act strong’. They are taught that expressing one’s feelings or being vulnerable makes them weak. Even when it comes to career options, parents oppose preferences that are not ‘manly’ enough. But things go really awry when men exhibit a behaviour of disrespect and, in the worst cases, violence towards the women around them, as a result of their pseudo male superiority complex. Feminism says that ‘gender equity’ is the next crucial step of ‘gender equality’.

 

Equality strives to bridge the gaps and bring individuals from all backgrounds together into the same conducive environment, while equity escalates this through personalised support tailored to varied needs. It ensures that each person gets a fair chance to thrive. In alignment with that, the concrete idea of womanism aims to safeguard society’s well-being and eliminate gender-based imbalance. It emphasises the need to resist discrimination concerning class, caste, race, and so on. While patriarchy says ‘Boys don’t cry’, feminism promotes ‘Boys do not make others cry’. Feminism works on the principles of inclusivity and empathy. If enthusiastically supported by every community, feminism can nullify the differences, foster peaceful co-existence of all genders and ultimately make the world a better place to live. In that case, can a man (proudly) be a feminist? Yes, Absolutely! By Aishwarya Moroney Dr Ambedkar Institute of Mgmt Studies & Research