When I finally found myself caught in a self-contradictory tangle of pop-activist ideals and “PC” jargon I decided it was high time to rethink my position on the political spectrum. As I have organized thoughts, ideals, opinions, and beliefs, I have encountered more than a few complicated “isms,” and the ever-popular feminism is one of them. Unfortunately, discovering the meaning of feminism for Western people today seems like an impossible task.
Feminism has become a catch-all term used in a variety of contexts, from internet comment threads to political and literary texts. Our common discourse is overrun by opinions, and not a few of them seem blatantly heretical in their barest, ugliest forms. A multiplicity of definitions detracts from meaning, and feminism loses its concision and strength.
If an ideal is a belief or standard that influences action, defining feminism by what it does may be the place to start. While I’m at an immediate loss for what exactly feminism should do, I certainly have a few thoughts on what feminism shouldn’t do.
Feminism should not shame housewives and conservative women. Feminism should not categorically label and degrade men. Feminism should not encourage anger or violence. Using feminism as a soapbox or a sob story to attract attention to individual people accomplishes nothing for the greater good of the whole. Rejecting people because they don’t fit the bill weakens the name of the cause.
If feminism seeks equality for women, it is on the basis that all people deserve respect. No matter the race, sex, gender, orientation, beliefs, or identity, freedom to operate without fear of discrimination is a primary goal. If feminism so eagerly applies its force to free women from the bonds of sexism, it seems that feminists should be as eager to stand against discrimination across the board.
Which is why I find myself sadly disturbed by the conversations flowing around me on a daily basis, espoused by people who would claim to be feminists but willingly degrade and disrespect others on the basis of sexual orientation, religious belief, or political ideology. Too many “feminists” fall into the trap of blaming and stereotyping men rather than educating and empowering men and women alike. Women who choose to live a lifestyle of religious conservatism that is interpreted as oppressive are mocked and patronized. The internet can be a snake’s den of hatred masked by anonymity.
I certainly do not have all of my own beliefs figured out, let alone a confident grasp on some of our culture’s most popularized beliefs today. But I can say that it seems to me there is a glaring contradiction in a feminism that despises and discriminates. Feminism begins with respecting, uplifting, and encouraging people for the pure fact of their humanity. Therefore, it is an originally justified idea and this respect should carry beyond the limits of sex and gender.
Maybe this topic is overwrought, but I’m tired of the hypocrisy. Regardless of how we identify as individuals, we should offer the same respect we expect for ourselves to everyone else. Besides, wouldn’t Christ do the same?