Before I begin this post, I did not intend to make almost every post about feminism. I need to research other topics and give people a variety, however, I am not sorry. Feminism is a major part of my life right not just because I'm a woman, but because I am currently living on a college campus and sexual assault is a huge problem.
Having said that, I feel very frustrated. This evening, one of the clubs I am in had a representative from the Women's Rights group on campus visit us and talk about feminism. There was a lot of good discussion, but part of it has really irked me.
We discussed the #LikeAGirl commercial the Always company did some time ago. A woman in the group said that she was a glad a woman wrote and directed the ad and that a man had nothing to do with it.
Curious, I asked her why she felt that way. She told me that a man does not know what it is like to menstruate and this is a feminine products company participating in female empowerment, so it makes sense for a woman to do it and not a man. While her opinion makes sense, there is a tiny flaw.
Feminism is not just a female issue. It is a human issue and everyone should be involved and talking about it. Before I continue, I am not saying I need a man to credit my freedom movement. I do not need a man to validate my thoughts, opinions, and feelings. What I am saying is that it would be nice if a man had directed that advertisement.
Part of the problem in this world is that a majority of it feels nothing is valid unless a middle-age white man says it is. That is an evil, unfortunate fact about the world. That mindset has been ingrained through historical events spanning hundreds of years. It is a cultural, historical mindset and almost impossible to get rid of. Why not use it against them in defeating that mindset so in fifty years, we don't see a white man directing a feminine commercial and feel he validates the movement? Of course, if we reach that point, will there even be a need for a movement?
However, I wanted a man to direct this commercial but not for validation. Let's talk again about Emma Watson. She has formally invited men to join the conversation about feminism and we should do just that. I would have been thrilled to see a man behind such a powerful ad because I would hope young girls and boys would see it. Girls should see men promoting female empowerment so they will not settle for any less in their romantic relationships should they be heterosexual girls. Girls and women need to see men upholding these values to destroy that nasty cultural mindset of men being superior. I wanted a man to direct that commercial not because we need his validation or approval, but because we need to let men and boys know that they too can participate and know how to treat their mothers, girlfriends, sisters, and daughters as humans instead of lowly females. "Do not teach your daughters to fear the night. Teach your sons not to rape."
Boys need to look up to men and women. However, the evil fact of the world is that boys are taught to look up to men. Let's use this fact to our advantage. Let's use men to teach boys they can cry and look up to female role models. Let's use the weapon women have suffered from to change male dominance into gender equality.
Men don't have to understand what it's like to have a period or birth a child to be a feminist leader. Anyone can be a feminist leader and everyone should be a feminist leader. The more we push men out of the conversation because "they don't understand" the more we sound like our oppressors. Why kick them out because they don't have a period when they kick us out because we have a period? That doesn't make any sense to me.
What are your thoughts? Do you see any flaws in my argument? Please share your opinions with me.
Having said that, I feel very frustrated. This evening, one of the clubs I am in had a representative from the Women's Rights group on campus visit us and talk about feminism. There was a lot of good discussion, but part of it has really irked me.
We discussed the #LikeAGirl commercial the Always company did some time ago. A woman in the group said that she was a glad a woman wrote and directed the ad and that a man had nothing to do with it.
Curious, I asked her why she felt that way. She told me that a man does not know what it is like to menstruate and this is a feminine products company participating in female empowerment, so it makes sense for a woman to do it and not a man. While her opinion makes sense, there is a tiny flaw.
Feminism is not just a female issue. It is a human issue and everyone should be involved and talking about it. Before I continue, I am not saying I need a man to credit my freedom movement. I do not need a man to validate my thoughts, opinions, and feelings. What I am saying is that it would be nice if a man had directed that advertisement.
Part of the problem in this world is that a majority of it feels nothing is valid unless a middle-age white man says it is. That is an evil, unfortunate fact about the world. That mindset has been ingrained through historical events spanning hundreds of years. It is a cultural, historical mindset and almost impossible to get rid of. Why not use it against them in defeating that mindset so in fifty years, we don't see a white man directing a feminine commercial and feel he validates the movement? Of course, if we reach that point, will there even be a need for a movement?
However, I wanted a man to direct this commercial but not for validation. Let's talk again about Emma Watson. She has formally invited men to join the conversation about feminism and we should do just that. I would have been thrilled to see a man behind such a powerful ad because I would hope young girls and boys would see it. Girls should see men promoting female empowerment so they will not settle for any less in their romantic relationships should they be heterosexual girls. Girls and women need to see men upholding these values to destroy that nasty cultural mindset of men being superior. I wanted a man to direct that commercial not because we need his validation or approval, but because we need to let men and boys know that they too can participate and know how to treat their mothers, girlfriends, sisters, and daughters as humans instead of lowly females. "Do not teach your daughters to fear the night. Teach your sons not to rape."
Boys need to look up to men and women. However, the evil fact of the world is that boys are taught to look up to men. Let's use this fact to our advantage. Let's use men to teach boys they can cry and look up to female role models. Let's use the weapon women have suffered from to change male dominance into gender equality.
Men don't have to understand what it's like to have a period or birth a child to be a feminist leader. Anyone can be a feminist leader and everyone should be a feminist leader. The more we push men out of the conversation because "they don't understand" the more we sound like our oppressors. Why kick them out because they don't have a period when they kick us out because we have a period? That doesn't make any sense to me.
What are your thoughts? Do you see any flaws in my argument? Please share your opinions with me.