Feminsm is not why we hate you
Following the promotion of free agency, up rise of social media and third wave feminism, the conversations about feminism have evolved. Women’s rights advocacy has gone from elite, regulated and almost moot to inclusive, non-conforming and absolutely unhinged. With bigger platforms and more opportunity, women are finally able to put into words the oppression they mightn’t have been able to express to audiences they never had.
Understandably, after centuries of marginalization and generations of hand me down oppression, there’s quite a backlog on the recognition of women’s lived experiences. Social media movements and hashtags have led to backlash about the true meaning of feminism and whether the basis of it all is a hatred and prejudice against men stemming from personal experience completely detached from institutionalized sexism.
Interestingly enough, misogyny can be traced back to limited notions of womanhood and women’s ‘failure’ to adhere to the standards of men. Save for very few instances, misandry isn’t linked to systematic oppression. While misandry is about the things men have actually done, misogyny is about what women have ‘failed’ to do, only by a masculine standard.
THE MYTH THAT IS ROOFTOP FEMINISM
This piece does not serve the purpose of gently informing others of my opinions on gender dynamics and inviting them into feminism. It is an aggressive reflection of societal standards that do harm only to those subjected to them. That is why I must define Rooftop feminism as a bigots’ tall tale.
The term is used to describe feminism that allegedly encourages a hatred of men and has an unnecessarily extreme uncompromising approach to gender equality.
Defined by me it is the idea that you should advocate and glass ceilings ought to be removed but only to the extent that it keeps current privileges and egos in tact. Those that subscribe to the idea that this exists discredit feminism by saying it is simply a hatred of men as if even if that’s all feminism was, it would be unjustified.
It is unlikely you will find a man who can speak about feminism with the authenticity of experience so I find it quite curious one would be intellectually equipped to decide where the buck stops as far as the notions women are allowed to have go. Could it be that the realization that an ideology functions despite one’s disapproval that accompanies his limited range on the topic causes backlash? Perhaps. There is no conclusive evidence on why this is so, because it is nearly impossible to positively engage about Rooftop feminism with someone who believes it exists.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FEMINISM AND MISANDRY
By the time you finish reading this magazine; between the United States, South Africa and Zimbabwe alone; women and children would have been sexually assaulted, raped or been victim to violence from an intimate partner.
News headlines have evolved into simple statistics and in a masculine order; the abuse of women and imminence of violence has been reduced to be equivalent to feelings of resentment that result from sour romantic experiences. Accusations that feminism teaches hatred of men are empty and unintelligent. You don’t need a single ounce of feminism in you to hate men, just two eyes and one news outlet.
We practice feminism every second of the day when we fight against the system designed to fail women of color. Misandry is for after 5pm when it is no longer beneficial to the quality of my work that I be objective.
Tinatswe Mhaka
