I Hate Feminism

I somewhat apologise for the Click bait title. I hate feminism due to the fact it must exist. It is gravely distressing that more than half of the world’s population are still being subjected to inadequate treatment, in some cases as second class citizens, due to their historical standing and gender.

Work place discrimination is displayed where less than equal pay continues to be an issue. The Office for National Statistics published that in 2017, men and women working full-time in the highest-paid occupation group (chief executives and senior officials) earned a median hourly pay of £48.53 and £36.54 respectively, men also had 72.8% of the full-time employment share in this occupation. Completing the same job should pay the same amount, there isn’t any other clearer way to state it. It is unfathomable as to why businesses continue to do this and get away with it. The BBC wage list from 2017-18, released in July, ranked the top female on the list, Claudia Winkleman, at 13th. Despite their median gender pay gap being closed from 9.3% to 7.6%, a miasma continues to hang over the organisation.

Positively, the #MeToo movement, arguably, has been the most successful social media feminist movement in history. Whilst it’s was set up to support all women, it’s impact has predominantly been filtered through the lens where abuse suffered by actresses is the focal point, unfortunately, diluting the message away from every other victim. That being said, it has been heavily influential in tearing open a festering wound the 'old-fashioned Hollywood producer' had hoped to have buried in a date and time where it was ok to ‘slap a starlet on the ass’ and nothing to be said. Empowerment is always a great forward step even if it needed to come from the vapid, sycophantic world of the silver screen. A trade where physical appearance is of paramount importance, mirrored by statistics (compiled by Park Nicollet Melrose Center) that show approximately 80% of U.S. women don’t like how they look and 70% of normal weighted women want to be thinner. Modern culture, endorsed by the entertainment industry, has a constant depiction of how people, in particular women, should look and act. This is a major factor in delivering these results. Social Media’s similar role in conditioning the mind by perpetually reinforcing what beauty and “the perfect lifestyle” is shouldn’t be understated. It’s unsurprising in the current golden age of narcissism that there’s a growing mental health epidemic surrounding body image.

The subject of abuse has been highlighted in America, where the open Supreme Court seat was decided. Judge Brett Kavanaugh, the candidate, had been accused of, as of writing, three separate historical sexual assault allegations. A brief hearing allowed the first case to be heard. The claim against him by Professor Christine Blasey Ford, of an attempted rape, was deemed ‘credible’. The Republican Party were set to vote him in regardless, until a last minute decision to pass him through, with the caveat that a FBI investigation took place first. No evidence was found, largely part to the extremely limited scope of the enquiry and thus he was voted in by the Senate, despite ongoing sustained protests.

President Trump weighed into the debate, prior to the hearing, tweeting ‘I have no doubt that, if the attack on Dr. Ford was as bad as she says, charges would have been immediately filed with local Law Enforcement Authorities by either her or her loving parents’. I’m not surprised that he missed the point. Fear, humiliation and not being believed are just a few reasons why it may have taken time to surface, and the heartbreaking ‘Why I Didn’t Report’ hashtag answers that bluntly. As a proven sex offender his futile opinion, to me at least, continues to be irrelevant and his comments, that do not deserve to be repeated, at a recent rally mocking the accusations are as deplorable as the crowd cheering them.

There was a clear political motive. Appointing Kavanaugh, a Catholic Conservative, has given the GOP a rare majority on the court and could be instrumental in attacking the Roe v. Wade law protecting women who need a legal abortion. Visually it’s coming across as old, white men rushing in a desperate attempt to dictate their archaic views whilst they still have the chance. The sucker punch is an alleged abuser now has the ability to have such power over something so important.

Conversely, the USA will see a surge in activity from female and minority candidates in November’s midterm elections, with a Democratic majority in the House of Representatives tentatively expected. A continuing trend of poorly timed choices by the Republicans may damage their chances and galvanise the opposition that already believes that they are the party of white men. The female vote has already affected the result by over one fifth in some cases (CNN reports; Female opposition to Trump has already proven potent in races like the Virginia gubernatorial contest last year [2017], when exit polls found that Democratic winner Ralph Northam won female voters by 22 percentage points amid a dramatic suburban swing in his favor compared to 2016 Virginia results). The debate has galvanised both voter bases in a way not often seen for this type of election. However a CNN poll, who lean left so it is to be expected, shows women heavily in favour of the Democrats.

My opinion, for whatever it’s worth, is this is a man’s mess and society expects women to have to clean it up. This tired “housewife” stereotype is the narrative we are expected to follow; ironic, troubling yet predictable.

Equipping men with the ability and confidence to call out their side’s bad behaviour without the fear of repercussions is essential in the war and not falling for the ‘boys will be boys’ excuse. However, it is crucial that it shouldn’t be met with applause and praise as if they are a hero, there should not be incentives for doing the right thing. Change must come from the inside organically and willingly.

Solving the gender divide is an issue for me too, perhaps more so.

“We cannot all succeed when half of us are held back.” — Malala Yousafzai

#Feminism #Liberal #USPolitics #Equality