It’s Time to Look Beyond Feminism

People aren't feminist anymore.

Feminism has always been controversial, but until recently I've never realized how convoluted the term had become. I used to think that Feminism was simple. After all, how complicated is equality, where men and women have equal rights and status? Well, as it turns out, far more complicated than what my childhood naivety led me to believe.

Denmark, for example, has always been seen as a champion of gender equality. With its minuscule gender wage gap, high scores on the gender equality index and generally respectable image as a modern, forward-thinking country, you'd think that Feminism is an everyday occurrence. Here's the thing: it's not.

According to a 2018 poll by the YouGov-Cambridge Globalism Project, only 1 in 6 Danes identify as Feminists, and other European countries, generally known for championing equality and human rights, also face this lack of support for Feminism. Take Germany as another example, a country famed for its powerful female Chancellor Angela Merkel - yet only 8% of Germans identify as Feminists. The irony is that if you ask the same group of people in the exact same survey whether or not they believe women should have equal societal rights and status, an overwhelming 83% of Danes and 80% of Germans replied that women should be equal to men in every way. So, if Feminism is about equality between genders, why are people so hesitant to brand themselves as Feminist?

The issue with Feminism is its lack of clear definition; it has become an umbrella term synonymous with equality to some but also radical man-hating to others. This confusion means that people become hesitant to use the word "Feminist" to describe their views, and honestly, I can't blame them.

With the type of high-powered Feminism floating around in our modern society, Feminism seems to become an increasingly bourgeois movement that fails to appeal to the masses. Instead, it attracts a radical, yet vocal minority, butchering the original ideals of Feminism, leading to the popular misconception that Feminism is about the suppression of men. Feminists are stereotyped as angry, entitled and bossy women holding misandristic views, so it's no wonder that fewer and fewer people want to be associated with the movement. Harmful misconceptions such as 'feminists must choose career over family' or that 'you can't be feminist if you want to be a stay at home parent' has left a sour taste in even women. What about the men you ask? Well, even worse. Data from a YouGov poll highlights the severity of the issue, with 35% of British men believing that Feminism is pro-women at the expense of men.

Feminists are typically staunch supporters of domestic abuse victims. That is unless the victim is a man. I'm sure you've all heard about it by now, domestic abuse allegations against Johnny Depp, or more accurately Johnny Depp and Amber Heard. It's a convoluted case with accusations and substantial evidence from both sides. However, if there's one thing that's clear, it's that Heard isn't as innocent as she initially seemed with incriminating evidence against her from various photos and audio recordings.

Now, I'm not here to argue for Depp or Heard, that's not a decision I'm qualified to or willing to make. Nonetheless, it's easy to see why Feminism is associated with man-hating when the same 'Feminists' who rushed to boycott, defame and call for the conviction of Depp a year ago are the same ones defending Amber Heard now. More outrageously, with this hypocritical argument - only women can be victims of domestic abuse.

It's no wonder so many believe Feminism is equivalent to misandry, with blatant double standards such as the one above, even I started to question the righteousness of what Feminism has become.

Feminism, in its current form, only pushes level headed people away. We need to start making Feminism more accessible to the average person and as drastic as it sounds, abandoning the label entirely in favor of something more neutral such as Gender Equality would undoubtedly help. Furthermore, Feminists need to keep in mind that just because someone doesn't outright label themselves as Feminist doesn't necessarily mean that they don't support the ideals behind it. Feminism isn't a cult; there's no need to force anyone into it. As long as people are advocating for the ideas behind it, that's all we need and can ask for. On the flip side, normalize Feminism! Be proud of your Feminist tendencies, and when asked about men-hating (which I can guarantee you will), take the time to explain a person at a time. Sure, it's more effort and may seem less effective in the short run but, do we truly want to abandon a perfectly reasonable noun with a perfectly reasonable definition to misinformation and prejudice?

There's no specific path to a gender-equal society, and there are undoubtedly multiple ways to the same end goal. Whether you choose to reclaim Feminism actively or use an entirely different noun to compass its ideals is your choice but, I hope you understand that the true meaning of Feminism is simple - equality for all genders.