Feminist or Man Hater?

Why is it that feminists tend to be thought of as man-haters? They are two entirely different entities. Read on. If you tell people that you are a feminist, and most will assume that you are a man hater. Why is it that feminism tends to bring along with it the tag of man-hating? When Jhanvi made a statement about how she hates men a few years ago, Ravi said "Oh no, not another feminist!" No, Jhanvi was certainly not a feminist. She had recently broken up with her boyfriend, and was heartbroken, and for a while she directed her anger at all men. She was not into fighting for her rights as a woman, nor did she have any desire to be a career woman. All she really wanted was to get married to her boyfriend and become a housewife. After her dreams were shattered she went around cursing men for a year before she fell in love again. She is now happily married, but she still hates all men other than her husband, and her father! And no, she is definitely not a feminist. First of all, being a feminist does NOT mean that you are a man-hater. If you were a man-hater, you would very simply call yourself a man-hater, and not a feminist. Simply hating men does not turn you into a feminist, or vice versa. True, there are many women who hate men, and some of these women tend to call themselves feminists. There are feminists that do hate men, but they do so because of their own personal reasons, and do not represent feminism as it stands. Often men tend to get defensive when they meet a woman who calls herself a feminist. There is really no reason to. A feminist does not want to put men down in order to pull women up. What she wants is to create awareness of the fact that women deserve equal rights and opportunity as men. We all agree that men and women are intrinsically different, and are the happier for it, but no sex is superior to the other. Men and women are all human beings, and as such deserve basic human rights and to be treated with dignity. This fact is laid down in the Charter of the United Nations and in the Declaration of Human Rights. No one should be discriminated against on the basis of their sex, race, religion, caste, colour… While a woman does legally enjoy many rights, not many women are aware of these rights. Feminists fight for the recognition of these rights, and to increase awareness amongst women. For example, a woman cannot be fired because she is pregnant, and she is entitled to a certain amount of maternity leave without pay. If a woman fights for these rights, she is certainly not fighting against the dignity of man! She is simply fighting to enforce her rights as a human being. Yes, I am a feminist, but I do not hate men. I am a working woman, though my work hours are far less than those of my husband. I have 2 beautiful children and what I enjoy most in the world is spending time with them. Family is more important to me than my career, but I have had the freedom of choice in making this decision. I stand up for my rights as a human being. I have one son and one daughter, and would never dream of according different treatment to them. I will provide my daughter will all the opportunities I would to my son, because I believe that they are both equally capable, and that is what makes me a feminist.

Why is it that feminists tend to be thought of as man-haters? They are two entirely different entities. Read on.

If you tell people that you are a feminist, and most will assume that you are a man hater. Why is it that feminism tends to bring along with it the tag of man-hating? When Jhanvi made a statement about how she hates men a few years ago, Ravi said "Oh no, not another feminist!" No, Jhanvi was certainly not a feminist. She had recently broken up with her boyfriend, and was heartbroken, and for a while she directed her anger at all men. She was not into fighting for her rights as a woman, nor did she have any desire to be a career woman. All she really wanted was to get married to her boyfriend and become a housewife. After her dreams were shattered she went around cursing men for a year before she fell in love again. She is now happily married, but she still hates all men other than her husband, and her father! And no, she is definitely not a feminist.

First of all, being a feminist does NOT mean that you are a man-hater. If you were a man-hater, you would very simply call yourself a man-hater, and not a feminist. Simply hating men does not turn you into a feminist, or vice versa.

True, there are many women who hate men, and some of these women tend to call themselves feminists. There are feminists that do hate men, but they do so because of their own personal reasons, and do not represent feminism as it stands.

Often men tend to get defensive when they meet a woman who calls herself a feminist. There is really no reason to. A feminist does not want to put men down in order to pull women up. What she wants is to create awareness of the fact that women deserve equal rights and opportunity as men.

We all agree that men and women are intrinsically different, and are the happier for it, but no sex is superior to the other. Men and women are all human beings, and as such deserve basic human rights and to be treated with dignity. This fact is laid down in the Charter of the United Nations and in the Declaration of Human Rights. No one should be discriminated against on the basis of their sex, race, religion, caste, colour… While a woman does legally enjoy many rights, not many women are aware of these rights. Feminists fight for the recognition of these rights, and to increase awareness amongst women. For example, a woman cannot be fired because she is pregnant, and she is entitled to a certain amount of maternity leave without pay. If a woman fights for these rights, she is certainly not fighting against the dignity of man! She is simply fighting to enforce her rights as a human being.

Yes, I am a feminist, but I do not hate men. I am a working woman, though my work hours are far less than those of my husband. I have 2 beautiful children and what I enjoy most in the world is spending time with them. Family is more important to me than my career, but I have had the freedom of choice in making this decision. I stand up for my rights as a human being. I have one son and one daughter, and would never dream of according different treatment to them. I will provide my daughter will all the opportunities I would to my son, because I believe that they are both equally capable, and that is what makes me a feminist.