Feminism

For the men too.

(Note to the readers: This is just my opinions and POVs, not meant to hurt or attack anyone in person about their perspectives. Thank you!)

Feminism is a term you hear everywhere these days, mostly from women, though men are joining in too. I’m not here to tell you what it means in general. I’m rather taking this platform as a medium to talk about what it means to me, and why that matters.

Most of you might know I’m really indecisive about most things. But when I have a strong opinion on something, I define it my way. Feminism is one of those things. I’ve been talking, reading and writing about it for a few years now, and I do call myself a feminist too.

But what scares me is how people don’t get what it actually means. There are so many different takes on it that feminism turns into pseudo-feminism, and the whole point just... diminishes. Because we got it wrong from the beginning.

Let me explain what my mind says about feminism, to me it’s about equity. Which means bringing everyone to an equal level. And since women were never treated correctly, never given basic freedoms, choices, rights, we do ask for extra support to stand at that level. The same goes for the transgender community. We do know that patriarchy always had male dominance, and yes, that destroyed men too, gave way to male ego, toxic masculinity, all that. But the dominance was there

So when we see campaigns like “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao,” that’s because there are still people killing daughters, age-old traditions like ghunghat still being followed, daughters still being restricted, and rape and assault... obviously still happening.

In all of this, we women tend to support women because we face things, we see stuff happening around us, and our perceptions form from that. But we forget sometimes that feminism is about equity, not just blindly supporting women. It’s about making a better world, harmony, and peace.

There can be situations where women might overreact or might manipulate circumstances. There have been cases I’ve read where victim cards are played for whatever desired outcome, whether for revenge, attention, or personal gain, and what do we do? Go on blindly supporting them, saying “Well, I’ll always support women over men,” or “If a girl of a certain age says a man made her uncomfortable, I know she’s correct.”

How do we know, though?

And to my opinions that isn’t feminism at all, it’s rather hurting the very concept and idea of feminism all in all.

Feminism also stands for supporting men who need support. It means helping women break out of their boundaries while not caging men in new ones. That is feminism for me, a movement where we support everyone because they are right, not because of the rage-fueled mantra that “women must support women” equals feminism. It’s about dismantling the very structures that harm us all, not merely inverting the hierarchy. It’s about recognising that the “Paraya Dhan” mentality that reduces daughters to transferable assets is the same mentality that reduces sons to emotionless providers “ATM”. Both are prisons. Both deserve to crumble.

I know I’m not 20 yet. Yes, a little young to put my opinions out with so many intellectual and experienced people here. But maybe not too young to let what I believe be heard.

(Adding this cuz I found it cute lol, too much serious talks is not mahnoor things hehe)