Feminism is quite a controversial word. It caused social unrest decades ago when, in the name of it, women fought the system . Today, using the term on social media will likely mean you will lose some followers, be insulted or mocked, or even have people send you rape and death threats. Fronting any campaign on the subject will also attract the same sort of vile reaction, just read the news. Type the word “feminism” on Twitter or Google and you quickly get suggested search terms such as “Feminism is Awful”. If you type “feminists”, the term appears followed by “are ugly”.
There is one absolute truth about feminism: the belief in the equality of the sexes. The lovely Emma Watson raised the subject again recently, at a UN conference, in the name of He For She, a campaign aimed at getting men involved in feminism. Why? Because equal rights affect both genders, because fighting for human rights denied to millions of human beings due to their sex, is something men should care about too.
Plus…
A male feminist is sexy.
If you are a guy, and say something along the lines of “I’m a feminist”, women will adore you. We will, that’s absolutely, 100 percent true. Have you seen the reactions these men are getting over social media? Ovaries are exploding. Caitlin Moran says it best:
We will throw flowers at you, we will tell our friends how unbelievably attractive you are, we will adore the ground you walk on. Because we love guys like you. Because the world needs more men like you.
Every time your mother, your sister, your best friend is paid less money at work for doing the exact same job as a man… we need men like you.
Every time your mother, your sister, your best friend gets denied the right to decide what to do with her body and her life by a group of men with way too much power… we need guys like you.
Every time your daughter gets a job as a copywriter/mathematician/lawyer but instead is made to serve coffees to her male counterparts and complimented not on her skills but on her skirt … we need men like you.
Every time your daughter is told to cover up because she may bring rape on herself by showing her legs… we need men like you.
Feminism is necessary for me as a woman, for your mother, your sister, your niece, your best friend, your daughter.
Tom Hiddleston, Simon Pegg and every guy tweeting in the name of He For She, declaring themselves feminists, I salute you, you sexy beasts.
Pictures: Fashion Limbo, an excerpt of Caitlin Moran’s How To Be A Woman, Tom Hiddleston Twitter
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