Contrary to popular belief, feminism is not an effort to belittle men. To properly understand the meaning of feminism, all one must do is read the definition of the word, that is, “the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes,” (“Feminism,” Merriam-Webster Dictionary). While it is often assumed that feminists hate men or wish for women to be viewed and treated better than men, based on the definition, this cannot be true. Yet some may disagree because of the many outspoken feminists in the public eye who portray this hostile attitude toward men. Too many people perceive all feminists as hateful, and sadly, this skewed belief is based on an overrepresented stereotype. For example, the Times calls feminism “hot, rude and self confident” (Turner, The Times), representing a facet of this common view. Bell hooks, someone with a more accurate view of feminism, portrayed the negative view on feminism as such: “…I tend to hear all about the evil of feminism and the bad feminists: how ‘they’ hate men; how ‘they’ want to go against nature … how ‘they’ are taking all the jobs and making the world hard for white men, who do not stand a chance,” (Feminism is for Everybody, p. vii). In actuality, many feminists wish for equality between men and women, though they and their passions are diminished by media. Hooks puts it this way in another of her writings: “Those of us who have devoted lifetimes to teaching and writing theory, explaining to the world the ins and outs of feminist thinking and practice, have experienced that the primary audience for our work is an academic sub-culture,” (“Dig Deep,” p. 659). In other words, the authentic feminists are pushed to the sidelines, they themselves becoming marginalized.
In her book Feminism is for Everybody, hooks expresses the idea that feminism is open to people of any sex, race, or status. Toward the beginning of the book, she gives this challenge: “See how feminism can touch and change your life and all our lives. Come closer and know firsthand what feminist movement is all about. Come closer and you will see: feminism is for everybody,” (Feminism is for Everybody, p. x). She closes the book with the thought that, since both women and men have worked hard to bring about gender equality, these advances should propel everyone onward to shape the future based on what the past taught. In the final lines of her book, hooks declares, “Feminist politics aims to end domination to free us to be who we are - to live lives where we love justice, where we can live in peace. Feminism is for everybody,” (Feminism is for Everybody, pp. 117-118).
In another of hooks’s writings, “Dig Deep: Beyond Lean In,” she responds to the best seller Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg. Hooks analyzes the text and expresses its impact on feminism, warning women—especially marginalized women—to be aware of the misleading ideas in the book Lean In. Hooks gives her own straightforward philosophy of feminism, emphasizing that “Simply put, feminism is a movement to end sexism, sexist exploitation, and oppression,” (“Dig Deep,” p. 662). This definition is in contrast to Sandberg’s views, as she expresses in Lean In: that there should be gender equality within the existing social system, with distinct categories of “men and women” seemingly pitted against each other (Sandberg, pp. 646, 647). It should be noted that, with the mindset of “women versus men,” privileged white women benefit more than poor white women or women of color. Elkholy says in an article for the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, “In 1988, inspired by the model of how men gain advantage from women’s disadvantage, Peggy McIntosh began to document some of the ways in which white women have benefited from racism,” (Elkholy, “Feminism and Race in the United States”). This painful thought—that white women have, in fact, benefited from racism—is a reason to weigh what both Sandberg and hooks have to say and see how their words, ideas, and actions affect the population. Looking at how both hooks and Sandberg live and act out their separate definitions of feminism, it seems evident that hooks’s more inclusive feminism is one that people should pursue if they want to bring about social equality.
As one can see from the information presented so far, genuine feminism has the purpose of stopping sexism and furthering equality. In order to make sure this purpose is clear, it is important to define two recurring words discussed so far: sexism and equality. The definition of sexism is “1. Prejudice or discrimination based on sex; especially discrimination against women. 2. Behavior, conditions, or attitudes that foster stereotypes of social roles based on sex,” (“Sexism,” Merriam-Webster Dictionary); and the definition of equality is “the quality or state of being equal,” (“Equality,” Merriam-Webster Dictionary). If feminism’s goal is to eradicate sexism, by default it serves both women and men by encouraging equality between them. However, the fight for equality cannot be held in the current patriarchal system. Getting rid of sexism requires leaving behind the mindset that men hold more power than women. This is not to say that men should be punished, looked down upon, or put solely to blame for the injustice against women. Rather, all people should be treated with the same amount of respect.
Another word that deserves some attention is marginalize: “to relegate to an unimportant or powerless position within a society or group,” (“Marginalize,” Merriam-Webster Dictionary). People are marginalized every day—when a white person is served before a black family who has been waiting in line longer; when a gay or lesbian person enters an unwelcoming establishment and is asked to leave; when someone is mocked for his faith and feels shunned by his peers; when a homeless family is ignored upon their entry into a grocery store to buy food with the little money they have; when a man is paid more than his female coworkers; when a woman is rude or even hateful to a man who is holding the door for her. These may be hypothetical examples, but many people experience similar situations regularly—even in our country of liberty and justice. That is why it is important for people to understand that feminism defends the marginalized to give them better lives.
Based on the evidence, ending sexism—not overpowering men—is the intention of feminism, and anyone can be a feminist. Legitimate feminists do not hate men but strive to create equality, not only between women and men but also among the races and classes. If more people understood what feminism hopes to accomplish, they could rally behind the sincere feminists and support the equality of women and men of every background and culture.
Works Cited
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