ApplyingFeminism:TheHiddenMisogynyofToday
By KaylaBolivar
“I’mgoingtoneedsomestrongboystomovethesechairsforme!”Astheteacherasks, alltheboysspringupfromtheirchairs.Asdefiantasyoungermewas,Ijoinedtheensembleof boysreadytoprovetheirstrength.Theteachergavemeaglarethatmotionedmetositback down.Isinkbackintomychair,frustratedthatIwasneverallowedtobethebraveone.
Throughoutmyadolescence,Iwasamajortomboy.Reppingmyiconicponytailand sportjersey,Iwouldplayfootballeverydayatrecessandexclusivelyhangoutwithotherboys.I wasdeterminedtoprovetomypeersthatIcouldbeashardworkingastheguyswere.I constantlyreceivedremarksfromadultsorsometimesotherstudentsaboutwhyIinsistedon resistingwhatwasusuallydeemednormal.“Sitlikealady,”or“girlsstaybackandcleanup,” werejustminorregularcommentsbackthen,butnowlookingback,itismisogynyhiddenunder aninnocentcover.
Today,thetermfeminismisinterpretedasanegativethingthatexiststovilifymen,as 52%ofmeninterpretthemovementaspolarizing(Barroso,2020).Despitethecontroversial stigma,feminismdefinesitselfasthebeliefthatallpeopleareequal,andthathistorically, womenhavebeenputdownaslesserthan.Itisnotabeliefofwomenbeingsuperiortomen, whichispopularlybelieved,butjustasamovementtocreateequalityamongallpeople. Feminismhasresonatedwithmefromaveryyoungage,whenIrealizedthatIcanbestrongtoo.
AccordingtoastudyconductedbyHealthServicesResearch(HSR),oneinfivewomen claimtohaveexperiencedviolencesolelybasedontheirgender.Thisstudysurveyed3453U.S. womenofalldifferentracesandincomes.Theresultsincludedthefollowing:18%ofwomen experiencediscriminationwhilegoingtothedoctororhealthclinic,41%ofwomenreported
discriminationinobtainingequalpay,31%indiscriminationwhileapplyingforajob,and20% inapplyingorattendingcollege.(SteelFisheretal.,2019)Statisticslikethisusuallygounseen, describedasjustapartoflifeoranoverexaggeration.Discriminationisstillveryprevalent today,whetherweliketoadmititornot.It'sguilefulinthewayitsneaksin,becoming normalized,yetrepressive.
Whetheryouareadefianttomboyortheaveragegirly-girl,feminismcanapplyto everyone.Personally,itprovidedmethestrengthtostandupforwhatIbelieveinandbeableto expressmyselfinlimitlessways.Feminismgiveswomenthepowertobethestrong,braveones, despitetheprejudiceofothers.
Barroso,A.(2020,July7). 61% of U.S. women say “feminist” describes them well; many see feminism as empowering, polarizing.PewResearchCenter.
https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2020/07/07/61-of-u-s-women-say-feminist-desc ribes-them-well-many-see-feminism-as-empowering-polarizing/
SteelFisher,G.K.,Findling,M.G.,Bleich,S.N.,Casey,L.S.,Blendon,R.J.,Benson,J.M., Sayde,J.M.,&Miller,C.(2019,December). Gender discrimination in the United States: Experiences of women.Healthservicesresearch.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6864374/#hesr13217-sec-0011