The Two Worlds of Feminism

*originally written for the Wildcat Tribune on Feb 10, 2018, last edited July 5, 2018

The Two Worlds of Feminism

By: Riya Bindlish

In this day and age, I see girls all around campus declaring themselv

McNew, David. “#MeToo's Roots in the Feminist Awakening of the 1960s.” Vox, 29 Nov. 2017.

es feminists. But what has that word come to mean? Feminism has evolved from a concept of gender equality to another social media trend where women assert dominance over men. However, it shouldn’t be about that. Instead, we should find a way to apply feminism and actively promote a sense of equality among all instead of using it in so-called “slacktivist” means.

With the recent uprising in the media’s discussions about sexual abuse and gender equality, it’s important to analyze how, and how effectively, social networks promote feminism. To understand this, perhaps we should first understand the success of the recent #MeToo campaign.

A branch of the real-life Me Too movement (started by Tarana Burke), the #MeToo social media campaign, itself initiated by actress Alyssa Milano, consists of women and men posting their experiences with sexual assault and harassment via Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, etc. With astounding effects, people all over the world were encouraged to speak up and demand justice from those who wronged them. According to The New York Times, “on Facebook, it [the hashtag #MeToo] was shared in more than 12 million posts and reactions in the first 24 hours”

The #MeToo movement created a safe space for victims to share the truth. But why was it so much more effective than the thousands of other posts that seemingly advocated the same way?

Sophie Gilbert of the Atlantic answers: “The power of #MeToo, though, is that it takes something that women had long kept quiet about and transforms it into a movement. Unlike many kinds of social-media activism, it isn’t a call to action or the beginning of a campaign, culminating in a series of protests and speeches and events. It’s simply an attempt to get people to understand the prevalence of sexual harassment and assault in society. To get women, and men, to raise their hands.”

The essential bane of feminism, a.k.a. slacktivism, is the belief that making a simple post denouncing sexual assault substantiates support for the movement. The true meaning behind feminism is genuinely raising awareness for an issue, explaining that issue and showing why it is wrong. The #MeToo movement is the epitome of what pure feminism is — there is no assertion to the fact that women are better than men, nor is there the slacktivist mindset in which people solely include the hashtag so that they can call themselves a feminist. Instead, victims and supporters alike are working together to raise awareness for this very real and prevalent issue that has had traumatic effects on them. Their messages come directly from the heart, setting them apart from the millions of other posts you browse through everyday.

Moreover, because the intent of a #MeToo post is to simply inform readers that sexual abuse is a widespread problem, the impact is even more real, because it doesn’t call for anything except your awareness. It doesn’t want your money or your signature on a petition, because in reality, that wouldn’t solve the problem. What it emphasizes is an informed society that can distinguish between what is wrong and right and can hold those who don’t respect those standards accountable for their actions.

Freshman Jasmine Agarwal, active member of the DVHS Femequality student club, explains the difference between the #MeToo movement and general feminism: “It comes down to the idea of using feminism versus applying feminism. Even right now, feminism is growing to be this trend. It's important to realize that feminism isn’t about calling yourself a feminist. It’s about standing up against things.”

She furthers, “I don’t think reposting has an effect at all, because when people say things like, ‘repost if you’re against rape’, first of all, you’re not telling people about the problem, what rape is, and why it’s bad. Second of all, you’re not changing the mindset of anyone who is misogynist. That’s not productive at all, but #MeToo inspired hundreds of women to come out and get the justice that they deserve. There’s a really big difference between the two.”

People have replaced educating others and raising awareness through meaningful actions with quick posts that severely lack the issue’s deserved sincerity. However, #MeToo is a step in the right direction.

Sexual abuse has always been a big concept, and while we get the perception that it is an even bigger problem today, it’s essential to realize that the reason that we think that is because we are hearing more cases. More women and men today are speaking up against their violators, and this is what defines a true feminist advocacy movement.

However, the modern concept of equality has become severely misconstrued as a result of supposed “feminists” spreading the wrong values.Feminism doesn’t mean that women are better than men, but that women and men are equal.

This is not to say that all feminists defend female dominance, but when even a small portion do, it undermines the movement and makes men resistant to the idea of feminism.

“It’s so important for guys to be feminists as well. When we have male feminists, that makes it more believable that feminism is about equality,” Agarwal explains.

Furthermore, it prevents the movement from becoming effective, both because it loses legitimacy, and also because less people support it when the ideals behind such a necessary concept are corrupted.

Sophomore Sohum Mettishetti, a member of the Dougherty Valley High School Speech and Debate team, states, “I believe the movement has become largely ineffective as a whole; very little policy change has been implemented in recent times., The movement has lost its cohesive unity and fractured into dozens of small intermittent groups without power to create real change,. But the #MeToo movement, I think, presents a real hope for change… ”

However, he also believes the idea that feminism is becoming more about women dominating men is “a stereotype perpetuated by bigoted males and social media.”

Sadly enough, people no longer equate feminism with gender equality.

A 2015 Vox poll conducted by PerryUndem, a research and communications firm, found that 85 percent of Americans believe in “equality for women.” Yet, only 18 percent of respondents identified as a feminist.

The solution is simple.

We must reinforce the idea of what being a feminist means in order to gather the necessary support that is imperative for its international growth and influence. Educating others by both showing them both what effective advocacy and what the true meaning of “feminism” will redefine the movement for several, ensuring that it will be the strong and effective movement it was meant to be.

On campus, this could be as simple as correcting offensive remarks you hear, or simply holding true to your public beliefs on feminism. When you post online, those same opinions should be reflected in you as a person. Don’t let your thoughts be limited to the scope of social media, but express them in person as well.

Powerful awareness and advocacy is the only true solvency for empowering women.