How I Feel About Feminism
I get it. Feminism is all about raising awareness of women’s rights to ensure equality between genders. It’s ensuring that we all get equal pay, equal employment opportunities, equal everything. What do I think? I think we need to take step back, look at the bigger picture and stop complaining. Us females have a fantastic life. We have many rights that many people around the world do not have - yet we are still not happy. Here’s a reality check for you: things will never be equal. One sex will always have more than the other. Yes, there are larger gaps in certain areas than others and I do believe that these need addressing. However, we are forgetting the men. What about them? Are they masculists? Believe it or not, they are not all high-flying CEO board room attendees.
Men in the UK are three times more likely to commit suicide than women. It also the most common cause of death among our male citizens above any other illness. Our male children are also falling behind in education and males have a lower life expectancy. Perhaps they work too much doing the jobs women are longing to have? They are also more likely to develop stress related illnesses. Years ago, men would be expected to be the providers for the household. Men have always been natural providers and now they are are competing to keep this role in a hugely competitive employment market with many more highly educated females than there used to be. What’s more, they are expected to take on more household duties than the man of simpler times. What is man when his duty to provide is taken away, becomes a struggle or is instead done by a female? Who’s helping them whilst we are crying about about our slightly deflated pay slips? I think more needs to be done to ensure equality for everyone, not just women. I am very much an egalitarian. I am proud to call myself this much more so than I would be to say that I am feminist.
I don’t think that women are purposefully discriminated against. We earn less money because we are more likely to take on employment in a nurturing position and men are less likely to do this. It just so happens that these roles are not as well paid. Women naturally do not get as many opportunities for promotion as they may be missed during a period of pregnancy or childcare. This naturally puts women behind just as anyone would get behind if they were away from school for example. I do not believe it is a purposeful or tactical move by men to ensure they take more dominating positions. It’s just nature!
Women and men have free choice in what jobs they choose, however, I do believe that people in nurturing roles deserve higher pay, which is more equal to that of other employment types. This will also enable them to be respected more highly. There is a huge shortage in the workforce which care for the elderly. This workforce are often paid minimum wage and given low level training. What message is that giving to our elderly population? Raise wages and make the job seem more respectable, then a staff shortage won’t be a problem. A similar thing is happening in education, wages are at an all-time low and staff no longer feel respected as wages are low, yet they are educating the future workforce of our country - the ones who will be looking after us in our old age.
The key thing we need to remember is that it’s not just money that makes the world go round. We cannot make money without a healthy and resilient population. We need to raise everyone up on whatever issue they need supporting with. Whether this be education, employment, finance, shelter, health or wellbeing.
Females visit their General Practice far more than their male counterparts, who are somewhat reticent about the matter. Visiting the GP has become a routine for women. The younger generation seek contraceptives, the slightly older seek help with pregnancies and then take their children to the doctor when they are sick. After this, women seek advice when they are no longer fertile and continue well into old age. Recent research has looked into the feminisation of general practices to see if this is to blame. Is it the abundance of women’s magazines, the female reception staff, the sympathetic tones or the endless advice pamphlets wallpapering the awkward waiting room that deters all the men? Or could it be their natural hegemonic masculinity kicking in?
Hegemonic masculinity is a very interesting ideology. There is also hegemonic femininity, but for now, I’m going to stay focused on the men. This field of thought attempts to explain the male culture. I think it needs much further research to help the world understand more about how to support men as well as women. How can we get more boys reading? How can we reduce male suicides? How can we make men less concerned about accessing healthcare?
I know I have spoken a lot about men, but this is because I feel like someone needs to fight their corner as they are unlikely to do it themselves (hegemonic masculinity)! That being said, I am also aware that women experience inequalities too. I just want to be a voice for equal rights for everyone and remind people to take a step back, look at the bigger picture and put things in perspective. Be an egalitarian and support equal rights for everyone.
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