POV: I’m at your home, and I look around.

Everything seems great; surrounded by loved ones, easy access to things I need, comfortable in my space, unbothered and content. 

POV: I step outside, within my block.

Pleased with my neighborhood, friends like family, amicable acquaintances, weather seems perfect and no qualms, whatsoever.

POV: I have driven a few miles.

In aloud wonderment of apathy that ensues in our busy streets, nonchalant ways of passersby, spitting and spewing out cuss words at one another, mostly about a mother or a sister, newspaper articles that remind us of merciless miseries that go on around us each day. 

The above narrative highlights 3 scenarios, and they seem relatable. Don’t they? Perhaps, join me in the seat of privilege while we get through reading this piece at leisure, in comfort. I’m a CIS-woman with a career; writing is my hobby, philosophy is my esse and understanding human behavior and intelligence is my passion. I have met people from all walks of life, and in this journey, the most peculiar kind of people I have come across are those that oppose feminism. 

Many men (and surprisingly a few women) refuse to accept the reason why feminism was, is and will be part of the social revolution. The definition of the word is misconstrued as placing CIS-women on a pedestal, leaving every other gender behind. The word calls for presumption about one’s personality and denies any opportunity for feminists to voice out. It shames those who believe in it and clowns anyone who is identified under the tag, because the basic understanding of the word is erroneous. While feminism aims at equity in social responsibilities and equality in roles that rule, it aims at opening doors for those women who are still not anywhere around the seat of privilege. While it enables young women to dream of an equally respectable future, it has also brought the women out of their social prisons and opened the world to them. It has directed a social obligation to all of humanity to look at women more than as an object of attraction and treat them respectfully, especially is conservative socio-economic communities. It has called out many inhumane practices such as dowry, female infanticides, genital mutilation, child marriage, human trafficking, eave-teasing, victim-shaming and many more horrors that are endured by but not limited to women of all ages and generations. 

In the urge to call out fake feminism, society dictates a directive on what one’s freedom should be and begins to question the morale of those who stand by this cause. We tend to lose focus of the most common, mostly affected, mostly persecuted, mostly shamed gender and instead, endorse the already privileged group. Slogans like “Not All Men” is a loud denial of a silent claim that “Every woman has…” endured harassment, has compromised on her dreams, has skipped taking a walk at night, has faked a phone call while walking a lonely block, has chosen keys as weapon while a few have even been married off when as young as 6-8 years. 

Feminism is that voice against violence against the weak, the revolution that is sending more children from conservative backgrounds to schools, a cry on the need for financial and social independence, a slap on the blamers and shamers of survivors, and a strong reminder for society to behave with respect. Let’s support this cause by spreading awareness, by instilling the purpose from ground up, by sharing the stories of those who cannot speak up, and by supporting the sisterhood groups that help bring out the unearthed stories of such happenings across the country. Let’s celebrate feminism. 

By Saranya Manivannan

Saranya Manivannan, a Healthcare Management Professional.A Feminist, Writer/Philosopher and a Free Spirit who can swift Lady to Crazy. Music enthusiast, often insomniac. Person with OCD and a quaint personality.