Men need Feminism

Akansha Raj is a student at the University of Delhi pursuing honors in English literature. She is a literature enthusiast and loves reading and writing.

MEN NEED FEMINISM 

Feminism is an advocacy for equality between sexes. Feminism is not about elevating females above men. Feminism is not giving women their rights at the cost of men’s rights, nor it is promoting matriarchy in place of patriarchy.

We all live in men dominating society, where men have more authority than that of women. Females are made to follow certain stereotypical rules. This type of society does not only affect females but males too. Males are taught to follow the traditional guidelines too which result in their stunted emotional growth. Boys grow up learning “real men never cry.”  Crying is assumed to be a feminine thing. This stagnation of feelings inside leads a person to anxiety or other mental problems affecting his own health.

The most brutal thing that society does is not considering “the father” as a parent. In India, there are maternal leaves but why not leaves for men? they are fathers too. This stereotype always pushes men far from their family or children as they don’t have their special connection with their offsprings, which is very sad.

As we know about society’s unfair and unrealistic expectations on women but men have to bear them too. There is a peculiar diameter in which society puts all men. Men never cry men fight, men do not like Pink. Domestic work, showing emotions, caregiving, vulnerability, submissiveness, asking for help-all the above things are considered as feminine. All this “not being a feminine culture” pushes them into a state of toxic aggression and they will manifest loneliness as well.

Men need feminism too in order to break the orthodox settled by society and also in order to support women and free themselves from traditional roles and live their lives the way they want.

The views expressed are that of the writer.