Feminism: A threat or a need

Jyotishmita Baruah

(baruahjyoti1999@gmail.com)

The word 'Feminism' since its inception around the 1840s has been holding a lot of authority and power and the consequences that come within might be quite manipulating at times. Feminism, a belief in the political, economic and cultural equality of women, has its roots in the earliest eras of human civilization. It is typically separated into three waves: first-wave feminism, dealing with property rights and the right to vote; second-wave feminism, focusing on equality and anti-discrimination, and the third wave of feminism, which started in the 1990s as a backlash to the second wave' perceived privileging of white, straight women. Feminism as a movement received recognition and appreciation from people from all walks of life at the earlier state of its birth. But in the current times, quite a time, the term and the benefits that come with it have been unjustifiably used. Feminism has always been a definition and a wave to let women stand and represent themselves with the same dignity so as men rather than a tool to gain sympathy or belittle any other gender. Women as a community demanded equal opportunities and scopes for the generations to come so that they can stand at par with men. This concept of feminism has to some extent got diverted into a different route and somewhere we lost the morality of the movement. Not to deny the fact that there are still women in different nooks and corners of the world who are still struggling for the fundamental rights they deserve and their freedom to live life according to their dreams and aspirations has been curtailed. Also, not to forget the fact that biases based on gender still exists in different corporate houses, government jobs, educational institutions etc. There are ample scopes where 'feminism' as a movement can be implemented for seeking justice and achieving our rights, but the wrong utilization of the term has made the word sound like a mere taboo. Most rights that women have today are derived from true feminists fighting for equality. Feminism has lost its true meaning. Real feminists such as the Suffragettes, Eleanor Roosevelt, Barbara Walters, and so many more have made it possible for women to become news anchors, be more than just a housewife, or allow women to vote. Today's feminists have taken these remarkable women and twisted what they stood for. Women have turned against men. Past feminism changed society forever. Today, feminists believe that men are less superior and that women could live on the Earth without them, but that is not what true feminism is. True feminism allows women to be equal to men. True feminists make it possible for women to work the same jobs as men or have the right to own property like men. Although the basis of feminism is still the same, it has become a more aggressive movement. Instead of bringing men and women together as a united front, it has created an even bigger gap.

India regularly gets hauled over the coals for its shabby treatment of women but never gave a thought about women harassing a man? Whenever there's a mention of Indian women the very first thought that comes into people's minds is about women being harassed in India! But no one even thought that the same can happen with the men too! Radicalism in feminism leads to severe belief of just oppression against women and therefore creates a whole new victim card and easy loophole of women victimizing themselves. Currently, with social media bursting, it's easy victimizing one's self. In light of these cases, we did find some takeaways: The Bombay High Court recently imposed a fine of Rs 25 lakh on a woman entrepreneur for misusing gender protection laws. The woman, along with her husband, was involved in a trademark infringement fight with Mumbai-based Sapat and Company and had allegedly threatened to file false molestation charges against the court receiver. This is a sad reality of our society that the prominent part of our legislation has been misused in this way. The Gender whose empowerment has been validated is leading males towards gross and derogatory charges. Such gross misuse of our legislation should be strictly condemned by all courts of justice. Recently men's rights activists scored a significant victory in India when the Supreme Court essentially identified them as the victims in domestic violence cases. The judges weren't making the law gender-neutral, however. They stated that Indian women were filing inaccurate claims of domestic violence. The false accusation thrown upon has been creating an even darker impact on the lives of women who are facing domestic violence in the truest sense. About 86% of women who experienced violence never sought help, and 77% of the victims did not even mention the incidents to anyone. The death of a 22-year-old in Kerala after spousal abuse reveals how domestic violence-99% of cases that go unreported and reached unprecedented levels during the pandemic-is ignored. Women fear being judged and the fear restrains them from speaking up.

In October 2018, the global #MeToo movement against sexual abuse and harassment perpetrated by powerful men in society reached India's mainstream public discourse. Several women came out with allegations and accounts of harassment on social media and other platforms.

Accusations were levelled against several prominent personalities. Like in other places across the world, the #MeToo movement generated discussion in India about sexual harassment within the workplace, particularly in the entertainment and film industries. This movement was a grand success in India and revealed the true colours of a lot of potential men of our country starting from top tier ministers to filmmakers, producers and actors. While the movement was used in a very appreciable manner by a large number of women, many misused it. 'Rape' is a serious and heinous crime. And in a country like ours, where it happens all too often and with every third woman, it also has serious consequences. Like being sentenced to life imprisonment or worse - facing the death penalty. Here are 5 real cases where Indian men were falsely accused of rape -1) Indore Case 2021

2) Lalitpur Vishnu Tiwari Case 2000

3) Chennai False Rape Case 2010

4) Minor Daughter Accused Father of Rape 2017

5) Satara Case 2019

In India, where rape is the fourth most common crime against women, such acts of false accusations are a threat to the women who face it as it delays the process of justice and many questions are raised.

The true essence of feminism is somewhere lost and it's high time we brought it back by changing the narrative. It's time to work towards equality of all genders rather than female superiority. Women earn 78 cents for every dollar a man makes. Only 17% of the seats in Congress are held by women.

Although 48% of law school graduates and 45% of law firm associates are females, women make up only 22% of federal-level and 26% of state-level judgeships. Even in the 10 top-paying jobs for women, females earn less than men; only one career, speech pathology, pays the same regardless of gender. Despite previous attempts to ratify a UN treaty guaranteeing the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women, the US refuses to support an international bill of rights for women signed by nearly every other nation on the planet. These are the kinds of loopholes we need to work on and provide justice to rather than demeaning any gender by taking any sort of advantage. Feminism should not want anyone, no matter their gender, to have society dictate what they should and should not do based on gendered norms. If some men want to cry then feminism must support that, if some boys want to learn ballet, feminism must support that and if someone transgender wants to fight to be Prime Minister, then feminism must support that. All of us irrespective of gender forms the great human community and dignity for every individual must be our greatest service to mankind. The word "feminism" has been dragged through the mud and has been misunderstood by so many people the world over, but if we are to see greater strides in equality for all, it is necessary to address major misconceptions and include men, women, and all genders in our quest to attain true equality.