Is Feminism Still Needed?

Someone once told me feminism was no longer needed.  This was a woman who was younger.  My answer to her is look at our society and you will see the answer.

A gymnast in her excitement of winning a gold medal forgot to put her hand over her heart – she got blasted.  An Olympic man lied about being mugged and he got a boys will be boys attitude.

Women are raped which has lifelong effects on her life.  The rapists get off – with the same boys will be boys attitude.  The most recent one I read was the judge didn’t want the rapist to miss out on the college experience.

In the last week, I saw an ad for a University which showed mostly men (yes mostly white men) in their ad with an occasional woman or two who were onscreen for very little time (minority males got more time than the women).

Women still make 70 – 80% of what men make.  There are double standards galore in our society when it comes to gender roles.

My answer is – we need feminism now more than ever.  We need EVERYONE who is willing to stand up and say – this is WRONG – to do so.

If women in one of the allegedly free countries are still treated like second class citizens, how can we expect other countries to do more than we do?  How do we make a difference in the world society if we don’t resolve the problems we have in our own society?  Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t survive long in the countries where women are supposed to be covered and silent.  I’d rather be a woman in the United States or most European countries than a woman in almost any middle eastern country.

When women are partners and equals, society is evolved.  When the crimes against women are taken seriously, it affirms we are equals.  When they aren’t, it proves we still need feminism.