Why All Men Must Be Feminists

Written by Ali Lahrech

Why should men be feminists? Well, that is an easy question to answer and no man should hesitate when the question “are you a feminist?” is posed. Men should be feminists because feminism stands for equality. That is to say that everyone should stand for the fair and equal treatment of all people, regardless of how they identify. Feminism also holds other beliefs such as breaking the traditional gender roles, meaning women and men would be free to do what they want to be who they want. Men should actively be encouraging women to enter quote on quote ‘male-dominated’ fields, because it allows for a more diverse workplace. This furthers innovation and allows for more creative solutions to problems. Giving women opportunities they rightly deserve will also inspire the future generations allowing them to pursue bigger and brighter dreams. The glass ceiling of the patriarchy should and can be broken, men should not fear acknowledging that they have had it easier.

Men should be feminists not because we have a sister, mother, or spouse. I have a distaste for this opinion. Since being a feminist for those reasons only means you care about women who have relations to men and furthers the toxic way society treats women. That is, they are only important when their worth is attached to a man. Instead, men should support women for the simple reason that they are our fellow human beings. Women deserve respect, dignity, and equal treatment. We should promote women’s education worldwide, because every woman deserves the same opportunity and to be treated with the same dignity as a male while at the same time everyone benefits from an educated society. With better access to education more women can join the workforce which allows them to gain economic independence and further contribute to their societies. More women in the workforce also means more women in positions of leadership and power, allowing for more diverse thinking, innovation and problem-solving.

The diversification of thinking, innovation and problem-solving will allow for a more progressive, prosperous, and equal world. But those are not the only reasons men should be feminists. Women suffer greatly at the hands of the current societal structure. Ask any woman and she will tell you that she knows at least one other woman who has been sexually assaulted. It is absolutely disheartening that women suffer an epidemic of sexual violence in silence. As men we should educate ourselves and our peers on sexual assault and how to prevent it. We must be a part of the solution, not the problem. We as men need to do better on this front. We need to make sure consent is taught in schools at a young age, to ensure that the future generation of women can live lives free of sexual assault. We must also ensure that sex-ed is taught in every school and that it no longer teaches a male centric curriculum, but rather one that focusses on male and female anatomy and pleasure equally.

To ensure that progress in gender equality is cemented we must act now as allies and consistently. We have seen how quickly decades of progress can be undone with one event. The novel coronavirus and its subsequent lockdowns have impacted women much harsher than it has men. Not only have women had to suffer all the same consequences as everyone else but plenty have been pressured to take on domestic tasks in addition to taking care of children and working a full-time job. Or worse, they are forced to choose between their job or the education of their children, a choice only the patriarchy forces. The dial has been turned back on years of hard work and progress. We need to safeguard this progress by guaranteeing childcare to families, so that women can focus on their careers and family at the same time.

Not only do women have to juggle childcare and a career, but they often must work more and harder to get the same recognition and respect. I see it frequently with my mother and my girlfriend. My mom repeatedly works ridiculous hours, and she does not get the credit or thanks she deserves. My girlfriend also works very hard for long periods of time just to get the same recognition and positions as her male peers. Many men can coast by easily while women must toil away to get ahead in life.

Lastly, I just want to bring up one issue that I believe is extremely important and that men must sit back and really think about. The patriarchy not only hurts women, but it also breeds a hypermasculine society that hurts men. It strips us of our empathy and freedom to be who want to be and how we want to dress and express ourselves. On a more personal note, I like wearing jewelry, but to some that is considered ‘too feminine’ and it should be frowned upon. Jewelry is simply metal you wear, there is nothing inherently feminine or masculine about it. The toxicity of the hypermasculine society also makes it near impossible for men to express themselves emotionally without being mocked and taunted. This is extremely unhealthy. We are human beings, and we need to show emotion from time to time, it is natural, there is nothing weird or emasculating about it. If more men join this movement not only will we drastically improve women’s lives, but we will also greatly ameliorate our own lives as well.

So, I think we need to re-phrase the question. Why are men not feminists? Men should be feminists because feminism stands for equality and everyone should stand for the equal treatment of their fellow human beings. We must make ourselves part of the solution, not part of the problem. If you are a man and you have an issue saying you are a feminist, I dare you to sit back and ask yourself why? Why does this term scare you?