Unpopular Opinions: I’m Not a Feminist

This week’s unpopular opinion is particularly controversial and was written from my seat at the patriarchy table, alongside my fellow men who adore keeping all women in their rightful place at the bottom of society.

All jokes aside, I do not identify as a feminist, despite having always supported the equality of the sexes (as any sane person should, in my opinion). Why shouldn’t a woman head a successful company? Why shouldn’t a woman enter and excel in a field traditionally dominated by men?

However, I believe that the issue lies in blaming any lack of these accomplishments on an imaginary system which implies an unconscious hatred all men have for the opposite sex.

The first thing I hear upon declaring myself a non-feminist is, “if you support gender equality, then you must be a feminist!” Not quite. It is my belief that one can agree with a principle without identifying with the ideology from which said principle is derived. For instance, I can say that I think ‘from each according to his ability to each according to his need’ is, fundamentally, a good idea. This does not mean I am a communist, despite this being a cornerstone of the ideology.

Another problem I have with the ideology is its supposed advocacy for the equality of both men and women, despite a clear focus on the latter. I am by no means stating that men are more oppressed than women, nor am I suggesting that the feminist movement did not have to happen at various points throughout history to spark progress for women and their often-disregarded rights.

However, when feminism describes itself as an ideology for equality, only to completely disregard the aspects of today’s society which favour women, it becomes clear to see why so many people today feel somewhat alienated by what 21st century feminism has become.

Statistically, a higher percentage of women in every single age bracket (up until the age of 60) hold a degree than men in the U.S. A similar trend can be seen here in the UK, with women outperforming men across the university level. Less than 17% of custodial parents are fathers. In our own country, the single biggest killer of men is suicide. The list goes on.

All of these statistics do not point to the privileged, carefree lifestyle many feminists would like to believe men lead, but rather, a lifestyle that is also riddled with struggles, forgotten by the movement almost entirely.

And yet, virtually the entire focus of the feminist movement has become something that lifts women not to the same level as men, but ‘progress’ at men’s expense. A recent trend making waves across Twitter and other platforms, like many others, claims to have been established with the aim of bringing awareness to women’s issues and disparities. Its name? ‘#menaretrash’.

A simple search across social media for this hashtag will retrieve thousands upon thousands of posts, somewhat dispelling the argument that “the minority shouts the loudest”. Instead, following the much-needed turbulence brought about by the likes of the ‘#MeToo’ movement, all men feel as though they have become simply a force to arouse suspicion or, even worse, humiliation, in cases where they claim to be victims themselves, as was the case with actor Terry Crews.

There are, unfortunately, several other issues that both myself and many others have come to have with the feminist movement. Although there is not enough time to discuss everything here, when a movement claiming to empower women attracts fewer than one in five of them both in the UK and in the US, I think many of us can agree that there must be something very wrong.