(Miss)conception #1: "Feminism Only Benefits Women"
As this blog post's title suggests, this is FemiNotes first post on some of the common misconceptions regarding feminism and the feminist movement. The first misconception that will be addressed on this blog is also simultaneously one of the most prominent anti-feminist arguments: that feminism only benefits women and works to put down and hate men. While feminism should not only be granted merit on the basis that it also benefits men, the overwhelming problem with the argument that feminism only benefits women and harms men is that it holds absolutely no truth to it. It is completely, wholy, and utterly false. Although feminism does aim to destroy the patriarchy and patriarchial views that does not, in any shape or form, mean that feminism promotes the destruction of men.
Despite the way that the media portrays feminism, feminism in no way aims to put down another gender. By taking down the patriarchy, feminism promotes the elimination of hypermasculinity i.e. the beliefs that men shouldn't cry, that men can't be emotional, that men can't have to be tough and strong etc. etc. The patriarchy is inherently harmful because it puts confines on the development of one's identity by promoting gender roles and inhibiting social progress. Thus by breaking through the patriachial structure, feminism benefits all genders.
Moreover, attempting to diminish the validity of another gender completely goes against the most vital goal of feminism. This is because feminism's main and primary goal is to simply promote equality of the genders. Therefore, ultimately, feminism promotes the fundamental notion that women are human beings and should be treated and regarded as such. Which means that despite how the root of the very word feminism may imply that it is solely for the benefit of women, or to some extent endorses female supremacy and the destruction of men, the movement truly just aims to advocate equality among all genders. Therefore instead of destroying or diminishing the validity and value of one gender, feminism throws out the idea that someone’s gender should play any role in determining the value or "proper" treatment of an individual.
To sum it all up, if it puts down another group then it isn't feminism, plain and simple.
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