The Journey of India from Feminism to Pseudo Feminism

Our modern India is not afraid to embrace feminism anymore. The first thing that comes in our mind after listening to feminism is that it’s related to women, empowering them, giving them exclusive rights, and not. But it’s not somewhat true; feminism means being given equal opportunities, not just the equal paycheck suffices, but respect is something we are asking for. Also have equal rights as men, same opportunities, and treated the same in society but doesn’t mean taking away men’s right in the name of feminism.

“A FEMINIST is anyone who recognizes the equality and full humanity of women and men”- Gloria Steinem

India’s most states are gaining fame by doing violence against women, and many north Indian states have less number of girls against boys. We already witnessed Gujrat riot in 2002 where a Muslim pregnant’s belly slit open from a sword, needless to say, that 21 weeks pregnant woman is still in prison and not get me started on the condition of Dalit women. So, where did this modern India leave the true meaning of feminism?

It’s time to have a direct conversation about indiscriminate, injustice, and the poor condition of women in our society, where we are raising the flag of pseudo feminism. We also need to see the other side of the coin. We need to understand that by making women superior, we will not achieve the true meaning of feminism. Here are some questions and answers for your better understanding.

Where, How, When, and Why did Feminism Originate as a Movement?

Feminism is a structured movement that started in the early 19th century. It overruns the world in 3 waves. Suffrage movement is believed to have started a breathing legal identity to women and initiated the broader ground for justice. For the first time in history, women came forward and protested for their fundamental rights and asked for equal voting rights.

Savitribai Phule in the 19th century started the feminist movement in India. She radically reformed the education structure for women and depressed classes and lower castes in India. Gender equality was a dream for women because patriarchy is in the form of religion, gender, caste, color, sexuality, and religion. Here often, men consider themselves as judge and exercise power. Men treat women as a puppet with their strings tangled in their fingers because our ritual allows them to do it, and it’s not offensive because women raise with this mindset.

In India, women face riot based sexual harassment, cast based violence, period poverty, virginity tests, infertility stigma, infibulation, and vaginal mutilation to the name of a few issues. The cultural, religious, and cultural diversity in India gives birth to pseudo feminism.

Indian women started taking stands for each other a decade back from now. It’s too late because of the orthodox patriarchy system we still believe. The #MeToo movement gave a chance to modern women who have access to both technology and social media to share sexual assaults and take a stand for each other. It is one of the most swarming issues in India recently. However, some even took advantage to flourish their agendas of Pseudo Feminism.

Might be the word untouchable has removed from the constitution, but has it removed from the mindset of upper-caste Hindus? No Dalit women think like that, and they suffer because of their position in society and gender. Muslim women are still obliged to wear hijabs, and triple talaq is still in the system. Marital rapes are also not criminalized because our patriarchy society believes that criminalizing marital rapes can destabilize marriage.

The reason for emphasizing these issues against women in India is to notice that with the help of feminism today, we can talk about injustice and inequality. In the present, feminism has offered a ground to women to highlight their issues and people come forward to take a stand. People listen and react to injustice against women. We are not fighting with the government on this but struggling with the conservative minds and old regimes of a male-dominated society and conventional cultural norms. It’s safe to say that we have come this far where we can address issues, feminism has rooted itself in India.

What are the Three Phases or Three Waves of Feminism in India?

First Phase of Feminism

The first phase of feminism began in the mid 19th century. It all started when social reformists started speaking up against the anti-women rituals like Sati-Pratha, re-marriage, and child marriage. They came forward to take a stand for women and make their situation better.

Second Phase of Feminism

The second phase is from 1915–1947 people were more inclined towards the independence of the nation. In this phase, many women came out of their houses to help the national movements. Gandhi Ji involved women in the campaign against Britishers. This was the era when everyone realized the true potential of females. India was not just getting independence from the Britishers but the inequality of genders too.

Third Phase of Feminism

The third wave of feminism began post-independence. This wave focuses more on the fair treatment of women in the home and after marriage, in political parties and the workplace.

What is the Difference between Pseudo Feminism, Feminism, and Misandry?

Feminism:

It is the encouragement of women’s rights on the ground of the equality of the sexes.

Pseudo Feminism:

It is saying that women deserve more than men or saying that men deserve no respect.

Misandry:

It is the contempt for, dislike of, or ingrained prejudice against the male sex.

Did Feminism Care about Men’s Rights?

Let us tell you a fun fact about patriarchy society, it not only affects women, but men are also an equal victim. Have you ever thought of that? Do not believe me? Let’s talk.

You might have seen many male bloggers on Instagram who are using makeup and nail paint. If you scroll through their comment section, you’ll find many hurtful and hateful comments. According to our society, their masculinity will hurt if they clasp the traditional concept of femininity. Have you ever raised a question about why we consider women empowerment, but masculinity is believed to be empowered? The most significant loophole in the system is patriarchy, which makes us impede gender fluidity in the people.

Whenever society’s structure is too rigid with conservative beliefs, it paralyzes them of their choice will and stop them from following their dreams. Men who aren’t enough masculine according to society, they suffer in endless pain. Feminism fights back and makes them believe in the non-conformity of gender roles. It is beneficial for people all over the globe. Yes, feminism cares about men’s rights as much as it cares about women.

What is the Difference between Feminist and Pseudo Feminists?

The primary difference is clear a feminist believes in equal rights for both, and pseudo-feminist wants the nation to be ruled by women. Feminism talks about women deserve respect like any other human being, but pseudo feminism says that we should respect women more, and another gender deserves no respect.

Most people are still unaware of the true meaning of feminism. Presently pseudo feminisms on social media want respect and empowerment for women, they want women to have the right to get away with any wrongdoing, and there will be no respect for men. 

Pseudo-feminists bash a woman if she is lesser in power than a politician, but they support the same woman if she is bashing the political leaders. This is how they flaunt their hypocrisy. The same goes for show business if you like her, everything she does is right, but you don’t. Her actions become ugly and pathetic. This is how pseudo feminism gets merged.

How will you react after knowing that a young girl asks for a seat in the name of feminism from an old 70 years sick male? If this is what feminism feels to ordinary people’s opinion, they must expand their knowledge. Feminism is about equality and not judgments.

Women must have the right to follow their dreams, but it doesn’t mean they’ll ruin others. Even if the woman wants to give up the career and wants to cook for her family, that doesn’t make her slave but saying that “I will not cook because it’s sexist” will probably make her pseudo-feminist.

How to Spot One with Pseudo Feminism?

The emotional, sexual, and psychological stereotyping of females begins when the doctor says, “It’s a girl.” – Shirley Chisholm

Here you can easily say that a pseudo-feminist can only tell this statement. The doctor is just trying to say that you’ve become a proud father of a girl. Not everyone has a sexist agenda. Some are just impeccable logic. Here are some of the statements:

1. She called him fat. That is okay, but if a boy called a girl fat – well, he is doing female objectification.
2. Women are saying that how dare you objectify a woman, you fatty ugly idiot.
3. You must respect the woman and offer her your seat even if you’re the one who needs it more than she does.
4. English is sexist. Why does it have humankind and not womankind?
5. Women are superior to men, including child carrying.
6. If he broke up with her, they simply pass the statement that all men are dogs.
7. All men are dogs can be considered as a joke, but women being a bitch is offensive.
8. I will not cook because it is sexist.

Only pseudo-feminism can support these sorts of statements.

Are Indian Men Facing Pseudo-feminism Waves?

Yes, Indian men are facing the pseudo-feminist wave. According to the data, a girl gets raped every 20 minutes in India. Mostly rape victims do not file any sort of complaint. 20 percent of men admitted that they forced their partner to have sex. But do you also know that most cases that are registered under 498a sections are false? Married men suffer more abuse from their spouse than women. Do you know that more than two-thirds of men in India are victims of forced sex by their girlfriends between the ages of 15 and 49? These are some of the shocking facts, no?

We need to understand that feminism does not mean empowering the women only but talking about equality. As a society, we always fail to understand the true meaning and try to make women superior and inject ignorance. Feminism is about making a society where it’s normal for a girl not to take permission, and crying is not only for girls anymore.

A woman should not be provided opportunity, preferences, respect, reservation, and anything just because she is a female in a free and equal society. Presently we see people protesting on social media, and the news is pseudo feminism.

Not only our society but the law system is also discriminate let’s look at some facts;

1. According to Indian law, a man can be put into jail for adultery, but there is no such law for women.
2. A man can never file a complaint against domestic violence.
3. Whenever it comes to dowry, we only believe in the woman’s side of the story, we take dowry from men and return it to women even if she hasn’t given anything.
4. Women are exploiting these laws. They get married, not give any sort of dowry, take divorce within a month, and file a complaint against the groom. They harass the groom to get a considerable amount of money and divorce.
5. Even if a woman has consensual sex and broke up with a girl and refuses to marry, she can say that she was raped, but men can’t make such claims after being dumped.

These points are not focused on convincing that men are good or vice versa. They just focus on conveying that we should treat men and women equally.

Why is Pseudo Feminism Dangerous for our Society?

We are living in the 21st century, where human beings are witnessing a massive shift. It is time to believe in gender rights, equality, and justice for each one of us. The debate of feminism is still in process, and we are still fighting about the equal rights of women.

Presently man-bashing is the new normal, and we treat men as some sort of animal who can pounce and destroy the woman’s dignity. Let me tell you that most men have never assaulted, teased, or taken advantage of a woman in his lifetime. We must stop this gross generalization and respect men.

No doubt, feminism should be accepted by educated and rational men all around the world. It is fair, but women attacking men in the name of equality is not appropriate. Feminism is a birthright, and nobody should take them away from women. It’s crucial to become a human being and not only feminist.

Why do We use the Term Feminism and not Equalism or Humanism?

Humanism: It’s a structure of thought, adding importance to human rather than supernatural or divine matters. 

Equalism: It is a policy, practice, and belief that human beings should be treated as equal regardless of race, gender, age, origin, or any other factor. This concept belongs to the ideal society, and let’s admit that we are nowhere near.

Firstly demolishing the women’s struggle across history and renaming it as humanism is perplexing. If we remove the word feminism, let’s admit that we are hiding its true essence. We will be mopping intersectionality that gives women and other people from all over the world to come forward and belong to this movement. We called it feminism because it was started as a movement for females, and their femininity was the main motive to exhibit and represent in front of the world.

Let me explain it in simple words to understand the need for this movement better and know more about it in detail from the women’s perspective. Once upon a time in the world, there was a big war going on. After the war finished, people asked for a peace initiating governor system. Because there are multiple dimensions of this society, they want the government to look after the health, terrorism, politics, environment, etc.

According to this system, human rights are part of a massive body and rights for migrants, minorities, and the oppressed sections of society. For instance, we say black lives matter, `but we wouldn’t know human lives matter because it will end the true meaning. Black people 1Qare targeted because of their race WQA sand; this is why we need specific movements that can address and focus the particular community and fight for them in the bigger picture.

Why do We Say Believe and Respect Momen? Why Don’t We Say Respect and Understand People?

We have to give slogans called respect women because needless to say that our society failed to give respect to women, their decisions, choices, wishes, and autonomy.

You might not have asked to face snide, maybe your family was supportive and never asked to remove the bold red lipstick. Maybe your relatives were not too judgmental and not forced you to make marriage your only goal, or your liberal parents not forced you to come back home before sunset, maybe your body never sexualized, and clothes were not policed in your whole life. But all these things are faced by women from all over the world. A woman’s feminism is not only about protesting the newest law; sometimes it’s merely about asking to stay for one hour after the sunset and make sure that any woman who comes after this generation will never have to ask for the same from someone else. 

What is the True Meaning of Feminism?

Feminism focuses on creating a society where men can be weak and express their feelings freely, and this does not make him any less of a man, and women can be strong too. It is about creating a society where men may want to stay in the house, and women want to earn and support the family financially. Feminism is about creating a culture where a woman must be identified as an individual, not a babymaker or a sex object, and woman and man seen as equal, treated fair in custodial and parental issues. 

It is usual for a woman to join the army. A man wants to share the burden with a woman and support her in every situation and vice versa. A woman should have equal pay to a man. They also have equal opportunities to get promotions, and her being pregnant at that time, and getting married should not come in her way of advertising. Our law claims to give maternity leave for 6 months, but most women do not find the same place back where they leave. Most companies don’t hire a woman just because she is pregnant or newly married. These small things matter a lot.

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Conclusion

Feminism believes in creating a world with equality, free of judgments, prejudice, or hatred among sexes. People who never come around parading the flag of feminism genuinely understand the meaning. They will not proudly show off the feminist badge like it’s only the most significant achievement. These are men who love their parents and teach their sons that it’s okay to cry and put their daughters before work. These are women who love their job, want to take care of their family, or manage both. They don’t need a feminist tag; they wait in the queue for their turn and give their seat to the older man if required. They are women who can raise their voice against any injustice such as rape or violence, knowing that their small act can give hope to many other women like her. They are men who support their wives even after they become prey to a devil. These are real feminists.  Women want a world of equality, not pseudo feminism.