ABOUT FAKE FEMINISM
We
observe the emergence of a new brand that wears "The Future is
Female" t-shirts, declares its identity as a feminist, but also makes rape
jokes and engages in locker-room chatter as feminism has wedged itself between
the mainstream and counterculture. It will share all of your Tumblr posts and
use all the appropriate hashtags, but at some point, it will undress and let go
of the feminism that has been wrapped around it. I'm talking about "false
feminism," which we've all run into, whether in the media, at a gathering,
or as a "lovely guy" in your Instagram DMs.
In
a discussion about rape and abuse, fake feminism will often raise the question,
"But what about fake accusations?" The issue is that the conversation
about rape is overshadowed by the discussion about false charges, despite the
fact that rape reports are far more common than false accusations. Furthermore,
it is upsetting to think that a false claim can actually be a factual incident
that no one has ever given credence to. Men are more likely to be sexually
assaulted than to be falsely accused, but we hardly ever seem to talk about men
being raped, which is something you never hear from people who talk about false
accusations.
In
order to preserve the present quo, fake feminism marginalises other women and
is not intersectional. Although the term is mostly used by white women and those
with significant authority and clout, the feminism that is intended for the ruling
class cannot and should not be called that. Who runs the world? is a song by
Beyonce that preaches. Girls," but mistreats the female employees she
hires for her clothing brand Ivy Park, which paradoxically supports women's
emancipation. Half a globe away, she spouts feminist songs while paying her
employees 54 cents an hour and forbidding them from organising.
Irony is a common practice in fake feminism. It encourages humour that labels women
as the lower sex and dishwasher jokes. According to Natalie Wynn, also known as
Contrapoints on YouTube, "irony may sometimes be a safe method to explore
ideas you're not quite ready to own." These jokes are acceptable because,
if someone calls you on them, you can turn the tables and claim that they
weren't getting the joke or that they simply didn't "get it." Not all
of the people who make these jokes despise women, but if you partake in humour
with sexist overtones, it's possible that misogyny has affected you as well. It
is no secret that sexist jokes normalise sexism and cause women to be treated
less favourably and sexist ideologies to be accepted. In terms of humour, good
comedy packs a punch. You shouldn't have to insult women in your jokes to make
them humorous.
You're
constantly being told by fake feminism that you're not "that type of
feminist." It distances itself from the third wave of feminism, claiming
that it adheres to the first and second waves while rejecting the third as
being excessive. It selects a few of the third wave's extremes—bra burning and
armpit hair dyeing—and uses them as a scapegoat. Even contrived occurrences are
used to support its claim that the third wave is cancer (like the viral, staged
video of the woman pouring bleach on manspreaders). It is simple to
misrepresent the third wave because it lacks a defining piece of legislation,
but focusing only on its few minor incidents ignores the vastly positive change
it has brought about, including the fight against workplace sexual harassment,
the advancement of women in positions of power, the idea of intersectionality,
shattering stereotypes, and the #MeToo movement.
Being
a faux feminist in the digital age is an act of ignorance. Spend some time
reflecting and treating yourself to the realm of feminism in media that is
available to you. Feminists, purge the fakes from within; even though it's not
your responsibility to educate them, give them a favour and point out their
errors. The change that is waiting to happen all around me is so great that I
can't help but try to be a part of it, so I'll wait.