feminism in media

What does it mean to be a feminist? By definition, feminism means “the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes.” So anyone who believes that men and women should be equal meets this definition. Unfortunately, this definition of a feminist has been warped by the media to mean something else entirely. Now a feminist is seen as someone who hates men, believes that women should be in power, and doesn’t shave their legs (what men usually believe) or must always be going to protests, advocating for equal rights, stopping every person that makes a joke, and owning their body 100%, someone who never does things for a man (what women usually believe). The problem is, nothing good comes out of these definitions. The only result is people feeling left out of “being a feminist” or do not want to identify with that term because it stands for something that many think of as bad. Media has been the main factor in spreading these two definitions. Look at things like the abortion ban. If someone, usually more for women, doesn’t post something about it on social media, they are told they aren’t a real feminist and that they don’t care about women’s rights. In the age of media, everyone’s words become the same as their actions, and if someone stays silent, then they are on the side of the oppressor. On the other hand, women who always post about equality issues on their social media, or do not hesitate to call out men for being horrible are seen negatively. They are viewed as too aggressive, man-haters, and people who complain too much about a system that is seemingly inevitable. Regardless of the circumstance, or the particular definition at hand- while media is a good tool for raising awareness about feminism and issues regarding gender equality, it is also very divisive. Social media turns feminism into something that it is not, taking attention away from gender equality and changing it into some sort of faction system, with everyone taking up a definition of feminism that strays further and further from it’s true definition, creating a feminism checklist that many do not fit or simply do not want to. Now is not the time to be divided, it is time for everyone to come together and utilize social media to build a strong community, not to tear one apart.