Feminism. Lately, the word has been reverberating across the world, and its great significance comes as no surprise with people everywhere advocating for the equality that women have been deprived of since time immemorial.
On looking into the microcosm of Vijayawada’s educated crowd, it was interesting to learn what the students and teachers at the Delhi Public School, Vijayawada, had to say about feminism.
While only a small proportion of people wouldn’t call themselves ‘feminists’, it was disheartening to see how the word has been misinterpreted sometimes. More than half of the students who didn’t support feminism stated that they supported ‘equality’. This is where the problem appears to be; the purpose behind the struggle is lost in translation when people start to distinguish between gender equality and feminism.
The concept behind this misunderstood word is quite simple.
For decades, men have been put on a pedestal and now, feminists are just trying to bring women up there too; the motive behind the struggle is to bring about a change in perceptions where people aren’t assessed based on their gender. To quote a student, Suma Movva, “Feminism isn’t an option. It’s a human obligation.”
Many teachers emphasized on the dire need for gender equality as they believe that “our behaviour is interwoven with our culture” even in today’s rapidly progressing world. And when asked to choose a word that showcased their opinion on feminism, students chose ‘necessary’, reflecting on the society’s current state.
“Gender inequality? It’s quite embarrassing! Everyone should be treated equally.” Wise words from a teacher Avinash Valluri. Asked to name someone who influences their stance on feminism situation, many students listed famous people such as Farhan Akthar, Taylor Swift, Malala Yousafzai and Emma Watson. Perhaps they draw inspiration from the Avengers’ writer, Joss Whedon’s response to a question on why he writes such strong women characters: “Because you’re still asking me that question.”
It is apparent from the school students’ reactions that women deserve everything just as much as men do -- not more, not less. And let’s hope that in Vijayawada, people give each other the opportunity to live, free from the shackles of gender stereotypes and sexism.
Our behaviour is interwoven with our culture, even in today’s rapidly progressing world, opine many teachers
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