Nothing wrong with being a feminist
Get over it: With Elizabeth Kameo

Nov 28 Dec 4, 2003

A few days ago a colleague advised me against associating with a female friend. Why? Mbu because this other female associate of mine is a feminist and I have taken after her.

"Look at you, you are now a feminist, you should stop walking with Lindah," he said

Feminism can be a very difficult subject to touch. These days the term can mean many things. For most men and even some women, when they hear the word, they scoff at the images brought about by it. I hope by the end of today's column, you won't scoff at me and many others like me.

Being a feminist is not all about rubbing in the fact that I am a woman. It is about appreciating that one is a woman and taking into account all the differences women have. Of course it is all that and more and it is important and should be promoted.

Of course we cannot forget the issue about women's sexuality that comes with being a feminist.

For some it is a sensitive situation. Many women are afraid to admit they are feminists because they feel they will be labelled lesbians radicals.

Then the mother of all beliefs about feminism is that feminists hate men. Pleeaase! Being a feminist is not about hating men. If that was the case, then I might as well just call myself a man hater to do the word justice. Why hide behind another word when I am something else?

What being a feminist means is that one is proud of being female and believes that she should have the same status, whether political or social as the men. Look at Dr Sylvia Tamale, she is the perfect example of a feminist, but does she hate men? No, the sister is even happily married with two sons.

And to put your minds to rest, feminism is certainly not about pushing men down so they are below women.

Of course there are those women who are man-haters and they will always be there. Some of those women consider themselves feminists also. However they do not speak for the general population of feminists. They speak for a small group of extremists who sometimes get mistaken for the general population.

Unfortunately when you have a minority in a group that tends to be more vocal than the majority, the general opinion of the group can become blurred to those looking in from the outside. That is what has happened with feminism and is what has helped turn it into an ugly word.

I have actually heard women say they cannot be feminists because they do not hate men. This is absurd. I find it completely insulting that anyone would call me a man-hater because I am a feminist. I do not hate them or wish them pain because they have views different from mine, or because they are men.

Instead, I make sure that I stand up for my rights as a human being. I pull myself up as a woman, in the hopes to be at the same level as those around me. If at the end of this you still do not get what feminism is all about, then I am sorry.


© 2003 The Monitor Publications


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