Sexism and feminism are not the same thing

I’m tired of people telling me they believe the sexes should be equal but that they aren’t feminists. “Those damn feminists tellin’ me men are evil! I never did anything!” or “I’m not a man hater! I would never call myself a feminist” Or fucking worst of all  “I’m not a feminist, I’m cool!”

Let’s all get clear on what feminism is and what it isn’t.

Feminism is, by definition, “The belief in the social, political and economic equality of the sexes” (thanks Beyonce). It is equality and nothing else. It is NOT the belief that one sex is superior to the other, even women over men.

Me and Natasha Szombathy, one of the strongest women I know, on a Berkeley rooftop

While we’re at it let’s talk about what sexism is too. Sexism is saying or believing that “All men are X” and “All women are Y”, not just direct statements of superiority or inferiority.

You either believe in the absolute equality of the sexes or you do not. You’re a feminist or a sexist– there are no other categories.

Now let’s talk about who is a feminist and who isn’t. The people who preach “All men are evil!” are not feminists. They are sexists. They are saying “All men are X.” That one goes to the sexism bucket.

Now why is it harmful to call these sexists feminists? For one they are often the most vocal and radical group so they get the most attention, drawing the interpretation of the entire movement towards their agenda and away from the core of what feminism actually stands for.

3 Berkeley feminists

Further, it is detrimental to the goal and values of feminism to approach it with sexism, obviously. You should not and cannot effectively combat oppression with oppression. Are the men getting called out by these pseudo-feminists as oppressed as women? No. Is it deeply hypocritical for a movement about equality of the sexes to go about that through sexism? Yes.

Don’t fight sexism with sexism, I can find no words for it other than ‘fucking stupid’. Did you forget why we’re here? Did you just start yelling shit and went with the one that was most upsetting and off message? Stop it. Please. Pseudo-feminists are to feminism as Drumpf is to anything other than the embodiment of bigotry.

Not to mention, it’s pretty hard to get the men you persecute on board with the whole feminism thing when you constantly tell them they’re all evil. Now should we as feminists be waiting for the men to get on board and carry our movement for us? Hell no. But let’s not forget that they are roughly 50% of the population and if we are ever going to actually achieve “social, political and economic equality of the sexes” we are going to need everyone on board. We cannot alienate half of the people we need to convince with this.

My beautiful grandmother and one of the best feminists I know

Do not call these people feminists, they drag our name through the mud and represent fundamentally different ideas than the feminist movement. And if you are one of these pseudo-feminists, please, call yourself what you are – a sexist.

Signed,

A feminist