Feminism is defined by Merriam-Webster as “the theory of political, economic, and social equality of the sexes”
and even more simply defined as “the belief that women and men should have
equal rights.” In its context, the word feminism did not truly exist until
1890, coined by socialist Charles Fourier and since then the fight of women to gain equal
rights has been very present and is still a battle being fought today. The
world in which the word emerged was one very much so dominated by men and a
world in which to stand up as a feminist demanding equality truly shattered
ages of women being seen as submissive, domesticated property but times have
changed and where the definition of the word is unchanged and applicable, societies and some womens definition of it has not altered with the world. We are now in an age where the discussion of not only changing the roles
of women but rather breaking down gender roles in general is a very active conversation,
especially with the ground paved in regards to sexuality and gender expression. There are still many women who identify as feminist
that are almost over-correcting in an effort to remain steadfast in the autonomy
of women and to fight objectification. This has resulted in the isolation of many women
and sometimes the attack of women who are utilizing the freedom
gained through women becoming more outspoken and heard as individuals. Feminism emerging in a still misogynistic world has
prevented the breakdown of the box women are put in and instead created yet
another box, one that defines the expectations and standards of a feminist woman that has rejected pre-existing standards. As we see in the
definition however, feminism is about equality and freedom, for both sexes.
Emma Watson did a photo shoot for vanity fair and in response, many women attacked her, question her as a feminist and it is just one
example of how a movement started to help women break free of the societal
restraints, has ultimately created new restraints and divided women.
As Emma Watson says in the video posted, “ feminism is not a stick with which
to beat other women” but it is used that way, and this is something I have
experienced myself. Being a relatively outspoken, educated, gay woman who
worked in an abortion clinic, too many people have assumed that I am the stereotypical
definition of a feminist and this is not at all true. Working in the clinic the
veil was actually lifted and I began to see more and more how men are also bound by societal restraints and expectations but to defend men’s rights with
my some of my friends who identify as feminists has gotten me beaten with the feminist
stick so to speak. Feminism gave women a voice but also created women who rightfully so, see the injustice of how women are treated still to this day, and attempt to stifle the voices and opinions of women who deviate from their views.
Feminism
was the best word when this movement began because women were the oppressed sex and they needed to finally stand up to be seen and heard but feminism, with
the root being being as it is, definition aside, masks what the true fight is,
which is breaking down gender norms completely. Anyone can be a feminist but
not everyone knows that, it is time for a new word, or a re-acceptance of the definition of the word. A word that welcomes everyone to be a part of evolving into the new standards of
society that are slowly emerging on their own. We too often forget that
language itself is a social construct created by humans and that there is not a
word for everything yet, that there is wiggle room within our language that can
lead to misinterpretation or reframing.
Safe spaces for women, and people in general, to own their
bodies and express themselves in the way they see fit are everywhere and they
are important in pioneering a more egalitarian and individualistic world. The cry for a change is there right in front of us, models of all shapes and sizes are becoming more present and much like in the video above, the portrayal of women, embracing being female and reshaping the way that is seen can be found in many advertisements and media sources but they still are not the ones you will generally see watching cable. I play
roller derby and the experience in that world is one of a woman’s strength and
confidence in a space of of femininity reflected in
prowess. It is a space where a woman can display attributes that are still to
this day not encouraged in women but also choose to wear red lipstick and fishnets
if she chooses. In order to negate the sexualization of women, women have to
own their bodies and show the world they are not an object. The drag scene is a space for both men and women who
do not fit into the boxes of our society, to explore
gender and it’s fluidity, allowing individuals to define and create themselves
as opposed to letting the world do so. Both of these worlds, as with many of these spaces that are so important are still underground, unknown or not approached by individuals who reject or do not feel welcome.
The root of feminism is equality and ownership of ones self and definition but the unfortunate caveat is that it is equality for the sexes still reinforcing some sort of competition between the two. Feminism is still driven by misogynistic standards, and until we fight for equality of all individuals, women will still be restrained by the standards we have fought for so long.
So my questions for you are:
What is feminism to you and how has
what you have learned from or been taught by our society influence that?
How does feminism positively and negatively
affect the women and gender norms?
Why do you feel some feminists choose to questions another woman's expression of self?
What changes do you feel need to be
made to end the idea of competition between sexes?
Hi Haleigh! This was a really thought-provoking blog. You brought up a really good point about about the semantics of the word "feminism" being misleading. It makes people think that feminism means women should be more valued than men, but really, it is for everyone. To me, feminism means equal rights for men and women. When I was younger, I was taught that feminists couldn't have families or be religious or be traditional or be feminine. I thought feminism was for women only. Some family members expressed disdain for feminism and said that they didn't need it and I later got the idea that they felt it threatened their religion. As I grew up and became more educated about what feminism actually means, and I realized that you can be a feminist and be who you are. I agree with Emma Watson that feminism shouldn't be used to tear others down who are different. You can be feminist and dress modestly. You can be a feminist and show skin. You can be a feminist and a christian, or buddhist, or atheist, or any religion. You can be a feminist and a stay at home mom or a stay at home dad.
ReplyDeleteI think feminism has brought awareness to the inequalities that women and men face. It has brought awareness to the fact that the inequality affects men negatively as well, such as men not being able to express themselves emotionally without being judged by some for being too feminine. On the negative side, misconceptions and misuse of the word feminism have driven a larger wedge between the sexes and caused some people to fear and misunderstand feminism as a personal attack on their religion, their rights, or their sex.
I think some feminists question other women's expressions of self because they are afraid that it makes women in general look bad. Someone who dresses modestly is afraid that women who dress less modestly will make all women be taken less seriously or that all women will be seen as sexual objects.
I think including males in feminism is a great way to end the competition between the sexes. Emma Watson inviting males to join the cause was a great idea. I also think continuing to bring awareness to what feminism actually means helps, and possibly even changing the word as you suggested in the blog.
Haleigh, as always, your views on this topic are insightful and delightfully controversial. :)
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this segment of your blog: "There are still many women who identify as feminist that are almost over-correcting in an effort to remain steadfast in the autonomy of women and to fight objectification. This has resulted in the isolation of many women and sometimes the attack of women who are utilizing the freedom gained through women becoming more outspoken and heard as individuals. Feminism emerging in a still misogynistic world has prevented the breakdown of the box women are put in and instead created yet another box, one that defines the expectations and standards of a feminist woman that has rejected pre-existing standards. As we see in the definition however, feminism is about equality and freedom, for both sexes." Wow. I agree with your statements here and love the idea of equality and freedom for ALL. In fact, the "over-correction" that you noted in that portion of your writing is part of why I think some feminists question or shame certain women's self-expression. Helping others identify areas of rigidity in their understanding of their identities and the identities of others may assist with breaking down these barriers to equality; however, I also think that an important thing we can do is to be secure in our own identities and model that security and freedom to others.
Feminism to me is standing up and vocally and publicly supporting female rights. Societally I believe feminism is viewed as the women who are annoying, try to hard, want to much, complain to much, and have different opinions than the rest of the world. Like other topics we have talked about I believe our generation is still strongly influenced by our grandparents. This influence brings the notion that females remain in home. I think gender and race equality is needed. I work in a setting where women are under a glass ceiling and companies, franchises, and owners make it hard for women to enter. Feminism has positively affect women by allowing them to have a voice. Negatively some people always go to far and those people give a bad name for the rest of the population. Affecting people negatively can open the door for hate. I think some feminism question everyones thinking, as they should, but it can cause people to think in ways they don't like sparking negative emotion. I also believe you should never question someone else's motives. If a women is happy being in home and living life as she sees fit, who is another women to question her and say she is wrong or making a bad name for women. The change that I think needs to be made is judging. If we all would stop self hating, judging, and criticizing others maybe the world could be a gender and race equal place.
ReplyDeleteI have a lot of notions about what "feminism" is and what it could be...
ReplyDeleteWithout being hypocritical, since I'm sure I don't live up to this standard very well, is that feminism entails not being subjected to or complying with unfair practices and policies directed solely at the female gender. In other words, a feminist would speak out against gender biases that either box women into something that risks their emotional, physical, or social well-being, or which puts a unfair label and simultaneous responsibility onto women by simple virtue of their gender, e.g. child-rearing. With that in mind, every woman should be allowed, if not encouraged, to find their own style or type of 'feminism', one that they feel does not pose a risk to their emotional or physical well-being. No feminist should judge another simply because their feminism differs from someone else's. When one woman tries to impose their ideals of feminism on another woman whose view of it is different, that's when I take exception to that woman. Sadly, I think this is a ongoing (and not soon-to-end-pattern) because our society itself socializes us to be individualistic rather than communal, which is, in my mind, a key to any successful brand of feminism. We look at ourselves and our own rights, lives, rather than considering other women's, or diverse feminisms, as having the potential to exist at the same time.
Haleigh, so glad you wrote this! I have been thinking about this topic a lot lately and honestly I have been confused about the actual meaning of the word, or how most people perceive it. I really like the first video you posted and I found Emma’s speech to be really helpful in my understanding about the confusion over the term. I feel like a lot of people look at feminism from the prospective of a US citizen and tend to only focus on the issues in America. I love how the speech clarified that the feministic movement is a movement for ALL. So many women shy from calling themselves a feminist because of the stereotype society has attached to it, or because they don’t see these issues as important because they aren’t a problem to them personally. I really wish everyone had the chance to watch her speech because I thought she did a wonderful job making everyone in the room feel motivated and like they could actually make a difference!
ReplyDeleteAs a female, I am not sure how I feel about feminism. Honestly, I just think that everything should be equal if it is deserved; like if I go to the same school and get the same degree as a male counterpart, why I am not being paid the same? I mean come on that is like basic. However, I do not want put anyone down or step on anyone to get there. I know that feminism is not meant to put anyone down, only to bring people up but can you have one without the other? I just recently watched a short video on the reproductive rights of women. I found it every interesting and it talked about everything from why tampons cost so much to birth control to abortion. The whole time the claim was if men had to deal with all of these issues, everything would be free. I am not sure that is the case but men do not have to deal with the same issues so I guess in a sense it is up to the women to advocate for them.
ReplyDeleteLike I said before, I am not sure how I feel about this topic. I just think everything should be equal for everyone and it is dumb that its not.
Wow I think this is a really deep topic to discuss.
ReplyDeleteI really like the observation that feminism is there to help "certain women" as I think that this is true of any sort of ideology being pragmatic in the scope of it.
I find it interesting that you bring up one of the things that I am personally passionate about. Men do have very significant struggles in these categories but this does not undo all the crazy stuff that is already "baked in" to the societal norms these days. For example, the STAR program here at LSU when dealing with sexual trauma, only accepts women. In fact, I couldnt even volunteer (with good reason) but there is simply no such service offered for men who have been sexually abused.
I find that a lot can be said about other's perceptions of feminism if we look to the manimist movement. Basically these are people who are in complete opposition to feminism. They are generally speaking patriarchal and bigoted by the nature of taking these opposition stances. I guess taking into accounts both of these extremes neither is ideal, the best is to find a middle ground that does indeed help women to find equality.
I don't know about the whole competition thing, but I do agree with what has been said about how dominance within society stifles things. Many women have been oppressed, stifling creativity and scientific exploration alike.
We definitely have a long way to go
Feminism to me does still mean gender equality, like Emma Watson said, women just want to be paid the same wages for the same amount of work, to be treated equality, and the right to do with our bodies as we please. At times, we just want the option of participating, in other male dominated fields. At the same time, we also want men to feel free to express their feelings, to seek mental health help without stigma or repercussions, etc. I have had to reject and fight against the societal influence in order to come up with my own definition of feminism, I have had to reject the notion that the men always pays for the bill, that he is the only one that is allowed to go out late night unquestioned about what he does, with who, and what he is wearing while doing it, reject the idea that only women get pampered (men deserve being treated like kings and can be surprised with small gestures of appreciation). I have had to reject very openly the notion that men cannot cry or express emotion, that they cannot partake in traditionally feminine activities such as getting facials or pedicures, etc. I have had to bite my tongue many times when I overhear parents say to their little boys “you can’t let a girl beat you” or “don’t cry, that’s for sissies”. So a huge part of my feminist campaign actually focuses on validating the unalienable rights and feelings that boys and men have had to suppress for centuries.
ReplyDeleteFeminism positively affects women and gender norms in the sense that it gives women a platform to assert their voices to be heard, on an individual basis all the way to global stage. Likewise, it is often interpreted to the extremes, and it is used as a weapon to shame other women who are not as vocal on the different issues as if their lack of participation diminished their own efforts towards advancement of the gender. I feel like feminists choose to question another women’s expression of self as if their expression was non action towards the advancement of the feminist movement, where they chose to be silent on issues that affect us all.
I believe that some changes that need to be made to end the idea of the competition between the sexes even as future mental health professionals is to be more inclusive and gender neutral in the ways we address issues such as depression, it is not just a “woman issue” but as something that affects us equally even if the statistics differ. As a whole, we are well aware that statistics based on self report are unreliable and highly underreported based on numbers alone. Just as we once thought that eating disorders or breast cancer were health hazards that only affected women, we know now that men are affected too. We must take into account that one size mold does not fit for the “typical” woman or man, we must treat each person from their definition of feminism.
To me, feminism, is the quest for equality between the sexes. Thankfully, my mother and father did not prescribe to gender norms. In our household, it was normal for my father to cook dinner and do the laundry while my mother worked long hours and definitely had a voice and choice in their marriage. We were taught that athletics was a great way to build not only physical strength but also the mental strength to defy gender norms. Unfortunately, I feel the word “feminism” has come under attack recently due to our political atmosphere. I feel Trump and the right wing agenda has attacked the word in order to maintain a misogynistic, patriarchal control. In recent months, I have scrolled through social media sites only to see women criticizing other women for marching, protesting, or celebrating women’s day. I don’t recall a time in my life when women were so clearly divided due to political stances. I feel some feminists choose to question another’s woman’s expression of self when that expression of self serves to deny other woman's voice or ability to make choices void of male influence. This competition is very damaging for the feminist movement and threatens to undermine the past 100+ years of progress. In order to stop the competition, we, as women, must begin by lifting other women up... lean in, if you will...and stop the criticism.
ReplyDeleteFeminism was rarely ever discussed in my household so growing up I did not really have an opinion on it. Yes, I was taught to embrace womanhood and the highs and lows that come with it, but the feminism conversation never transpired. It was not until college that I began to form my own views on what it means to be a feminist. Similar to what Liz stated, feminism to me simply means equal rights, freedom, and privileges for men and women. Society has definitely influenced my personal definition of freedom due to the blatant gender inequality that still goes on today. Because of this injustice, many women are afraid to go after big career goals. It almost diminishes workplace confidence which also forces many women to settle into lower paying jobs and not go after executive positions even though they are well qualified. With that being said feminism can also inspire women to not only be a great wife and mother but also be a great career woman and unapologetically go after everything she wants in her career.
ReplyDeleteI think women forget that feminism is defined by how it pertains to the individual woman. I really agree with you in your statement that we should redefine or broaden the meaning of what it is to be a feminist. One way changes can be made to ending the competition between men and women is by better educating men on the constant struggles that women face in this generation.
Hi Haleigh! I really enjoy reading this post and I do believe you have a great point. To me feminism is a way of living, an ideology. I see feminism as a search for equality and pursue of fairness and rights. Feminism can positively affect society in the sense that it will provide women with the skills and tools we deserve to be valued and given the opportunities we deserve as well. On the other hand, it seems that feminism has also been used as a way to judge other women and to set standards and an only one explanation of what it means to be feminist. I think feminism has several meanings and every women and men will interpret it in their way, but I do believe that our ultimate goal should be to create community and closeness rather than separation among women and between women and men. Creating safe space sessions and awareness programs might be some of the answers for this.
ReplyDeleteAs a male, I have had mixed interactions with individuals who refer to themselves as feminists. One one hand, I have had interactions that led to meaningful conversation and both sides making intelligent points that have led to a greater understanding of the issues. However, on the other hand, I have also had plenty of conversations with people who refer to themselves as feminists who took the word to an extreme. These individuals were extremely aggressive and not understanding at all. It's almost as if they cared more about hating men then advocating for the equality of all. I believe it is the second group that gives feminists a bad name. When people think of feminists, I would say most people think of the second group of people. And that is not fair to the individuals who actually advocated for the equality of all. I believe the main way to end competition between the sexes is to identify the issues that have created a patriarchal society. Dr. Choate has identified a few of these issues and has also said some of these issues have begun to diminish. The wage gap and women clustered in lower paying jobs has started to end. I believe it will be the individuals who truly advocate for equality, instead of bashing men, who will end these issues.
ReplyDeleteI think there are many good points here. It is important to understand that generalizing anyone, feminist or otherwise, is only doing a huge disservice to the entire population. As a society we should strive to not generalize one feminist as being representative of all who seek equality of the sexes. I think that concept is true of anyone who advocates for change. There were individuals during the civil rights campaigns of the sixties that believed the best method was violence, however, it would be blatantly incorrect to claim that all who strive for civil equality of the races are violent people.
ReplyDeleteIn regards to the feminist movement, I think what had a major effect on portraying all who seek equality negatively was when the establishment was "battling" so to say with those who worked to pass the Equal Rights Amendment. Both men and women whom stood to loose power and position in the united states positioned the advocates as crazy, bra burning hippie liberals that were striving to end the supposedly "moral" position of women, in the home. This has set up the position of advocating for equality as someone who is a member of this crazy hippie culture. This must change. We must understand that just because a woman, or man, wants equality of the sexes doesn't mean that they are combative, over the top individuals.
Loved this read! I totally agree with Emma Waston. It's important for men to understand what we mean by gender equality. They automatically think we're trying to take their place and be treated like a man. Certain things are the way they are for a reason. In some measures, we could never be the same as men and vice versa. However, I am an advocate for equal pay, rights, and opportunity. How is that even up for discussion? Women can be affected positively or negatively depending on the situation. They are either favored or ridiculed. Other women judge another women's self expression because they may have a different definition of feminism and what it means to be a woman.
ReplyDeleteI loved this blog Haleigh! I agree with Zadie in that "other women judge another women's self expression because they may have a different definition of feminism." Ok so let me get this straight....we have black on black crime, white vs black, issues with gender equity and Title IX, heath issues, lack of support for transgender and our gay communities, and know women questioning other women feminism. Geez.....can we all just get along?
ReplyDeleteI love this topic! It is amazing how the word feminism seems like such a dirty word, and how so many people do not really understand what the word is supposed to mean. People often get hung up on word choice without focusing on the issue itself, but at the same time words can be very powerful. I do not know of a better word to use, but I think it is important to understand that just because feminine is in the word, feminism is not excluding of men. I thought it was interesting how Emma Watson referred to some people as inadvertent feminists. Feminism to me is fighting for the rights of all the sexes, no matter a person's gender identity. I think it also means becoming free of gender expectations and stereotypes.
ReplyDeleteHaleigh, you did a fantastic job! I am so glad you wrote about this topic, especially since I saw the videos myself and haven't had the opportunity to discuss it with others.
ReplyDeleteTo me feminism is a way to break down barriers that were constructed by culture and society in the pursuit of equality for all human beings, regardless of biological sex, gender identity, or sexual orientation. The main misconception of feminism being only for women's rights are for various reasons including the name and media portrayals of feminists. For one, feminism is rooted in the word "feminine", which according to antifeminists creates an automatic assumption of bias towards females. It does not help that this word is synonymous with "women's liberation" and "suffrage", rather than being linked with equality for all. This misconception is not helped but current media portrayals of feminism that are covered by news outlets and fictional characters found on TV and the silver screen. The media is well-known for its exaggeration of events and stereotypes. News outlets have a tendency to cover only the most controversial, interesting, and/or sensational news in an attempt to gain more viewers/subscribers. This means that most of the feminists that gain media attention are those that make the biggest splash or will cause the most outrage, the "angry feminists".
As I was raised in a very traditional southern family, feminism was a dirty word, an insult to throw at women who were outrageous or lesbians (according to my family). I was taught early to dislike and distrust feminists because of their "man-hating ways" and "anti-male agenda". My family socialized me this way because they are unaware of the true meaning of feminism and instead equate it with any woman that is angrily railing against the status quo. For instance, I am brushed off as a "liberal feminist" any time I disagree with my family on politics, religion, etc. On the flip side I have also been verbally assaulted by fellow women and extreme feminists for not agreeing with then. If I ever have the audacity to openly disagree with these intolerant women over certain topics I will be labeled an anti-feminist.
This is disheartening, especially considering the women that are so proud to identify themselves as feminists and loudly display those beliefs are often the ones that disparage other women and men who are seeking equality. It angers me greatly that feminists spout their beliefs in "equality" while ignoring hardships faced by males.
There is certainly a "man box" that boys are socialized to conform to in order to be seen as "men". The further the male is from the box, the more effeminate they are. There are other downsides to being a man. For example, men are much more likely to be arrested, found guilty, and imprisoned for crimes than women. I'm not sure what the exact statistics are but I know that there is a significant difference in the way males are treated in the judicial system versus women. One obvious example that frustrates me is how female teachers get a mere slap on the write after an inappropriate relationships with a student while male teachers are usually imprisoned for years and labeled as sex offenders. They both should receive the same prison sentences and sex offender status regardless of gender.
Extreme feminists tend to focus on what a feminist "should" be in the misguided belief that women who do not fit into the feminist mold are hurting the cause itself and perpetuating the patriarchal values found in our society.
The way to end competition is to change the way the different genders are socialized in our culture.
Feminism to me is exactly as Emma Watson described it, which is the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities. I 100% support the theory and insist that anyone who feels strongly about this theory should have their rights to discuss their beliefs without getting scrutiny. I don’t know if this was anything I was taught from society in general, but just from my family to treat every with respect regardless of gender or race.
ReplyDeleteI think with the media and social media, feminism more times than less negatively affects women because of the uproar and what it begins. I think in certain context, I believe that these acts if done correctly can bring about good change for those they are representing.
I do not believe women should question other women about their beliefs, or their activism in the topic when it comes to feminism. Especially here in America, you do not have a right to force thoughts of beliefs onto an individual just because it fits your itinerary of what you want to spread to others. I think it is these few individuals who give the who group of feminists a bad rep, and is what helps to cause the standstill in the road for those like Emma who go about their feminism actions in the right manner.
I think in more circumstances than not, bringing the topic up is causing more of an uproar than there is. Yes I do agree that in some circumstances the issue persists, but not to the extent it is made out to be at times. I think individuals such as Emma are great ambassadors for topics as gentle such as race or gender. I think once situations arise where the truly best candidate for the job or positon becomes more females and we as a society can truly see their potential and ceiling is just as high as ourselves, this will helps the cause.
Thanks for your post Haleigh - those videos were great! To me, feminism is all about equality. However, I have been told the opposite on many occasions growing up - that it is about women trying to gain power over men. I think the media and those that didn't understand the true meaning had a strong influence on how I understood feminism, but it took experiences of my own to understand what it is truly about: equality of the sexes. The misunderstanding of feminism can have a very negative effect on women. Those who misunderstand or choose to give it their own definition may ridicule and mistreat women who speak out for equality. These people may be scared of change - maybe losing a sense of power if they are male, or fear of ridicule if they are female. Feminism can positively affect women if it is seen for what it truly is. The idea of competition between the sexes is something that I believe is very real and can begin to change with education and awareness, and learning to value one another as humans and not simply as a male or female.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing Haleigh! I found the videos and conversation very interesting. I was very impressed with how Emma Watson addressed the audience regarding the topic. Any time you use a word to name a group of people there will always be assumptions made about that person, their beliefs, and their actions. It is the same as if you claim a certain denomination in religion, as soon as you declare that of yourself others are going to have a certain opinion of you based on their past experiences and worldview of that particular faith/denomination. I think there will always be issues with the feminist movement because there are SO many opinions of what it means to be a feminist. Some people use that word to stand for one thing while others use it to represent something completely different. I also think as women we are our own worst critic at times. That is why you are going to see women (both standing up as feminist) putting each other down. I think it will take a cultural shift to learn how we as women and men can respect one another’s differences. We can work toward understanding that we can encourage someone and share what we believe but cannot argue or force our way into changing someone’s mind or beliefs. For someone to alter their thoughts, beliefs, actions, etc. that has to come from within.
ReplyDeleteThank you for insight on this topic. I love how Emma Watson pointed out that feminism has turned into man-hating. She's right and this should not be what is happening from this movement. If we want equal rights with men, we cannot shame them. I also loved how she addressed that feminism is also applicable to men. Men are all too often expected to play it cool. The gender expectations take a toll on them as well. I agree that we need to invite men to be a part of this rather than bashing them and keeping them out of the conversation.
ReplyDeleteIn order to end the war on sexes, I think we should focus on trying to realize that we are all human beings. We all experience the same emotions and live on the same earth. We have to learn to relate and have empathy for one another. If hate against the opposite gender is being spread, there is no unity only separateness.