FEMINISM IS FOR EVERYONE !

When Brahmavadini Gargi stepped forward to challenge Rishi Yajnavalkya over his claim of superiority of knowledge in the Brihadaryaka Upanishad or Buddhist nuns composed and wrote hymns in the Jherigatha in 1500 BCE and 600 BCE respectively, little did they know that terms like feminist icon would be used to describe them in the 21st century.

The term feminism is a much-used and abused word today and may seem anachronistic to describe the Vedic age -yet its relevance seems to pervade areas of space and time.

This brings us to an even more important debate- regarding its definition. The very conflict over what it means is central to its relevance for different sections of people. While some see it as the supremacy of women over men, others look at it in terms of a political movement comprising various waves of feminism.

A radical quote feminism is the radical notion that women are human beings – simply sees feminism -as a struggle for the very minimum -an acknowledgment of the right to equal opportunities for both sexes as human beings we will explore greater layers to this definitional challenge - as we explore the relevance of this movement for everybody.

The very first accusation against feminism is from women themselves arguing for the centrality of upper caste or white women’s issues in the movement - neglecting much more heinous and pertinent issues of lower caste, lower class, and black women - ranging from domestic violence to caste-based rapes, etc.

In India, however, examples emerge where the idea of feminism as empowerment and equality has been utilised for the cause of rural and Dalit women. In areas of Telangana women's solidarity and collective ownership and telling of land have brought forth the spectre of Anna swaraj for Dalit women farmers with the aid of the Deccan development society.

While the awareness of the terminology of feminism might not exist as similar example of the anti-arrach movement in the 1970s in Andhra Pradesh among rural women put women's issues of domestic violence and lack of financial independence and household decision-making at the forefront.

Not just in the rural countryside, the MeToo movement - as a people-led movement brought about ripples in all aspects of the urban profession including the glamorous Bollywood and Hollywood to esteemed academic circles - each day expanding its fold, highlighting aspects of casual sexism and toxic masculinity that often pervades the workspace.

But it was this very movement that led to the painting of this wave as anti-men and uplifting men at the cost of women. A similar case is made for the wrongful use of the Dowry Prohibition Act. Are these accusations actually true?

While several cases have been found to be motivated and exceptions did exist in the MeToo movement as well one must move toward a deeper understanding of feminism to explore the opportunities it opens up for men.

Our social structure while being unfair to women in imposing ideas of domesticity and controlling reproductive behaviour is controlling and oppressive for men in equal measure. Accepted norms of masculinity as being strong and not displaying emotion and seeing the sole bread winner of the family have led to must higher cases of suicide and stress-related health problem among men.

The UN-led He for She campaign was a step towards highlighting this alliance between men and women which is needed to establish a truly equal society with equal division of emotional and physical labour.

And why then, stop at two genders? The onset of intersectional feminism highlights the idea of gender as a spectrum rejecting social standards defining appropriate feminine and masculine behaviour. As showcased in movies like Aligarh cases of moral and physical policing of the LGBTQ community can see a sea change with the embracing of feminist thought.

Feminism in different forms and ways has thus existed since the history of men (and women) kind. It has sometimes expressed itself through tough-minded extraordinary women like Mary Wollstonecraft creating the declaration of rights of women and Rosa parks fearlessly challenging white hegemony in the USA.

At yet other times it expressed itself in women solidarity be it a march for bread outside the Petrograd soviet in the Russian Revolution or the Mahila Vikas Aghadi in the farmers' movement in Meghalaya.

Not only do the externalities trickle to all sections of society but also all aspects of nation building.

The political fallback of feminist thought can be seen with the very first wave of feminism and demand for voting rights. Right from the women’s march in the french revolution to widespread women participation in the dandi march the political rights we enjoy today through the political struggles our ancestors undertook were in large measure due to equal women’s participation and venturing out of the domestic sphere.

The excellent management of the covid pandemic in countries by women leaders like New Zealand ( under Jacenda Ardern) highlights the positive effects of the mix of rationality and emotion in a good leader. Feminist politics can further push the world as a whole to encourage such leaders on a global level.

Closely following politics tails economic aspects of a country. Strongly countering traditional arguments stressing maternity and biological unpediments justifications for less women participation, IMF points out that India’s GDP could rise by 27% with equal participation of women in the economy.

Linking the social with the economic Kofi Annas says that gender equality is not just a goal in itself, but the precondition for the removal of poverty and sustainable development.

Sustainability of development cannot be possible by neglecting the environment. The central role played by women in caring for nature collecting natural resources like fodder and firewood - is best encapsulated in the term eco-feminism. Women leaders heading the chipko movement and the niyangiri campaign are adequate examples justifying this view.

If all things positive flow from this word, why then is there so much opposition? Are all its critiques unfounded? The problem lies-as we discussed in the very beginning in how it is defined. Newer ideas of bubblegum feminism with an extremely narrow elite base obfuscating real issues often do more harm than good in making this idea palatable to the people.

To argue for feminism as an idea whose time has come would be redundant as its time as an expression for equality has always existed. The icons of Rani of Jhansi, Scarlett O Hara of gone with the wind and Mary Kom have uniformly provided role models to all generations. If Rishi Gargi was to come alive in this age, it would not be to challenge Yajnyavalkya but to address the policymakers and citizens of her nation - to embrace what has always been the truth of their times - the quest and ideal of equality.