Yes, I am a Feminist

Feminism: A term more commonly used than understood. There is a lot of debate going over this for several years now and I see a lot of people use this as a cuss word these days as they feel feminists are just annoying women who dislike men and probably want to become men themselves.

Today I am busting 10 such myths surrounding Feminists.

(In this article, “I” represents every feminist.)

1. Myth: I hate men
   Fact: Feminists aren't a bunch of people who sit together and bitch about men.  I, like almost every other person, have several men in my life whom I love and respect. So, I  only dislike people (regardless of gender) who resist equality.
   
   
2. Myth: I believe women are superior creatures
   Fact: A true feminist believes in complete gender equality - male, female, transgender. Classifying me as a Goddess won't help me as I clearly know that women are not Goddesses but simple human beings like their male counterparts. I do not want a pedestal for women. What I demand, is equality!
   
   
3. Myth: I only wear "short clothes" or dress like a man.
   Fact: Actually, I simply wear what I want to wear and fight for every person's right to do the same. Therefore, I also support a man who wants to wear a dress or a skirt.

4. Myth: I am gay
   Fact: Being a feminist does not make me a gay person but it does make me a person who clearly knows that being gay is not a choice or an abnormality. It makes me a person who knows that when any two people, regardless of their gender, religion, or race come together in love - it is beautiful.
   
   
5. Myth: I will never marry.
   Fact: Marriage, unlike love, is a choice and it is MY choice. Hence, I will not marry when my neighbours or relatives want me to. I will only marry if and when I want to.
   
   
6. Myth: I will never cook or clean or take care of the house.
   Fact: I will cook, clean and scrub as much as my partner does. I am a member of the house and I will fulfill my duties to the best of my ability but I will also make sure that the duties are not assigned on the basis of my gender. Familial duties need to be divided among the members depending on their age and ability and not their gender.
   
   
7. Myth: If I am a true feminist, I should go work with an NGO
   Fact: Supporting basic human rights does not mean that one necessarily has to join an NGO or become a selfless volunteer. Although it is a very noble thing to do, not everyone has the luxury or the guts to do so with unpaid loans and bills to be taken care of. However, as a feminist, I do stand up against gender inequality at home, at work and among friends and I encourage other women to do the same.
   
   
8. Myth: I too am a sexist as I use the term "Femini-st".
   Fact: The word is popularly used only because there is a huge social divide between the genders currently. Since, the condition of women is so plightful at present, the term is simply used as a tool to spread awareness and to encourage women to stand up for themselves. I hope that the day would soon come, when this terminology is not needed at all.
   
   
9. Myth: If I am a feminist, I am a woman.
   Fact: Anyone who demands equal rights for every gender is a feminist. I am fortunate to know many male feminists who fight for equal rights for every gender and I am unfortunate to know a good number of females who resist equality.
   
   
10. Myth: I rant about the same “equality” and “rights” thing over and over again.
    Fact: I wouldn't need to... if  you would have listened the first time!

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Disease Diagnosis - The Indian "Offence Fever"

The Disease: "Offence Fever"

Scientific Name: Offencium Pyrexia

This disease which is effecting 1 in every 10 Indians has become a cause of national concern. A huge chunk of population is suffering from this disease and the rest of us are suffering due to this disease. The patients suffering from this disease become schizophrenic and believe they are in an era where it has become fashionably intellectual to get offended in general. Hence, they feel obligated to meticulously search for things that can be qualified as "offensive". The patients are in pain and hence make it their job to be a pain for other people as well. The disease is communicable and spreads rapidly due to low IQ, joblessness and excessive interference in the lives of other people.

Symptoms:

1. Patients become paranoid and start hallucinating about being the official censors for everything that they see or hear.
2. Patients often engage in vandalism of public property. They burn down theatres, burn down posters, burn down cars, trains ,houses...well, basically anything that is flammable.
   
3. Patients suffer from amnesia and forget completely that they have the choice of not seeing, doing or hearing the content which seems “offensive” to them.
4. Patients generally refrain from talking or even thinking about any important issues such as children welfare, anti corruption, anti rape laws and rant only about issues like who should wear what and who should marry whom.
5. Chronic patients go to parties and beat up women, engage in honor killings, assume gay sex is unnatural and even believe that clothes and eatables (e.g. chowmein) provoke rapists!! At this stage the disease is generally incurable and highly contagious. Hence the patient should be dealt with sympathy and quarantined.

Analysis:

Myth	Fact
Patients suffer from pain when the disease attacks the brain tissues associated with religious, political, cultural or patriarchal sentiments .	Patients generally have no brains to be attacked. The pain is actually due to over stuffing of the empty skull with unnecessary information & gossip about other people.
Movies, internet and books are the vectors for this disease.	Stupidity and ignorance are the vectors for this disease.
Literacy is the vaccine for the disease.	Education is the vaccine for the disease.

Education pertains to reading and understanding the printed or spoken words with an open mind whereas literacy pertains to just reading the words.

Prevention:

As discussed above, the disease is extremely serious and not at all rare but the following practices may keep you safe.

Dos

1. Read, read, read and understand what you read.  
2. Respect the rights of others and also stand up for your rights in the right manner.
    

Don'ts

1. Do not read, watch or hear any irrelevant content that may offend you. (If the content is relevant and is genuinely harmful to the society, do something constructive about it instead of burning things down .)
2. Do not argue with chronic patients as you may suffer severe and irreversible brain damage.

Disclaimer: It is noticeable that as the times are moving ahead, the line of tolerance for us Indians is shifting backwards. The internet, the press, books, speeches, movies, plays, neighbours, relatives, clothes, food, somehow have all become medias that "offend" some or the other person. Hence, I solemnly declare that the above article is not meant to offend any human of any religion, gender, race or colour in any part of the world or space.

Please do let me know your views and home remedies against this disease!!

 

 

image courtsey: www.thehindu.com