I have a few issues with feminist rhetoric.
Many of the feminist postulates we hear every day are based on social constructivism, which asserts that gender roles and everything we associate the terms “male” and “female” with are not natural, but instead developed by society. This theory, however, does not show the complete picture of what really led to the gender roles in our society today.
An article published in The Guardian says many of our preconceived notions about gender differences are not complete gibberish. Men’s brains are better suited for “perception and coordinated actions” while women’s brains are better for “social skills and memory.” Men specialized in hunting because they are more inclined to take risks, possess more upper body muscles and are better at coordination and spatial skills.
On the other hand, women typically picked fruit and raised children because they were better at memorizing, multi-tasking, color differentiation and socializing. Over time these practices became traditions and slowly evolved into entrenched social norms that we have today. These social norms have changed in recent decades, and will continue to change in the future.
Many claim that masculinity, a social construct, oppresses women and thus should be altered or abridged. This notion will undoubtedly face animosity from men because it basically tells men that the very qualities that define them are problems. This sort of social engineering deprives men of their masculine identity and threatens society as a whole.
Radical feminism is one of the main reasons many Americans eye the word “feminism” in a derogatory way. Others suggest a 21st century gender role can allow social harmony between genders without labeling masculinity as being purely violent, aggressive and impulse-driven.
There is nothing wrong with pushing for gender awareness or challenging accepted social norms. However, some feminists have largely failed to promote the cause of feminism in a cooperative, comprehensive fashion by creating a new trend of intolerance of gender differences and freedom of expression.
In order to achieve their full potential, feminists should embrace women and men alike in a respectful and open dialogue without blaming everything on men. This approach would address gender issues without driving an edge between men and women.
Tom Xiao is a sophomore in the School of International Service
