March 12, 2017 01:00
By The Nation
Feminism may be at an advanced stage, but debate on feminism is apparently not. Actress Emma Watson has triggered a social media storm after appearing for a Vanity Fair photoshoot with a highly revealing costume, prompting the question whether her remark about women always being sexualised was merely hypocritical. Simply put, many critics are saying she's not as much of a feminist as she has seemed to be.
There were times when women's inability to vote was a feminist issue, but those days are long gone. Today, women can decide whether to boycott an election, just as Watson can choose what dress to wear. Men can show off their biceps without being accused of contradicting any ideology, and feminism in its ultimate sense should accord Watson the same liberty.
Feminism has no dress code and it doesn't prevent anyone from showing off themselves. Most of all, which body parts can be shown and should not be shown has been a flexible or slippery issue throughout history, depending on weather, geography and fashion sense, among various factors. Feminism is respect and equality. It's the right to express and wield powers, be it sexual or political, as much as men do.
In short, Watson can wear anything she likes and still advocate feminism. Sam Smethers, chief executive of the Fawcett Society, which campaigns for gender equality and women's rights, hit the nail on the head by saying that the Vanity Fair incident was just an empowered woman doing what she wanted. Feminism debaters, Smethers said, should look at the fact that Watson was not being exploited, was doing it in a controlling position, and using her body the way she wanted it.
Hypocritical males are rampant. Politicians advocating human rights have turned a blind eye to summary treatment of alleged "terrorists". Football's governing body condemns cheats as counterproductive but refuses to use video replays to help referees and improve the game. Many Buddhist monks preach "detachment" but are accumulating worldly assets like they are the most important thing.
The aforementioned cases pose far bigger trouble than Watson complaining about women always being "sexualised", and then exposing parts of her breasts. For all their supposed virtues, social media outlets have largely failed to address male hypocrisy, which sows bad seeds all over the world, taking advantage of the general perception that it's commonplace.
Debate on feminism often ends up with cynics saying that women want it both ways. On the one hand, women demand equality, and on the other hand, they want "respect", it is said. The point that should be generally accepted by now is the fact that women and men are not the same, so the demands for equality and respect must be treated by taking that into account. In other words, the demands do not contradict each other but they carry with them great subtlety.
Watson's is a case in point. She doesn't want women to be treated as merely a sexual object but her right to wield sexual power must be respected, just as nobody should frown at men who wield their political power or go about advertising their six-pack bodies. Hypocritical feminists are those who say she is not supposed to be dressed that way.
Is today's world a better place when feminism is concerned? Yes. Is there room for improvement? Plenty, of course. Where should we start? With the debate, maybe.
AN - I found this new news article and wanted to know how u all perceive feminism. Share your views!