Gender-fair

That women should be equal to men is already a significant part of today’s global society, to which the Philippines belongs. However, we seem to understand it in a slightly modified, partly jocular, and often misleading manner.

One unfortunate misconception is that the purpose of feminism and gender equality is to seize power from men and subjugate them. I always cringe at the thought that some of my friends picture a feminist (or one who advocates gender equality) as an amazon (in modern garb) ready to gouge men’s eyes out and chain them to rocks, or banish them to eternal domestication. While it would be refreshing to see men washing the dishes, doing the laundry, cleaning the house and generally running the household, it is never the intention of women pushing women’s rights to promote a reversal of roles, or build a women-dominated feudal society. Excuse me, we are more sophisticated than that.

Another galling idea is that feminism is just a fad. This is absolutely wrong. The call for gender equality has outlasted Alexander, the silk craze, the search for the Spice Islands, the Beatles, and Michael Jackson.

Yet another fallacy is the presumption that feminism and gender equality can be categorized as “women’s interests.” Interest may be a fair word but it does not cover and it will never be a sufficient description of such large concepts as feminism and gender equality. These terms are not just women’s interest or hobby or career. These terms are our life. It encompasses our collective journey, our struggles and the efforts we made in order for us to assume our rightful places in the society, side by side with the men.

That the purpose of feminism and gender equality benefit only women is another glaring misconception. We seek to free women from the tragedies of stereotyping, bias and marginalization. This fight for freedom is also liberation for men who are burdened by these very same limitations they have imposed upon us. It will have a large impact especially in small day-to-day events. By giving women the freedom from being tagged as weak and emotional, men will be free to cry, to express fear and to convey their real emotions. By giving women the freedom to pursue what they want to be, we are giving men a wider range of options on what to do with their lives.

The mechanism works both ways. In fact, it works so well that if only our vision of a gender-equal society will be understood and realized by everyone, society will definitely become better in all aspects. Don’t ask for the facts. It is women’s instinct. This, as any Filipino will tell you, is as accurate as any statistic there ever is.

Djamyla D. Millona, 21, is a volunteer youth area coordinator for Davao and Davao del Sur of the Mindanao Youth for Peace by the Mindanao Commission on Women.