In psychology, someone who has a victim mindset is said to have a martyr complex. These individuals seek out ways to victimize themselves in order to feed a psychological need or a desire to avoid responsibility. Unfortunately, the modern day feminist movement seems to be catering to these types of individuals. (Some) feminists today are so obsessed with being victims; they are actually offended by those who say they are not oppressed. This is not healthy. No. This is utter madness. A blog post titled, “You Are Not Equal. I’m Sorry” has been circulating Facebook recently. The content was even worse than I expected. Here is my response to the author’s claims:
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“Thank Margaret Sanger for your birth control”
First, the author tells me to say thank you to the feminists that came before me, such as Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Stanton. This part I can understand. I am thankful for the feminists who fought for my right to vote and my right to work. I am thankful for the feminists who have fought against sexism and continue to do so. I do not owe any thanks to Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood. While I am not opposed to birth control itself, I am opposed to the idea of birth control being used to “lead to higher individuality and ultimately a cleaner race,” as Margaret Sanger intended. This is the same Margaret Sanger who once wrote in a letter, “We do not want word to go out that we want to exterminate the Negro population…” So no. This evil woman is not worthy of being thanked. I’ll pass on that.
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“You are not equal. Even if you feel like you are. You still make less than a man for doing the same work.”
Sex-based wage discrimination has been illegal since the Equal Pay Act of 1963. While women, on average, do earn less than men, it is not for the same work. There is no proof that wage disparities between men and women are the result of discrimination. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, women working “full time” work fewer hours than men working “full time.” Women are also more likely to take sick leave as well as take time off for their families.
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“You still don’t have full rights over your own body. Men are still debating over your uterus.”
Scientifically speaking, a fetus inside of a woman is not her body. Feminists talk about fetuses as if they are just added organs or just a “clump of cells.” Fetuses are, by definition, human beings. You have no “right” to kill an innocent human being. Planned Parenthood does over 320,000 abortions each year. Assuming half of the unborn babies are female, Planned Parenthood is killing around 160,000 women every year. If you were truly pro-woman, you wouldn’t support the murder of unborn women.
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“You still have to pay taxes for your basic sanitary needs.”
I dislike taxes as well. Both men and women have to pay sales taxes for basic sanitary products such as toilet paper, razors, and soap.
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“You still have to carry mace when walking alone at night.”
Okay, I understand this one. Sexual assault is a problem that disproportionately affects women. However, men are more likely to be victims of violent crimes in general. Either way, I feel this problem is largely due to our society’s lack of morals. It is the biggest reason why I am such a strong supporter of a woman’s right to defend herself with a gun.
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“You are still objectified.”
Both men and women are objectified. Ever heard of Magic Mike?
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“You are still being abused by your husband, by your boyfriend.”
I am not being abused by my boyfriend. Most women are not abused by their spouse or boyfriend. This nonsensical statement of yours perfectly demonstrates how the feminist movement is trying to demonize men. While relationship abuse does exist, men are not the sole perpetrators of it. In fact, women in homosexual relationships are more likely to be abused than women in heterosexual relationships.
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“Your daughters are still told they are beautiful before they are told they are smart.”
When you first meet someone, you know what they look like before you know anything about their intelligence. Nobody walks around with their IQ stamped to their forehead.
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“You are still systematically oppressed.”
In the United States, men and women are legally guaranteed all of the same rights. Systematic oppression does not exist.
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“You think it’s not classy to fight for equality.”
This is just false. I stand with feminist groups such as the New Wave Feminists who are fighting for the unborn. I applaud feminists in the Middle East who are fighting for women that are truly treated as second class citizens. I have no problem with fighting for equality for a group of people who are legitimately being oppressed.
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“I get it. You want to feel empowered.”