Too often I see people use their gender as a shield for their problematic political ideas.
“Stop attacking women!” I’ll hear, when poking holes in someones half baked, upside down and inconsistent political viewpoints.
The flaws of patriarchy theory, the blind spots of male privilege, the damage done by the Duluth Model, the failure of feminism and toxicity of the term ‘toxic masculinity’.
These are important and essential conversations, and they will continue to be had here, at @thetinmen.
But as we go on – let’s be clear on one thing – criticising these ideas, is not misogynistic or ‘attacking woman’.
And these feeble excuses to frighten away accountability, discourse and rebuke, are telling.
For ‘feminism’ is not ‘women’.
Feminism is a powerful socio-political movement, that must be subject to the same scrutiny as everyone else.
Whilst women are a group of people, most of who are not even feminists, and the vast majority are wonderful and brilliant people, like men are.
Similarly, we must be careful not to make enemies of allies; as women are our friends and family, our heroes, our teachers and role models.
And this is not a page to make blanket assertions against them, just like it isn’t one to make blanket assertions against men.
We must be measured in our scrutiny and targeted in our criticism.
So remember – grand good faith, listen carefully and make subtle distinctions.
Let’s be better. Not the same.
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Images by Handy Wicaksono, Raquel Garcia, Chloe S and Gemma Chua Tran from Unsplash.