Tumblr feminism goes too far

“I still don’t understand how people get so offended when a woman says she hates all men. These are the people who actively oppress, murder, rape, abuse and dehumanize us every single day of our lives. Hating men isn't sexism; it's common sense.”

This message was posted by user radfemriseup on Tumblr, a social media platform that is quickly being filled with such sentiments. Sadly, they give feminism a bad name.

On Tumblr, when the tag “men are …” is searched, the suggestions that come up are: “men are gross,” “men are pigs,” and “men are disgusting.” By contrast, when “women are …” is searched, the suggestions read “women are beautiful,” “women are strong,” and “women are not objects.”

Feminism has to do with equality between the sexes, yet too many people seem unable to grasp that equality doesn’t mean increasing respect for women by putting down men.

Indeed, these radical feminists are twisting the definition of feminism so much that women are scared to identify themselves as feminists. According to The Huffington Post, only 20 percent of Americans now identify themselves as feminists. However, when asked if they believe in the “theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes,” 82 percent of the survey respondents replied, “Yes.”

The sole reasoning behind such a disparity is the fact that the simple word “feminism” brings to mind bitter, belligerent, man-hating women. These days, feminism is often confused with “misandry,” the idea of an ingrained prejudice against men. Because of the new underlying implications of being a feminist, which include being egotistical and man-hating, many have begun to separate themselves from the movement.

For example, one young woman posted a picture in which she holds a piece of paper that reads, “I don’t need feminism because I believe in equality, not entitlements and supremacy.”

But even though women pushing back against a movement that was created to advocate for their rights seems counterintuitive, the pushback against feminism may not be unwarranted. After all, the feminist movement has become perverted by the hypocrisy of radical feminists.

For example, BuzzFeed, which is well-known for supporting gender equality, is criticized for creating a “Dude a Day” Newsletter dedicated solely to sending subscribers a picture of an attractive man every day. It is illogical to advocate gender equality and condemn those who objectify women while celebrating the objectification of men.

When our society has reached the point where we find logic in disparaging “feminism,” a movement that once aimed to ensure equality, we have to realize that the current system is not working.

Radical Tumblr feminists and the backlash against them are detracting from the real meaning of equality for the sexes. Every single time that a radical feminist makes a misandristic comment, more and more people lose faith in the fight against sexism.

So, to radfemriseup and the other misandrist radical feminists out there, hating men is not common sense, nor is it in line with any notion of equality.

Hating men is blatant discrimination and gender prejudice, and it is ignorant to believe that you are fighting against either.