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KATHY CAPRINO, WRITING FOR WOMEN@FORBES OFFERS US AN INSIGHTFUL UNDERSTANDING ON WHY PEOPLE DISLIKE FEMINISM. WITHOUT REINVENTING THE WHEEL, THIS ARTICLE IS A NEAR COMPLETE EXCERPT FROM MOST OF HER ARTICLE, "WHAT IS FEMINISM, AND WHY DO SO MANY WOMEN AND MEN HATE IT?"
Early in her article, Caprino looks at the definition of "Feminism." According to the dictionary, you will see these statements:
FEMINISM IS:
1. The advocacy of women's rights on the basis of the equality of the sexes.
2. The theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes.
3. The belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities.
4. The doctrine advocating social, political, and all other rights of women equal to those of men.
Feminism at its core is about equality of men and women, not "sameness." So many people offer up the argument that women are not the "same" as men so there can't be equality. In other words, because their bodies are different (many say "weaker" and smaller), and because men and women have different physical capabilities, these physical differences mean equality is not possible.
It is critical to understand that "same" does not mean "equal". The issue here is about equal rights and equal access to opportunities. Men and women don't have to be the "same" in physicality to have the right to equality. Here's an example of why: If there were two young boys in a classroom, and one was physically weaker and smaller than the other, would we believe it's right to keep the weaker,...