The concept of feminism is a quite simple yet straightforward one-equality for both men and women. Yet, it remains one of the most debated topics of the decade, if not the century. Feminism has paved its way into Bangladesh’s deeply patriarchal society. But exactly how accepting are our people towards this concept?
In recent years, people have been quite vocal on social media about the importance of feminism in Bangladesh. But at the same time, there is a distinct group that seems adamant on bringing feminism down. A very classic example of this kind of anti-feminism is displayed in a Bangladeshi Facebook group called “Feminism Is Cancer”. This group has been around for quite some time now, and a short scroll through is enough to give you an idea about their content. Teeming with anti-feminism posts, some of which are borderline misogynistic, this group represents the majority of the online anti-feminism community in Bangladesh.
The most prominent example of this behavior is the backlash against anything that promotes feminism on social media. You will get attacked for your views no matter what your gender is. You might even get labelled as a “Feminazi” if you dare to protest. Most of these people hide behind fake profiles and spam comments on pro-feminism posts. At times, they even go to the extent of harassing people in their private messages. A few weeks ago, a Facebook page posted a well articulated article on the origin of misogyny in boys’ schools. Almost everyone who left positive comments on the post were bombarded with haha reacts and aggressive replies. Most of the anti-feminism comments were left by fake profiles. Later, everyone who had helped write the article was added in a messenger group chat by these people where they were relentlessly harassed. This is the extent to which an anti-feminism movement can go to bring equality down. But what exactly instigates this kind of behavior and mindset?
Misconception of Feminism
To a large group of people, feminism simply refers to propaganda against men. Imagine a group of angry, man-hating women with pitchforks, vowing to take down any man that comes in front of them. Yes, that’s basically what some people view feminism as. To them, it isn’t a movement that strives to gain parity between the two genders, rather it is a war against men where women think of themselves as the superior gender and will do anything to bring the men down. This incites a hostile attitude towards women in general, which later takes the form of misogyny and sexism.
Deeply Rooted Patriarchy
No matter how far women have come in different sectors in Bangladesh, one cannot deny that patriarchy is still very much present. It’s a disease that is plaguing our society and its women. Most families in Bangladesh set the natural habitats of women in the boundaries of their own house, while men are expected to go out and be the bread earner of the family. This naturally gives men a superior standing in their minds, and they cannot fathom the concept of women being on the same level as them.
Subconscious Gender Bias
Gender bias, be it conscious or subconscious, is very much prevalent within ourselves, even though most of us may not be aware of it. Growing up in a patriarchal society, it is not hard to see why people still consider males as the better gender. It is extremely tough to unlearn the things that have been so delicately incorporated into our thinking since our childhood. In some cases, there are even girls who think of themselves as inferior to men. Sometimes, misinterpreted religious beliefs also play a role in constructing such a mindset.
This online backlash against women and feminism is rapidly growing more prominent, with more and more anti-feminism content popping up all over social media. At the end of the day, we go back to asking ourselves: why are all of us not on the same page when it comes to equal rights for women? Perhaps this issue will finally be solved when everyone has a proper grasp of what feminism truly is. Until then, the backlash against feminism will continue to prevail on social media as more and more people turn against the concept of equality for women.