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Complete freedom and gender equality are constant struggles. Since the beginning of the feminist movement, Western countries have made significant progress in enabling opportunities for women to participate in society through equality & diversity policies, equal pay reports, and voting rights. This article is not meant to discredit these advancements; however, these developments do not justify the existing oppressions that women still face.
The kidnapping, rape and murder of Sarah Everard by a British police officer in 2021, the thousands of women each year whose names weren’t as broadcasted as hers, and our government altogether abandoning the “Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls” initiative that followed after Sarah’s death are just a few examples of this ongoing oppression.
“A squirrel has more rights than a girl in Afghanistan,” said Mamma Mia actress Meryl Streep, referring to Afghanistani women’s lack of agency and the prohibition to go outside without a male counterpart by their side.
The adult entertainment industry continues to oppress and degrade women, holding them to unrealistic standards in terms of sexual performance or overall appearance–even outside of the sexual sphere.
Globally, women remain disproportionately underrepresented in positions of power. In the United Kingdom (UK), women make up 35% of MPs in Parliament.
“Months, rather than weeks” is the estimated time to convict and prosecute a rapist in the UK. Even worse, a convicted sexual abuser has assumed presidency in the United States (US), one of the most powerful nations in the world. Whatever the issue, it’s evident. And as shown, it’s not only a problem in the UK. Naming every country where women face such issues or where insufficient efforts are made to tackle them would take an extensive amount of time, given the prevalence alone.
An excellent starting point for improvement would be to involve more men in feminist discourse. Since they hold most of the powerful positions in business, politics, and beyond, it is important to address misunderstandings about how men can be a part of feminism without further reinforcing their privilege. Since the primary perpetrators of violence against women and girls continue to be men – and very often, it is evident that education from a young age is critical in changing the status quo. Men have the power to help, and by educating themselves on how the current system favours them and oppresses women, they can contribute to advancing this change.
An estimated 1 in 12 women and girls are comfortable enough to report experiencing some form of discrimination in the public sphere, but the actual number—including unreported cases—is likely much higher. Between 2022 and 2023, 20% of all police reports were on sexist and gender-based violence against women. Approximately 4.3% of all women have openly admitted to being sexually assaulted at some point in their lives.
The statistics are clear, but they aren’t necessary to prove my point. To answer simply: it would be irrational to claim that feminism has advanced to the point where it is no longer needed. It is time for world leaders to catch up and realise that this issue should be at the top of their priority lists. Otherwise, they risk losing the lacklustre trust and support of 50% of the population.
Edited by Zhanserik Temirtashev
Image: Fuck the Patriarchy, By Charlotte Cooper via Flickr // CC BY 2.0
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