'feminism is all about hating men', oh you are so wrong! Feminism has so much to offer all men if they just opened their eyes a little bit. there are many male feminists, i'm not doubting that at all, but the majority of criticism about feminism that i have heard has come from men. perhaps that is because the definition of feminism that they have understood is slightly warped. feminism is not out to make women seem better than men and it is not to destroy men either. it's main goal is to end the patriarchy which asserts very specific gender roles onto today's society, emphasising that women are weaker and more submissive compared to men who are expected to be strong and masculine at all times.

a patriarchal society will never benefit the majority of people, except a few power hungry men who wish to exert their dominance. for people who do not identify with stereotypical gender roles it makes life very difficult. for women, it severely limits their opportunities and objectifies them, telling them that they are not as important as men. for men, a patriarchal society places a damaging amount of pressure on them to behave in a masculine way all the time and any emotion is to be seen as a weakness. it really is no wonder then that the biggest killer of young men is suicide if they are forced to live a lie and hide their emotions, preventing them from getting the emotional help they might desperately need.

feminism wants to allow men to fulfil whatever role they want in their life, regardless of how feminine or masculine it may be deemed. feminists are the first to encourage men to take paternity leave and spend more time looking after their children, which may have been discouraged in the past when it was seen as a woman's responsibility. feminism wants to break down that pressure which some men feel forces them to be the main earner for the family and solely support their children, instead of splitting it up between both parents.

teaching males from a young age how to respect females and that showing emotion is not a bad thing will only have benefits for society as a whole. seeing as from a sociological definition of sexism, men hold the instutional power to discriminate against women, it is vital we get them onboard the feminist bandwagon to redistribute the power evenly to give both genders their best chances of success.

no system that forces unhealthy stereotypes and pressures on its inhabitants is ever worth it. for too long, the patriarchy has defined how both genders have had to behave and prevented people from developing to their full potential. gradually, over the past few decades the patriarchy has been challenged severely and even broken down to a certain extent, but it is very much still in place. once you educate yourself on gender inequality and put on those 'feminist googles' it is very hard to unsee something as damaging as the patriarchy. i do seriously believe that our generation can be the generation to destroy gender roles for good and allow everyone to identify as whoever they want, with no limits or external pressures.

feminism will only ever achieve all its goals if both genders work together, which is why i think it is so important to educate men on the benefits of feminism and what it is really all about. ultimately, the end goal is ending the patriarchy and achieving equal rights for all, regardless of gender.