WOMEN

Being A Feminist Among Oppressed Women Is Hard

But I choose to be one regardless

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Standing up to misogynists and men-children now comes naturally to me, but not every woman I know can say that. And they are not entirely at fault. Because all they have ever known in life is oppression, and following the orders of men with patriarchal mindsets and an inclination toward opportunism.

Generations of patriarchy and misogyny left women perpetually oppressed

I grew up in a small town in India, while my grandmother spent all her life in a remote village. Married at nine, my Grandma has always been a prop, living under the shadow of my grandfather and other older men in our family.

My mother and her sisters didn’t have it any better. They have spent significant time in their lives in the service of their respective families and have never worked a day for pay (not by choice). What terrifies me is the fact that a lot of the men in my family are actively trying to push a similar pattern onto my young cousins. My hunch is that these young girls will eventually cave.

No, I am not being a pessimist here. My observation is based on a studied pattern of behavior.