Recently, I have been pondering the role of men in feminism. 

Sometimes, it feels like men are the worst idea God ever had, like ever. Worse than snowstorms, tsunamis and killer bees, combined. 

But as a woman, I can also vouch that women can suck too. We can be petty, moody or just downright evil sometimes. Every human holds flaw. 

As much as guys can suck, and believe me they can, I am sickened by this “men are trash” narrative created in the heat of the women’s rights movement, because it is all inclusive. 

Men are not trash. People who harm, abuse or take advantage of other human beings are trash. 

If I held the “men are trash” perspective, I would be grouping my father, who is amazing, warm, loving and compassionate, and my best friend’s father, who is a feminist, God-loving father of four girls, with these users and abusers, which is not appropriate in the slightest. 

In my opinion, it is up to these kinds of men to reproduce and raise their sons the right way, to respect, honor and cherish women for the gift they are to the world. It is also up to the fathers of daughters to raise them to know their worth. 

Regardless, it is the responsibility of individuals themselves to determine what they stand for and what they represent.

Feminism is not just a women’s issue, it is a human issue. 

If an individual believes in equality for all, they are a feminist. If they fight for social justice, they are a feminist. If they believe female power is human power, they are feminists. If they support freedom of expression in any form sexually, socially, academically or artistically, they are a feminist. 

Let’s stop painting a picture that men are innately bad. This world is one of sin and evil, but is also created in beauty, love and unity. 

Ladies, in order to claim ourselves as a feminist force, we can not step on the shoulders of anyone to reach our goals. This would be contradictory to our mission as human rights activists, which would mean we condone the condemnation and oppression that our ancestors, the women before us and the minorities of the world have faced in the process of progress in our world. 

Believing in female rights is believing in the rights of all people. It should not be rooted in disdain or distemperment for men; it should foster unity and harmony with the opposite gender and all genders for that matter, but that is a conversation for another day. 

Feminism is not about division. It is about inclusion, peace and equality. We cannot lose touch with our mission in the world in the heat of anger or disappointment. 

Remember, women can suck, too.

ALI SMITH

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