TOW #10: Feminism and Murder (Written Text)

As a female, I hear feminism mentioned frequently in conversation with fellow females, some of whom have rather extreme views on the subject. Concerningly, it seems to have become, for some, less about equality and more about female superiority. The Onion recently published an article that, through hyperbole and juxtaposition, mocks the idea of feminist extremism and highlights the true meaning of being a feminist. A reader of The Onion would likely be looking for a comedic mockery, and this piece delivers while also bringing to light a very real issue in our society today.

The author of the piece, Katherine Adams, stated that she “simply cannot and will not support feminism if it means murdering all men” (paragraph 1). This statement exaggerates the extent to which extreme feminists take the issue. Though perhaps murder is not a typical suggestion for a solution, there was recently a video posted online of little girls swearing, saying such behavior is not tolerated, but the abuse of females is. A video like that twists the goals of feminism to attack all men, and allows for women to be rude, crude, or cruel under the umbrella cause of “feminism.” Where did the fight for equality go? What do potty-mouthed children have to do with equality in the workplace? How does crude language battle rape culture? The Onion’s article shows the ridiculousness of the extremist arguments by ironically presenting the apparently oppressed party (females) as the one ready to oppress another group.

Adams’s article also brings to light the true meaning of feminism, stating, “I agree with closing the pay gap, ensuring universal access to birth control, and ending the objectification of women” (paragraph 3), but to “hunt down all the world’s men and boys, load them onto trains bound for death camps, and systematically massacre them solely on the basis of their sex” (paragraph 3) is excessive. She juxtaposes the definition of feminism with a hyperbolic example of what extremists have made it, making the point that feminism as it used to be is much more reasonable than what it has become. She highlights the misuse of the word by associating it with extremism, in particular Nazi anti-Semitism. Again, this is an exaggeration, but it brings to light the danger of any type of extremism. While feminism at its root is a noble cause, the mass murder of all men is not. The world has condemned Germany for their actions under the Nazi regime, and by making a comparison of the two, Adams condemns extreme feminism.

This Onion article successfully promotes feminism as it is defined, while ridiculing feminism as some extremists have made it.

http://www.theonion.com/articles/i-dont-support-feminism-if-it-means-murdering-all,37301/