A Modern Day Civil War

A civil war is defined as a war between citizens of the same country. It is people against people, brother against brother, and, in this case, woman against woman. Today's modern day feminist movement is being sidetracked in the midst of a civil war, the two sides: pro-feminists vs. anti-feminists.

Women are being forced to choose a side once they come across the movement. Do you agree or disagree with the ideals of modern feminism? The question is simple, to agree or not to agree, but the answer becomes more complicated. The feminist movement in today's terms does not have a clear cut goal. In the early 1900s they fought for the right to vote, and even earlier than that, women fought for the right to own property, hold jobs, and have a sense of freedom. Women now have the same main legal rights men have, so the feminist fight becomes more blurry. From the outside looking in it appears that modern day feminism is fighting social stereotypes, rape and abuse, and cat calling. All of these are controversial and debate-rich topics, leading women to choose one side or the other.

Each side has brought in it's own social media campaign, named either "Who Needs Feminism?" (pro-feminists) or "Women Against Feminism" (anti-feminists). Both are centralized on Tumblr and consist of women (and some men) submitting pictures of them selves holding a sign that explains why they do or do not need feminism.

Below are some examples...

"Who Needs Feminism?"
 

"Women Against Feminism"

The "Women Against Feminism" movement has taken off recently. It has gained some of the attention that pro-feminism has. The women that post pictures under the blog mostly say they are egalitarian (equality of all people), endorse men issues, or just criticize the feminist ideals.

These disagreements have caused an uprising among the two sides. Feminists have been known to attack non-feminists and usually use the argument that the opposing side do not know the true definition of feminism. In the most radical cases, there have even been death threats. Not everyone will always agree with them, yet feminists seem to be more focused on getting every woman on their side instead of just fighting for what they want.

This fighting and uncommon views may be leading the movement down a path that is not going to be beneficial. Instead of looking like a cohesive group that is battling for the same rights, the public sees it as a mess of fighting, bickering women, and the movement is not usually taken seriously. In order to make a difference and the progress that is wanted, the two sides need to stop the battle and make common ground or at least call a peace treaty.