The pleasure industry has made significant advancements in creating realistic human toys.

Recently, at a conference, I heard someone questioning the necessity of men in light of the advanced capabilities of the sex toy industry.

It’s funny how a simple comment made me wonder what feminism is, and it made me wonder if I am a feminist. I am most certainly proud of being a young Hispanic woman, but what exactly does it mean to be a feminist?

What does feminism signify in contemporary times?

I started wondering about how now the so-called “feminism” or, for me, “new feminism” is more like a parade that is anti-men.

I’ve come to notice that new feminism is not about having fair pay or equal rights, nowadays new feminism is more like, “I’m better than you because I’m a woman, and women don’t need men.”

Many people agree or disagree with what I’m about to say, but we do need men.

Scientifically speaking. Men are essential to the world. Same as women.

We each play vital roles, and our coexistence is fundamental.

We are all important.

We were created to coexist, yet new ideologies have separated us more and more.

Let me be clear: I firmly advocate for equality, but reject notions of supremacy.

Nowadays, living in the crystal generation, saying yes to modern feminism is saying yes to the anti-men ideologies, but if you say no as a woman, you are poorly seen. Often stereotyping those who disagree as someone who aspires solely to have a domestic role.

If that is how you view me, then take off your blinders. 

As a woman, I can say I’m not the best at culinary, yet I believe, in the end, women should pursue whatever path they choose, and I still think that as a woman, I need men for life itself.

This is me trying to separate new ideologies from the correct moral ones.

I believe in equality, fair pay, fair treatment, and everything that has to do with fairness. If you are better than a man at a job and have a higher position, you, as a woman, should earn better, but that goes both ways. If a man is better at your job than you, as a woman, and has a higher position, he should earn better.

This is just an explanation of reality, no matter the sex.

Please don’t misinterpret me; I do believe sexism is an ongoing problem, but it’s even more critical in other countries, yet contributing to the other side of sexism is not helping.

Combating it does not entail fostering animosity towards men.

The new feminist movements go against men, not all of them, because there are still pure ones who fight for what’s right.

Certain factions within the feminist movement have been criticized for adopting anti-men stances, diverting focus from the core principles of feminism.

These branches include:

Radical feminism, which criticizes the fundamental structures of society. Some radical feminists may emphasize that women would be much better without men, stating how much they benefit from patriarchy and how it doesn’t benefit women at all.

Separatist feminism is a branch of feminism that advocates for women’s independence from men, which is something every woman should have, no matter if they have a partner. Yet this branch of feminism may promote separatist communities or lifestyles.

Ecofeminism has explored the connections between women’s oppression. They often critique the patriarchal structures. Some ecofeminists say that traditional masculine values contribute to environmental degradation.

While none of these branches explicitly say they are anti-men, it’s perceived by many who disagree with the messages that the way to empower a woman is to discredit, insult or disregard a man. 

Ultimately, these groups and branches were all created from the original concept of feminism, which seeks to address systemic inequalities and advocate for gender equality. That’s what true feminism is to me.

This movement has been stained with extremists who just plant hatred  and anger in the world. We should stop hating each other and learn how to live and respect.

The trajectory of current discourse is concerning.

I have many gifts and qualities as a woman, yet I believe men do too.

We all have a purpose in society, a special seat in the world. I don’t want to sit in front of any man. He should be sitting beside me. 

It is painful to see this movement, which started genuinely by fighting for regular rights, now feeling better than one another.

What began as a noble pursuit for equality became a competition for superiority.

Yes, life grows within us as women, yet that life would’ve never been there without men.

I stand with women in their quest for equality, but I stand alongside men as well—neither above nor below, but side by side.