This one’s for the men who champion women. The ones who don’t shy away from calling themselves feminists. The ones who apologize for a systematic structure that allowed women to be subjugated and inequality to fester.

This one’s for you guys who are feminists

Source: Tumblr

It is important to bring one argument to the forefront, patriarchy doesn’t only effect women but disallows men from being themselves as well. It’s a two-way street. It hampers aspiring men who want to shed patriarchal expectations of assertiveness, “manly”, tough and high-testosterone powered individuals and would rather pursue professions of self-expression like art, sculpting or fashion instead of becoming policemen, doctors or engineers.

While ideals of being secondary are pushed down women’s throats, men have to deal with the undue pressures of never being second-best. This patriarchal fodder kills ambition for girls and undermines emotional quotient for men.

Masculinity becomes a stifling concept wherein the slightest inclination of what constitutes as being merely human is underscored by epic acts of self-emasculation.

Source: The News

When a woman named Aneeqa Ali, cycling enthusiast and member of Critical Mass Lahore, took off one fine morning for a beautiful early morning ride in the city – It was the same testosterone driven alpha male presumption that drove a car full of rowdy men to stalk and harass her.

Whilst unable to solicit her attention despite unnerved determination, the beasty bunch pursued to knock Aneeqa over her bike by a sadistic hit and run, leaving her hurt and alone on the street.

Seeing a woman cycle by herself was an act of strength and bravery that is still diagnosed as a South-Asian rarity.

Source: Dawn

Not undermining the psychological effects of verbal harassment in any way, but to actively want to hurt someone requires a much bigger trigger. And that trigger is evoked at birth, by virtue of being a man. A glorious Y-chromosome cliché in a world where this is anything but an achievement.

However, as Aneeqa lay helpless on the road that morning, there were men from Critical Mass group who rushed to her aid just as there were men who took pride and joy in cycling by her side all those years. These breed of men were unlike the hooligans that terrorized Aneeqa.

We all have the unique privilege of knowing one such man. Or fifty. Or an army. We have seen them as Fahd Kamal Chinoy, as Ziauddin Yousafzai, as Amjad Abdul Karim Randhawa…as countless other men who champion women.

But #notallmen doesn’t discount the phenomenon, there are still #justenoughmen for it to be a raging concern.

While there are men who acknowledge, support and appreciate all our endeavors. ?

Women winning Oscars, Nobels, beating India, looking beautiful, why do you want to hit them, Pakistan?

— . (@ZoydPls) March 19, 2016

I #SupportTheBill because it protects women in my life from patriarchy and violence. Support the bill for a better Pakistan.

— Yasser Latif Hamdani (@theRealYLH) March 17, 2016

Nearly half the protestors at the #SupportTheBill rally were men. pic.twitter.com/HRLydtvY5z

— Rimmel Mohydin (@Rimmel_Mohydin) March 19, 2016

There are twice as many who tantamount to rendering the struggle useless.

Source: Siasat

“Women’s Protection Bill will cause divisions within families and a spike in the rate of divorce.” – Maulana Fazlur Rehman, JUI.

Source: Express Tribune

“The Women’s Protection bill undermines our family system and threatens to negatively affect element of respect in family relationships between mothers, sisters and husbands.” – Sirajul Haq, JI.

The unfortunate incident that occurred to Aneeqa is not one-off, it is not unheard of neither is it going to stop overnight. But it overturned platitudes into a solid debate, one that was already sparked by Women’s Protection Bill paved by the silent voice of many women before us.

Gather in masses, change the narrative, redirect the energies and translate dialogue into actual legislative and social reform. Men and women alike. Because the ethos of feminism don’t discriminate on the bases of your gender.

Question is, are you man enough to be a woman?

Source: Dawn

Support Aneeqa and her voice against street harassment by joining a bike rally on these days:

Lahore

Karachi

Being a feminist isn’t a curse anymore. Being a girl isn’t a curse. Just ask our Girls in Green 😉

Cover Image via: FemSoc at LUMS

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