Fallacy in feminism

KATHAMNDU : Human suffering exists due to identification with roles such as gender, profession, and societal expectations. These three factors are particularly significant in shaping women’s consciousness, often leading to fallacies in their perception of feminism. In our society, women are generally portrayed as victims rather than being empowered with the truth that recognition in a system—where values are defined based on gender—must be fought for. However, true consciousness, which transcends gender differences, is rare in today’s world.

With access to education becoming more widespread, many individuals, particularly those with higher education, identify as feminists. While this is considered a sign of progress, does gender equality and consciousness truly align to define genuine feminism? Are there educated feminists who genuinely embody the essence of feminism, advocating for women as human beings first and foremost? Or has the movement been misinterpreted?

True feminism is not tied to the female body but rather to becoming a conscious human. The ultimate goal of feminism should be to rise above the body and understand that true freedom comes from realizing, “We are not the body; we are the consciousness beyond it.”

Observing this generation, the essence of feminism appears misguided. Today, feminism has become more of a trend, where women objectify themselves, endorsing their presence publicly, even when presented as an intellectual stance. These individuals often align themselves with popularity but may lack a deep understanding of the core principles of true feminism.

The slogan “My body, my right” has been widely propagated for years, with so-called feminists demonstrating this as an act of feminism. However, this perception is dangerous as it turns the female body into a battleground, allowing men to exploit this objectification. In reality, this could be interpreted as “My body, men’s right,” contradicting the true essence of feminism.

Women continue to lag behind in achieving true liberty due to a lack of experience in diverse walks of life, particularly the path toward spiritual consciousness. This is largely because women are influenced by the material world and social conditioning. Women, in particular, objectify themselves and fall into the trap of external validation rather than internal reflection, basing their worth on how men perceive them—especially in terms of physical appearance, beauty, and attraction—while striving for perfection, consciously or unconsciously.

Our rising stars, the younger generation, are becoming increasingly materialistic rather than focusing on deep intellectual and literary understanding. This, in turn, creates a lack of freedom from biological bondages. It appears that there is a fault in our stars, as this issue is growing significantly. This also stems from the influence of parents, particularly in shaping their daughters’ self-perception. Parents often emphasize physical appearance and beauty as measures of worth rather than instilling the understanding that a woman’s value lies in the richness of her thoughts, values, and experiences.

Women grow up believing they must fit into predefined roles that society values. Even when they seek to break free from these roles, they often reflect traditional beliefs due to a lack of awareness and confidence. These societal roles—such as caregiver, nurturer, or someone whose worth is primarily tied to relationships or appearance—become deeply ingrained.

In modern feminism, one of the most debated and controversial issues is how women objectify themselves while claiming to uphold feminist ideals. In today’s era, where materialism is on the rise, the objectification of the female body has become intertwined with how women identify themselves in terms of empowerment and independence within feminism. Women often present themselves in ways that heavily emphasize bodily appearance, leading them to mistake self-expression for intellectual recognition.

At present, most women should not fight solely for gender equality, as their setbacks stem from a lack of intrinsic knowledge. As women, we often struggle for equality while failing to recognize that we limit ourselves through ignorance and a lack of eagerness to learn. Women should strive for knowledge as complete human beings, yet this remains unfulfilled because many still identify primarily as female rather than as conscious beings. The root of most inequalities lies in the unconscious beliefs and conditioning that women have internalized over decades.

True feminism is about breaking free from all forms of identification, including gender, to achieve true liberation. Feminism should be recognized as the empowerment of whole individuals with intellectual, emotional, and spiritual depth, rather than as a movement that reduces women to objects of visual or sexual pleasure. It is about self-empowerment based on spiritual values and aspirations, rather than on how others perceive them in terms of bodily objectification. Most importantly, inner transformation is essential for women, leading to deeper spiritual and psychological consciousness and ultimate liberation, rather than merely fighting for rights in a materialistic sense.