{"id":26041,"date":"2026-07-27T14:14:37","date_gmt":"2026-07-27T18:14:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nouveau.lesexologue.ca\/blog\/2026\/07\/27\/feminism-really-egalitarian\/"},"modified":"2026-07-27T14:14:37","modified_gmt":"2026-07-27T18:14:37","slug":"feminism-really-egalitarian","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nouveau.lesexologue.ca\/en\/blog\/2026\/07\/27\/feminism-really-egalitarian\/","title":{"rendered":"Feminism: Really egalitarian?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Let’s think together<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Careful<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n
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Before being outraged by the title of this text, take the time to think about the proposals and arguments. Also be clear that this text is intended to be a reflection and not an opinion cast in stone and that there is no position taken. I am completely against all inequalities and women and men should have the same rights and opportunities. This text is not anti-feminism, nor masculinism. Let’s agree that feminism is not a movement for women and by women to dominate men. Nor is it an article about the defence of Lise Th\u00e9riault, Minister of the Status of Women. <\/b><\/div>\n
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This article is intended to reflect on the feminist movement in terms of the discourses, actions and different presentations of feminism without claiming to know the truth on the subject. To understand why people do not want or no longer want to identify as feminists. <\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Reactions to Lise Th\u00e9rieault<\/h3>\n
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I rolled my eyes when I read that a woman minister of the status of women does not consider herself a feminist. I have read several texts by authors outraged by her statement who have quoted simplistic dictionary definitions of the word feminism: <\/p>\n

“attitude of those who want women’s rights to be the same as those of men.”<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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I then took the time to reflect on what the minister had said and I think I possibly understand her point of view of being egalitarian rather than feminist.<\/div>\n
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At first glance, one might think that feminism is indeed the promotion of equality between men and women. However, when we take the time to read this very simplistic and reductive definition of feminism, we could lead us to believe that the definition of feminism implies that men have all the advantages and that women are the only ones to suffer disadvantages from their gender. However, both men and women suffer the consequences of double standards and do not benefit from certain opportunities granted to women. <\/b>Feminism works mainly<\/u> to remove the inequalities that women may experience in this definition. A definition that promotes equality would look something like this: <\/p>\n

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“attitude of those who want the rights and opportunities of women and men to be equal”<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The difference is minimal in syntax and vocabulary but sends a very different message. The term feminism, by its linguistic root, refers to women. Patriarchy is also often referred to as the source of feminist\/female difficulties, which refers to men. For many people, the term means that women are the victims and men are the problem. I can understand how the minister does not want to affiliate herself with this term and this movement, despite the fact that it is not necessarily what feminism is working to fight.<\/u><\/div>\n
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Who helps men in their difficulties?<\/h3>\n
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Feminism, especially in its early days, was more about the inequalities of women<\/a>. This was entirely justified at a time when inequalities were flagrant and enormous. Fortunately, there have been improvements since then, but there is still work to be done on this front.<\/b> <\/div>\n
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However, by pushing the analysis further, have we not forgotten men also in these social and “general” changes that feminism has engendered? Men can also be negatively<\/b> influenced by stereotypes and expectations of them. They may also be disadvantaged in certain circumstances where women are not. For example: <\/div>\n
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