NOVEMBER 25 — Recently, I had to drive to an unfamiliar part of town for an appointment. 

When I arrived at the building around 7.45 pm, the street was deserted — dark, quiet, and empty. 

I immediately felt the need to be alert, worried that I might get mugged. 

Clutching my car keys for reassurance, I found the staircase, which was thankfully lit, but I still felt a wave of dread as I walked up alone.

This is a familiar fear for many women — in a parking lot, on an empty road, or even in a lift with a stranger. 

It’s something we grow up with, something we learn to manage, constantly adjusting our behaviour to stay safe. 

Girls and women remain more vulnerable to violence on the streets, at home, and in the workplace.

The women’s movement raised our feminist voices to name violence against women (VAW) as an egregious form of discrimination. The annual 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign, which runs from November 25 to December 10 and began in 1991, has been crucial in mobilising global awareness and action against VAW.

So when someone recently suggested that I stop using the word “feminism” and instead refer to “humanities,” I didn’t hesitate. “No way,” I replied. “I love the F-word.”

Allow me to “womansplain” to people who think feminism alienates men and who believe feminists should use a word that welcomes everyone.

First of all, it is not our role as feminists to make men feel comfortable. 

In fact, we want men to feel deep discomfort about their status, entitlements, and privileges. 

Patriarchy is still alive and well. There is gender discrimination and persistent inequality in all these areas and more:

• Pay gap: Women globally continue to earn less than men for the same work, with gender discrimination cited as a contributing factor.
• Leadership: Women are under-represented in leadership positions and often experience misogyny when they do achieve them. In Malaysia, women make up only 13.5 percent of the 222 members of parliament.
• Double burden: Women continue to disproportionately shoulder unpaid domestic and care work.
• Violence: Women are still disproportionately affected by violence. The World Health Organization estimates that globally, about 1 in 3 (30 per cent) of women have been subjected to either physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence in their lifetime.

There are many who believe that men are being unfairly discriminated against or that women are given positions simply because they are female. 

But positive discrimination, or affirmative action, is about fairness, not favouritism. 

Its purpose is to address existing structural inequalities that disadvantage women and other marginalised groups. 

When a group – such as women – has been historically excluded, affirmative action opens doors that were previously closed.

Affirmative action balances representation, corrects systemic bias, and creates fairer competition. It does not give women undeserved advantages — rather, it removes barriers that have held them back. 

Treating everyone “the same” only preserves inequality. For example, if men have held 90 per cent of leadership roles for decades, a temporary measure to encourage more qualified women isn’t discrimination – it is correcting an imbalance.

Furthermore, affirmative action is a temporary measure until equality is achieved. We are not there yet.

Thus, feminism as a movement should never be forgotten. Feminism calls out everyday sexism that is often unrecognised and tolerated: sexist jokes, wolf whistles, sexual harassment in crowded places, and interrupting or talking over women.

Feminism remains necessary because it seeks to create a world where all women can thrive without the limitations imposed by societal norms or systemic discrimination. 

The fight for equality is ongoing, and every voice – including men’s – counts in this crucial movement.

PS: Feminism benefits men too by freeing them from rigid gender expectations, promoting healthier and more respectful relationships, reducing the pressure to be the sole provider, encouraging shared parenting and paternity leave, and supporting men in expressing their emotions without stigma.

** This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.