We are not waves

With another March 8th approaching, feminism is facing a disastrous situation. The movement is suffering setbacks worldwide, and according to the results of a survey published in this newspaper, 60% of men in Spain believe they are being discriminated against simply for being men. Data like this neither surprises us nor is it foreign to our society. Often, in the very articles I write each week, there are men who automatically feel... offended Just for using a feminine adjective. Even if the adjective could include me, a woman, it doesn't matter if we're talking about the beacon scam or living past 100. These are individuals, almost always anonymous, who cling to the tradition of thinking only of themselves. Nor to the tradition that women can be discriminated against. But woe betide them if a generic term doesn't make them feel included! (They are there, but they want to maintain their status. Besides, they shouldn't be everywhere, either.) These men are terrified of losing what they believe is their birthright. But these men's feelings are also tied to egocentrism and a deliberate desire to harm. Because, seeing the state of the world, they show not even the slightest empathy for verifiable facts and for a fundamental reason: demanding human rights is exhausting. We have other things to do in life. But we want a fairer life for everyone. And we want to use adjectives however we please.

Feminism is regressing because of these men, not because of many others, who aren't exactly helping it advance either, but at least they don't constantly throw obstacles in its path. Feminism is regressing because many women also create brakes and obstacles. The false idea has spread that equality is already a reality and that it looks to Ayuso and Orriols, who are women and leaders in their fields and do and say what they want. Certainly, they are women. But being a woman, unfortunately, doesn't make you a feminist by birth. In fact, it makes you a sexist. Because society educates you as such. To be a feminist, you must rebel. And rebelling is always more difficult than accepting the established order. The fourth wave has faded. But we are not waves. We are women whose last goal is to anger the offended parties of the moment. We have the goal we've always had: to demand equal opportunities. And not only do we not have them, but now the prevailing discourse is that we've gone too far. Incredible. Everything that seems impossible becomes reality in these dark times. How to see one bully Dominating the world and threatening anyone who doesn't flatter him or send him missiles. One bully with another bully, who meet to start a war, and the first thing they do is murder 160 Iranian girls. A war that, like all wars, besides killing women, will also rape them. But since women's soccer matches are now on TV, it seems there's no need to do anything more for women. That anything else is going too far.

It's not a good time for the world. Those who have been afraid of women's freedom are now taking freedom away from everyone else. But the blame will still be ours. Because as long as what we do or say to defend our rights continues to be labeled provocation and not reason, we will never move forward. And if we want to move forward, we must do it quietly. Because a man can start a thousand wars, but a woman must maintain decorum. The wave that is swallowing us is not feminism. It's precisely the opposite. It has been drowning us for a long time. Do we have any air left?