The empowerment of women has been disputed ever since the transition from second-wave to third-wave feminism.

Quick reminder

• First-wave feminism focused on political empowerment
• Second-wave feminism focused on economical empowerment
• Third-wave feminism focuses on cultural empowerment

Cultural empowerment is the greatest challenge of all since culture is not something we can write into law. Culture is something none of us have power over individually. Even if we put all our heads together, culture is difficult to unlearn.

What has our culture taught us?

As children we develop an understanding of how our world works through our caregivers, our schools, our peers and the mass media.

• Pink is for girls
• The Hulk is for boys
• Make up is for ladies
• Muscles are for men
• Etc etc

These are the kinds of things Third Wave feminism sought to question.
Another one of these cultural differences between men and women is our complicated relationship with SEX.

Feminism Contradicts Itself

Feminism is not just a movement in which you have to be on one side, nor is it a rulebook or a cult or even a set of beliefs. Feminism is way too complex for any of that.

Feminism is the radical notion that women are people

At its core feminism is simply the belief in equality between men and women

But what makes us more equal?

• When women are afforded the same respect as men
  Or
• When women have the freedom to express their sexuality

Lets talk Sex!

Culturally men and women are inclined to see sex differently.

• There are books on how to “pick up chicks” but for women the equivalent is “how to catch him and keep him”
• Men will often say they lose respect for women who “give it up” on the first date but I’ve never heard of a man losing respect for himself or another man for partaking in the one night stand.
• Women are much less likely to be praised by their peers for “scoring” and in fact are more likely to be scorned for their bad judgement.

So what if you decided FUCK YOU WORLD! I’mma be a slut!

Well from the point of view of the pop culture that brings you Iggy Azalea, Nicki Minaj and Beyonce by doing so you would be standing up for “feminism”.

And who am I to argue with them. I cannot redefine feminism to suit my personal views. If Beyonce wants to say “Bow Down Bitches” is a feminist song, then my perception of this cannot change her understanding of what it means to her to be feminist.

So let’s all go on a SLUT WALK

If you want to feel sexy and empowered by your sexuality then let’s walk with the women bare chested. But when you speak to the women who started these “slut walks” and tell them how you feel it is in your right to sleep around and flaunt your sexuality you might be surprised by the response you get.

I mean you do what you want but that is just not what the march is about.

What’s it about then?

Since 2011 women have been marching in protest against violence against women.

Specifically RAPE.

So how does getting our tits out help?

After a number of university students were repeatedly lectured by authorities on how to prevent themselves from getting raped, at least one of these students had had enough. Even in the world where women wear burkas, rape is thriving! The reason the women walk topless and call themselves “sluts” is to make the bold statement that even a slut does not deserve to be raped! In fact, many of the women don’t walk topless. Many of them wear the outfits they were wearing when they themselves were sexually assaulted. What you might be surprised to see is a lot of these women wearing pyjamas.

Objectification & Dehumanization

I read a post yesterday that suggested that women enjoy being objectified. What I believe the author meant is that women like to be admired for their beauty, and with that I cannot argue since it is human nature to enjoy admiration for any qualities worth admiring, be they aesthetic or personal. But to me, to say women enjoy objectification means that women enjoy seeing other women - as in the women represented by the media - chopped up into pieces of tits and ass for the world to visualise as mere decoration.

People often misinterpret the word objectification to mean that by admiring a woman’s body you must be visualising her as an object. In actual fact, it isn't in our nature to dehumanise a person we are sexually attracted to without the help of The Male Gaze which is a reconstruction of our view by the camera to force the viewer - man (which the camera assumes as the viewer) or woman - to see the women on screen as decoration through the eyes of the male protoganist.

So does sexuality have power?

Perhaps there is power in sexual confidence. Perhaps we can take an advantage by exuding our sexual prowess. But more likely, when a person of either sex resorts to selling their sexuality to gain attention or rewards, it is the buyer who is in power. Beyonce can sing “Girls run the World” all she likes, but when a dog rolls over to win the approval of his owner, it is the man who has power over the dog.

I do believe in sexual liberation. I believe in a womans right to feel sexually comfortable in herself, in her right to enjoy the company of multiple sexual partners without shame, and the right to feel liberated by their self-respect in seeking sexual pleasure and not allowing themselves to feel stigmatized by a world which still treats men as the rightful owners of sexual pleasure.

But it is not objectification that empowers you to feel liberated.
This has the opposite effect on women everywhere.

Conclusion

There is nothing wrong with a woman who values her own youth and beauty.

• But there is something very wrong with a world that teaches us that the only value women will ever hold is in our beauty and our sexuality, both of which become redundant as we age.

There is nothing wrong with a man who views a woman in a movie like an object, when that movie has clearly drawn her to be objectified.

• But there is something very wrong with a world that objectifies women so constantly that it becomes difficult for a man to view a woman in the real world as a respectable person just like him.

There is nothing wrong with a woman who sells her body for a living.

• But there is something very wrong with a world that taught her and the people involved, that she was not worth investing time and work in the skills and education that may have given her a better life.