We’ve reached an all-time low for feminism — and I don’t mean in terms of women’s rights.
No gender should be above the other, and we should all be living in harmony; everything one gender does, the other can do as well.
As it happens, however, one is attempting to surpass the other — and I don’t like it.
On TikTok, there’s a trend that effectively encourages women to verbally abuse men. Honestly, some of the things they’ve said are making me scared for my life.
For those who are unfamiliar, there’s a popular artist named Clairo who is famous for making indie music. Her chill yet introspective melodies are very touching, and I thoroughly enjoy her music.
But women are trying to claim this artist as solely theirs, mocking men who listen to Clairo by repeating the phrase, “Boy, turn that Clairo off and grab you a beer.”
Excuse me?
This is the most insulting thing I’ve ever heard. How dare they reduce me to the disgusting stereotype of liking beer? What if I would like a vodka cranberry? Or is that too girly for me to drink?
This phrase has been used thousands of times on TikTok, telling men to resort to what they think are manly things, like grilling, beer and working on an oil rig.
Are you kidding me? Did you like it when men told you to go back to the kitchen? Shouldn’t they know the pain of being reduced to a stereotype and being denied access to the culture enjoyed by the opposite gender?
And they’re doing this all in the name of feminism, saying Clairo should be “just for the girls” and no man should listen to her. That’s just hurtful.
I’ve never been one to shy away from confronting people on their misogyny. When I see microaggressions committed toward women, I call it out. Their rights are important, and it feels like I’ve been let down by the community I’ve been trying to advocate for. After all these years of supporting equality, the result is I’m not allowed to listen to my queen Clairo?
In reality, it isn’t actually this bad. I might be exaggerating a bit.
It can be hurtful to know people think men shouldn’t listen to Clairo, and I know it isn’t the end of the world. I can just move on to the next artist on my “male manipulator” playlist. What is bad, however, is the disapproval of the other gender and the ulterior motive that allows for trends like this to happen.
There was recently another trend on TikTok where women were making fun of men and their actions, using the hashtag “#womeninmalefields.” Women would call out toxic traits men have shown them by flipping the script and satirically asking what would happen if they did these things. This made men retaliate with their own version of this trend, #meninwomenfields,” raising a stir and causing fights in comment sections across the app.
This isn’t how change happens.
If the end goal of a society is to reach a state where everyone feels they’re equal, why do these things happen? We should be striving towards something greater than the harm these trends bring.
Yes, it’s comical that men like to listen to an artist who talks about female problems. But isn’t that better than listening to something worse, like Andrew Tate — an individual who spews nonsensical disinformation about women? Pushing someone away from listening to Clairo could push them toward these harmful forms of content, ones that could do much worse than you seeing a boy at a Clairo concert.
In the same way that men shouldn’t be trying to control women in their bodily autonomy, women shouldn’t be able to tell men what to listen to. If I want to listen to Clairo, I shouldn’t be condemned for it. This double standard needs to be acknowledged and stopped.
Instead of tearing the other side down, lift them up. Understanding comes from acceptance. While I will never understand what period cramps feel like, saying men will never comprehend the pain to try and belittle us or dismiss our feelings won’t accomplish anything. It only separates us farther from each other when we need to be coming closer together.
It’s poetic seeing Bernie Sanders endorse Clairo. A man whose values revolve around the union between all of us is a great representation of what we need to be doing. Clairo’s fans should take notes.
So, for everyone wondering, I won’t be turning that Clairo off. I will be turning it up and getting myself a beer. Or I might get a vodka cranberry. I will be doing what I want because this is a guaranteed freedom that we all share.
Modern-day feminism needs to reevaluate itself. When the aim is to exclude rather than include and grow stronger together, you’re doing the very thing you set out not to oppose, the ideas that led you to start this movement in the first place.
We need to start spreading that Clairo around, not hate.
Joshua Abraham is a kinesiology junior and opinion writer for The Battalion.
