At a seminar I recently attended on the Gender Theory course, a question arose during the discussion that divided the teaching audience. One of the participants, who stated that the theory of gender and feminism is the fate of women and something like their inferiority complex, heard quite harsh statements from others present. However, his “support group” made ironic remarks that the feminist movement in the nineteenth century meant, above all, that women began to smoke, write books and wear trousers, and in everyday life, they sought to relieve themselves of the responsibilities they imposed on their traditional role in a patriarchal society and in which there were a certain meaning and justice. And also that only a woman is allowed to be a feminist, and a man can sympathize the most. But the most interesting thing is that in the end, the opponent who most clearly and meaningfully tried to express the opposite position on this issue was a friend of the same anti-feminist who linked the dispute. He desperately wanted to prove that feminist men had a right to exist. At the same time, the young teacher appealed mainly to the universality of research talent and, most importantly, to the desire of some men to play the role of a woman and the ability to do so very successfully, immersing themselves in their subconscious and secret impulses. The controversy that erupted made me want to summarize my views on this issue, in response to similar statements in similar situations. Moreover, the terms “gender theory” and “feminism” were used by all participants in the discussion as almost identical, and this suggests the need to emphasize this. Probably, this issue can also be useful for discussion in practical classes with students.
