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Feminism is bad

We hear about the horrors women in other countries endure everyday: rape in India, Genital Mutilation in Egypt, and sex trafficking in Europe. We feel compassion for these women, but yet we ignore the discrimination women in the United States. Discrimination against women is still a prevalent issue in today's society. Let's begin our observation of the current situation with: Observation One: Women are still being discriminated upon--this means we NEED feminism Even with strides we have taken, literally all women are discriminated upon in the U.S. When they turn 18, men in are required to register for the military draft. Women are NOT allowed to even register. This is just one example of government-sponsored sexism. There are many other examples. You are denying that women are just as capable as men and their autonomy as human beings. Additionally, women are being shot in the streets in the U.S. As a 2010 Washington Post Report points out, women are being murdered in this country at an alarming rate. In Iran, a woman in the military is more likely to be raped by a U.S. Soldier than be killed on the front lines. We need feminism to stop these harms In Observation Two I note that my opponent's arguments are flawed The first argument the pro side makes is that we have skinny girls, not "fat women", on magazine covers because that is what men are attracted to. First; that is just an excuse to cover up that he/she is being sexist in their opening speech. Second; he is assuming feminism is lobbying for heavier ladies to be on magazine covers. The real question they are asking is why should their be any magazine promoting PORNOGRAPHY. Next he/she says that feminists say "all men are pigs who treat women like crap and beat them." First; domestic violence is on the rise, according to the Crime Statistics Agency (http://www.theguardian.com...) Second; he has not provided solid proof that ANY feminist has ever said that. This is pretty obviously a conclusion that he has jumped to (a wrong one at that). What My Opponent Fails To Point Out Is That Feminism Actually Helps the World Advantage One: Feminism Boosts the Economy According to the Economist, the empowerment of career women is one of the most defining changes in the industrialized world: "Goldman Sachs calculates that, leaving all other things equal, increasing women's participation in the labor market to male levels will boost GDP by 21% in Italy, 19% in Spain, 16% in Japan, 9% in America, France and Germany and 8% in Britain." Advantage Two: Feminism Actually HELPS MEN as well as women First; Feminism has actually overturned laws that are discriminatory against men. In 1976, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled it was unconstitutional to treat women and men differently under the law. The case, Craig v. Boren, was filled by a plaintiff in Oklahoma over its gender-specific drinking age policy, which prohibited men from drinking before age 21, but allowed women to drink when as young as 18. This implied that men are inherently more reckless and women are more responsible. After the law was struck down, the drinking age became 21 for all. Second; it changed the definition of rape to include men. Did you know that until recently, the FBI's definition of rape was as old-fashioned as the horse and buggy? That is, until feminist activists decided to change that. Thanks to the "Rape Is Rape" campaign launched by the Feminist Majority Foundation and Ms. magazine, more than 160,000 emails were sent to the FBI pressuring it to change its archaic definition of rape. The old definition, "carnal knowledge of a female forcibly and against her will," hadn't been changed since 1921. It meant that many types of sexual assaults, including the rape of men, weren't counted as part of the bureau's annual Uniform Crime Report. When the decision was announced, then-VP and General Counsel of the Feminist Majority Foundation Kim Gandy said, "This is a major policy change and will dramatically impact the way rape is tracked and reported nationwide." The new definition now includes all forms of penetration and no longer excludes men. Third; Feminism allows men to spend more time with their children. That women can bring home a pretty big chunk of change through paid work means men can work less and spend more time with their kids, something that's good for both children and their fathers. The time fathers spend with their children is not only rewarding, it's also more purposeful, and contributes to happiness more than time spent working. Thanks to feminist activism, paternity leave exists, and more men are taking advantage of it. The effects on children are immeasurable. Children who spend more time with their fathers are more likely to succeed academically and less likely to abuse drugs and be delinquent. In fact, research shows that children whose fathers can do more than 40% of chores inside the home are more likely to excel in school. Clearly, when men have the ability to spend more time at home, everyone wins. In conclusion, women are still being discriminated upon and the only way to end it is through feminism.