When Society Oppresses, Women Rise.

When Society Oppresses, Women Rise.

Living in a world that constantly judges, controls, and disrespects women slowly changes how they see themselves. Being talked over, blamed, or underestimated is exhausting. Over time, this can lead to anxiety, low self-esteem, and emotional burnout. From a young age, women are often told to adjust, tolerate, and stay quiet. When they finally speak up, they are labeled dramatic, aggressive, or overly emotional. This constant invalidation can make women question their own experiences—and sometimes even believe that the problem lies within themselves. Some even start believing that the problem is them.

When misogyny exists everywhere, feminism exists for a reason. Feminism was never about hating men. It is about questioning injustice, demanding respect, and protecting women’s humanity. It exists because women were—and still are—treated as inferior, unsafe, and disposable. Yet, when women finally speak up, set boundaries, or call out misogyny, many men respond with confusion or anger. They cannot benefit from a system that harms women, participate in misogyny—directly or indirectly—and then act surprised when women are angry, cautious, or distant. Women did not wake up one day and decide to hate men. These feelings were shaped by years of disrespect, fear, dismissal, and harm.

I never see men and women as inherently different, but society has created artificial differences by assigning distinct gender roles. In reality, anyone can do anything. When girls are denied education or raised in families that dictate how “a proper woman” should behave—telling them to avoid certain actions, or simply to obey—they never get to see the real world. Their potential is wasted as they accept whatever society imposes. Meanwhile, men take advantage of these women, controlling them. They label educated, independent women as “characterless” simply because they know their worth, understand their boundaries, and refuse to be dominated.

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Starting from their teenage years, girls are constantly told what to do and what to avoid, while boys are told, “boys will be boys.” Yes, boys will be boys, but women end up facing the consequences. Boys are excused for almost every behavior, even harmful actions, simply because they are boys. Meanwhile, women are expected to do no wrong, yet we are blamed for everything, even the actions of men. Why is it that we face all the consequences while men are excused?

Women can’t go out without fear. We can’t walk freely without thinking about our safety. We can’t even argue with a man without fear. Not because we are weak, but because we don’t know how he will react. What if he gets angry? What if he follows us? What if he hurts us? This fear controls how we speak, how we respond, and how much space we take. Imagine wanting to go outside and have fun, but living in a world where it’s unsafe for you to be out after 10 p.m. And yet, if something were to happen, the blame would fall on you. Instead of addressing the real issues or implementing measures to ensure safety, society tells us to just stay home—and if anything goes wrong, we are held accountable, not the men. We are stuck in survival mode.

Even when nothing bad is happening, our minds are always alert. We calculate, anticipate, and adjust our behavior to stay safe. This constant stress affects our mental health—anxiety, fear, exhaustion, self-doubt. Living like this is exhausting. This constant state of alert doesn’t just affect how we go out at night—it shapes every aspect of our lives, including how we navigate relationships and marriage.

Women face a world that judges, controls, and undervalues them every day. This constant pressure affects our safety, our choices, and our sense of self. Speaking up, setting boundaries, and demanding respect is not anger—it is survival. Change will only come when society sees women as equals, values their humanity, and stops blaming them for injustices they didn’t cause. Every voice that refuses to be silenced takes us a step closer to a fairer, safer, and more respectful world.