The word 'Feminism' today has become synonymous with hating members of the opposite gender. I do not deny the fact that that there are a few male chauvinists in our society today who are a disgrace to their gender, but that is not true for the entire male population. Today, I would like to testify to those three incredible men in my life who have made me the strong and independent woman I am today.

The first man to influence my life is no doubt my father.

Us girls always believe that no one would ever be as great as our fathers and it is undoubtedly true that he goes through great lengths to make his daughter a strong, independent woman, and above all, a decent human being. When I was around 9 years old, my father sent me to the market all by myself to purchase my school books. I remember how annoyed I was by his decision and also the fear I experienced when I reached the market. But then it started to become a habit of mine to do my things on my own, a habit I share with my siblings. When I look back to those days I realize that I have come a long way from being the terrified girl alone at the market to being the independent woman today who is not afraid of adversities. He enabled me to stand on my own feet and face my challenges headfirst and for this, I can never thank him enough.

The second man to influence me was my cousin.

In a time where most girls are sexually exploited by their brother, cousins, and uncles, I was truly lucky to have someone who believed in my potential and encouraged me to fly. He always believed that there was much more to me than what the world got to see and he kept pushing me to explore my talents and broaden my horizons. His unshakeable faith in me boosted my self-confidence; I started to believe in myself and my abilities more. With the assurance he gave me, I overcame my fears and insecurities and learned to cast away my doubts. He taught me a very valuable lesson, that I was second to no man and that no man in my life was meant to be worshipped, but rather, to be treated as an equal and that I had every right to demand the respect I deserved and gave to them.

The third man is none other than my husband.

When the other two encouraged me to face the world, my husband kept encouraging me to push past my boundaries to the next level. His confidence in himself as a man is visible in how he treats me as his equal, not as someone inferior to him. He is, in fact, very vocal about my talents and abilities and keeps encouraging me to grab every opportunity I could to broaden and hone my skills. He seems more confident in me than myself and more than supporting me in all my endeavours, he works extremely hard in running errands and doing chores, anything that could be helpful to me. He encourages me to be more successful than him and he feels no shame or remorse in that. He is the happiest in all my achievements and the strictest if I don’t do what needs to be done in order to achieve my goals. Now, he is encouraging me to push past all my boundaries and to start my own business.

There would be no one happier than me at this moment because I am surrounded by people who not only wish the best for me, but they make it a priority that I achieve all my goals and dreams. These men have made me the woman I am today and I fell no shame in praising a man just because I’m a feminist.

Belittling someone doesn’t make one a feminist but being able to give due respect to those around you does.

I believe that my power comes from holding others in high regard and respect and I’m proud of having such a power. I do not have to think twice before I say that I respect men because I firmly believe that not all fingers of the hand are the same. The three men I have mentioned are not lone examples, but a prototype of a race of men who have been raised to respect women and treat them with equality and the dignity they deserve. I respect such men and I couldn’t be happier with the change in perspectives that is happening with the changing times.

Yes, I am a feminist who respects men.

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