The Feminist Paradox | Thisari Randunu | TEDxYouth@TWSDubaiWomen

contradiction which means to be mutually

contradiction which means to be mutually opposed or inconsistent I find it a

opposed or inconsistent I find it a

opposed or inconsistent I find it a fascinating word feminism the belief

fascinating word feminism the belief

fascinating word feminism the belief that men and women should be treated as

that men and women should be treated as

that men and women should be treated as equals another fascinating word both of

equals another fascinating word both of

equals another fascinating word both of these words may seem so different but to

these words may seem so different but to

these words may seem so different but to me they go hand in hand and today’s

me they go hand in hand and today’s

me they go hand in hand and today’s world feminism is an extremely

world feminism is an extremely

world feminism is an extremely controversial topic feminists are seen

controversial topic feminists are seen

controversial topic feminists are seen as mad women who believe that female is

as mad women who believe that female is

as mad women who believe that female is the only true gender and spit on any man

the only true gender and spit on any man

the only true gender and spit on any man who tried to open a door for them but I

who tried to open a door for them but I

who tried to open a door for them but I don’t blame people who don’t know the

don’t blame people who don’t know the

don’t blame people who don’t know the meaning behind this movement but have

meaning behind this movement but have

meaning behind this movement but have this negative idea based on the few

this negative idea based on the few

this negative idea based on the few encounters they’ve had with these crazy

encounters they’ve had with these crazy

encounters they’ve had with these crazy people I look down upon people who don’t

people I look down upon people who don’t

people I look down upon people who don’t believe in progress

believe in progress

believe in progress I look down upon those who have the

I look down upon those who have the

I look down upon those who have the audacity to tell people that they do not

audacity to tell people that they do not

audacity to tell people that they do not deserve to be treated as equals the

deserve to be treated as equals the

deserve to be treated as equals the first word that I ass heard since

first word that I ass heard since

first word that I ass heard since stepping onto this platform was

stepping onto this platform was

stepping onto this platform was contradiction I would like to say

contradiction I would like to say

contradiction I would like to say something very contradictory I am a

something very contradictory I am a

something very contradictory I am a feminist but I don’t want feminism now

feminist but I don’t want feminism now

feminist but I don’t want feminism now free also to wonder if I really know

free also to wonder if I really know

free also to wonder if I really know what I’m talking about allow me to

what I’m talking about allow me to

what I’m talking about allow me to explain feminism is the belief that men

explain feminism is the belief that men

explain feminism is the belief that men and women should be treated as equals

and women should be treated as equals

and women should be treated as equals if you do not believe that men and women

if you do not believe that men and women

if you do not believe that men and women should be treated as equals

should be treated as equals

should be treated as equals you are sexist so you’re either human or

you are sexist so you’re either human or

you are sexist so you’re either human or you’re sexist it doesn’t matter

you’re sexist it doesn’t matter

you’re sexist it doesn’t matter to what degree if you see a boy crying

to what degree if you see a boy crying

to what degree if you see a boy crying and you tell him to man up you are

and you tell him to man up you are

and you tell him to man up you are sexist because boys should be allowed to

sexist because boys should be allowed to

sexist because boys should be allowed to express their emotions just as much as

express their emotions just as much as

express their emotions just as much as girls if you see a girl lifting weights

girls if you see a girl lifting weights

girls if you see a girl lifting weights of the gym and you tell her that she’s

of the gym and you tell her that she’s

of the gym and you tell her that she’s pretty good for a girl you are sexist

pretty good for a girl you are sexist

pretty good for a girl you are sexist because if boys can lift weights and if

because if boys can lift weights and if

because if boys can lift weights and if girls can lift weights too why must you

girls can lift weights too why must you

girls can lift weights too why must you differentiate so feminism in itself is a

differentiate so feminism in itself is a

differentiate so feminism in itself is a paradox there are an infinite possible

paradox there are an infinite possible

paradox there are an infinite possible paradoxes in feminism as there are with

paradoxes in feminism as there are with

paradoxes in feminism as there are with anything worth believing in

anything worth believing in

anything worth believing in I’d like to speak about one of them

I’d like to speak about one of them

I’d like to speak about one of them let’s take on the makeup industry now

let’s take on the makeup industry now

let’s take on the makeup industry now when you look at makeup from one side

when you look at makeup from one side

when you look at makeup from one side it’s literally products people are

it’s literally products people are

it’s literally products people are putting on their faces to make

putting on their faces to make

putting on their faces to make themselves look better this promotes the

themselves look better this promotes the

themselves look better this promotes the idea that people cannot look good

idea that people cannot look good

idea that people cannot look good without makeup but this is where

without makeup but this is where

without makeup but this is where feminism comes in and says if men don’t

feminism comes in and says if men don’t

feminism comes in and says if men don’t need makeup to look presentable

need makeup to look presentable

need makeup to look presentable why must women wear makeup but then

why must women wear makeup but then

why must women wear makeup but then feminism also says women should be

feminism also says women should be

feminism also says women should be allowed to wear makeup as it could be

allowed to wear makeup as it could be

allowed to wear makeup as it could be used as a tool to empower people this is

used as a tool to empower people this is

used as a tool to empower people this is my second paradox makeup puts people

my second paradox makeup puts people

my second paradox makeup puts people down but it also brings people up

down but it also brings people up

down but it also brings people up now for my final paradox feminism once

now for my final paradox feminism once

now for my final paradox feminism once again is about empowerment if a woman

again is about empowerment if a woman

again is about empowerment if a woman chooses to stay at home instead of work

chooses to stay at home instead of work

chooses to stay at home instead of work you might hear people say you are all

you might hear people say you are all

you might hear people say you are all about feminism but here you are wasting

about feminism but here you are wasting

about feminism but here you are wasting your time at home instead of working

your time at home instead of working

your time at home instead of working alongside men all of this may seem so

alongside men all of this may seem so

alongside men all of this may seem so contradicting and if you are unfamiliar

contradicting and if you are unfamiliar

contradicting and if you are unfamiliar with feminism at the start of my speech

with feminism at the start of my speech

with feminism at the start of my speech you’re probably very confused right now

you’re probably very confused right now

you’re probably very confused right now you see not every paradox is an endless

you see not every paradox is an endless

you see not every paradox is an endless loop of things that will never be

loop of things that will never be

loop of things that will never be perfectly right the solution to every

perfectly right the solution to every

perfectly right the solution to every single one of these paradoxes is so

single one of these paradoxes is so

single one of these paradoxes is so simple choice that is all you need to

simple choice that is all you need to

simple choice that is all you need to give people and that is what will solve

give people and that is what will solve

give people and that is what will solve every single one of these paradoxes

every single one of these paradoxes

every single one of these paradoxes before I was born my mother used to work

before I was born my mother used to work

before I was born my mother used to work and she was very successful after my

and she was very successful after my

and she was very successful after my brother was born she decided to stay at

brother was born she decided to stay at

brother was born she decided to stay at home this wasn’t controversial because

home this wasn’t controversial because

home this wasn’t controversial because as a woman she was given the choice to

as a woman she was given the choice to

as a woman she was given the choice to choose whether she wanted to stay at

choose whether she wanted to stay at

choose whether she wanted to stay at home or go to work this is your first

home or go to work this is your first

home or go to work this is your first paradox solved I don’t wear makeup very

paradox solved I don’t wear makeup very

paradox solved I don’t wear makeup very often but when I do I look at myself and

often but when I do I look at myself and

often but when I do I look at myself and I feel empowered it doesn’t matter how

I feel empowered it doesn’t matter how

I feel empowered it doesn’t matter how much or how little I have in my face if

much or how little I have in my face if

much or how little I have in my face if I feel good about myself why should the

I feel good about myself why should the

I feel good about myself why should the next person yeah and this is your second

next person yeah and this is your second

next person yeah and this is your second part of solved

part of solved

part of solved you see you don’t have to be labeled a

you see you don’t have to be labeled a

you see you don’t have to be labeled a feminist not at all but if you do not

feminist not at all but if you do not

feminist not at all but if you do not believe that people deserve to be

believe that people deserve to be

believe that people deserve to be treated as equals you will be labeled a

treated as equals you will be labeled a

treated as equals you will be labeled a sexist I sincerely like to believe that

sexist I sincerely like to believe that

sexist I sincerely like to believe that everyone in this world is born good and

everyone in this world is born good and

everyone in this world is born good and if we see people doing wrong or having a

if we see people doing wrong or having a

if we see people doing wrong or having a wrong belief it’s not always their fault

wrong belief it’s not always their fault

wrong belief it’s not always their fault sometimes it’s their upbringing or the

sometimes it’s their upbringing or the

sometimes it’s their upbringing or the fact that they just don’t know better

fact that they just don’t know better

fact that they just don’t know better there are times where I have caught

there are times where I have caught

there are times where I have caught myself thinking extremely sexist things

myself thinking extremely sexist things

myself thinking extremely sexist things like looking at a person and wondering

like looking at a person and wondering

like looking at a person and wondering why they have so much makeup on their

why they have so much makeup on their

why they have so much makeup on their face but then seconds later I remember

face but then seconds later I remember

face but then seconds later I remember that they have the choice to choose

that they have the choice to choose

that they have the choice to choose their appearance and it is most

their appearance and it is most

their appearance and it is most definitely not my right to ever judge

definitely not my right to ever judge

definitely not my right to ever judge but it gets me thinking I am all about

but it gets me thinking I am all about

but it gets me thinking I am all about being liberal and allowing people to

being liberal and allowing people to

being liberal and allowing people to live their most honest lives but I had

live their most honest lives but I had

live their most honest lives but I had these thoughts in my mind that

these thoughts in my mind that

these thoughts in my mind that contradict everything that I stand for

contradict everything that I stand for

contradict everything that I stand for does that make me a bad person

does that make me a bad person

does that make me a bad person are we all deep down just bad people I

are we all deep down just bad people I

are we all deep down just bad people I found the answer to my question on the

found the answer to my question on the

found the answer to my question on the same day in the form of a beautifully

same day in the form of a beautifully

same day in the form of a beautifully wisdom full tumblr post the post read

wisdom full tumblr post the post read

wisdom full tumblr post the post read the first thought that goes through your

the first thought that goes through your

the first thought that goes through your mind is what you have been conditioned

mind is what you have been conditioned

mind is what you have been conditioned to think what you think next defines who

to think what you think next defines who

to think what you think next defines who you are we are not bad people for having

you are we are not bad people for having

you are we are not bad people for having these thoughts we are only bad people if

these thoughts we are only bad people if

these thoughts we are only bad people if we give in to them and act upon them but

we give in to them and act upon them but

we give in to them and act upon them but this does not mean that people should be

this does not mean that people should be

this does not mean that people should be allowed to get away with misogyny and

allowed to get away with misogyny and

allowed to get away with misogyny and Sandri I strongly believe that everybody

Sandri I strongly believe that everybody

Sandri I strongly believe that everybody must be held accountable to their

must be held accountable to their

must be held accountable to their actions if they are aware that they are

actions if they are aware that they are

actions if they are aware that they are making them there are an infinite

making them there are an infinite

making them there are an infinite possible paradoxes that we must face

possible paradoxes that we must face

possible paradoxes that we must face constantly and this means that there are

constantly and this means that there are

constantly and this means that there are an infinite possible choices that we

an infinite possible choices that we

an infinite possible choices that we must make as well these choices are the

must make as well these choices are the

must make as well these choices are the things that define us the marks we leave

things that define us the marks we leave

things that define us the marks we leave and the people we touch there is a good

and the people we touch there is a good

and the people we touch there is a good and a bad to every paradox and how we

and a bad to every paradox and how we

and a bad to every paradox and how we choose to treat our mothers and our

choose to treat our mothers and our

choose to treat our mothers and our sisters and even our brothers matters

sisters and even our brothers matters

sisters and even our brothers matters more than ever right now we are free to

more than ever right now we are free to

more than ever right now we are free to choose but we are not free from the

choose but we are not free from the

choose but we are not free from the consequences of our choice thank you