TIME magazine wants to ban the word 'Feminist'

Opinion report by

Shubhangini Arora

Right when most of us were celebrating the fact that ‘Feminist’ is no longer a taboo word, no one wants to be associated with; one of the most popular magazines in the world, TIME, decides to include the word in the ‘Words that should be banned in 2015’ list. Yes, it right up there with ‘I can’t even’, ‘Bae’ and ‘om nom nom nom.’

Like many others, I can’t decide if I want to laugh or be angry. Author Katy Steinmetz states, "You have nothing against feminism itself, but when did it become a thing that every celebrity had to state their position on whether this word applies to them, like some politician declaring a party? Let’s stick to the issues and quit throwing this label around like ticker tape at a Susan B. Anthony parade."

Salon>

Essentially, the word that stands for a cause people have been fighting for, campaigning for, the UN is spending millions of dollars for is as disposable as ‘om nom nom nom,’ according to the TIME magazine. Thankfully, due to the backlash the magazine received, they apologized for this comment.

Nancy Gibbs, the editor of the magazine wrote, “TIME apologizes for the execution of this poll; the word ‘feminist’ should not have been included in a list of words to ban. While we meant to invite debate about some ways the word was used this year, that nuance was lost, and we regret that its inclusion has become a distraction from the important debate over equality and justice.”

When teenage celebrities bring down words like ‘Feminists’ or ‘Feminism,’ it is still forgivable; these are young kids you hope would someday understand the concept and come around. But when a magazine with the largest circulation around the world, fails to acknowledge a term that stands for equality and fair rights, it is not just shameful but it makes you realize that we still have a long way to go.