Would You Swipe Right On Feminism?

In the debut instalment of this new opinion column, a single Singaporean declares that in her search for a long-term partner, there's nothing more attractive than a man who embraces gender equality.

It's not every day that findings from a survey make you wonder if you'd rather be alone than consider the possibility of marriage or starting a family.

By the time I'm writing this, the infamous Ipsos survey would have made its rounds online. The results, released in March this year, stated that 62 per cent of Singaporeans (68 per cent of men and 55 per cent of women) feel that things have gone far enough when it comes to giving women equal rights with men in Singapore. Furthermore, 58 per cent of Singaporeans agree that men are being expected to do too much to support equality.

This is not the first controversial poll that Ipsos has released. Last International Women's Day, the international market research firm revealed that one in three men think feminism does more harm than good in a global survey spanning 30 nations, including Singapore, Australia, UK, and the US.

These figures reveal what we have already known for decades: Patriarchy is still deeply rooted in many cultures and countries, and it's a system that's held by both men and women. Just take the outrage that the Barbie movie is continuing to stir among both genders for its unapologetic feminist messaging (Shakira, we're looking at you).

Returning to why I might be better off without a plus one: As a feminist myself, I can't fathom being in a partnership where feminism becomes the proverbial elephant in the room. I want to be able to discuss values that I hold dear in a safe space, with a partner I love and trust. And if a whopping 68 per cent of Singapore men think of feminism as a dirty word, then what are the chances of meeting another single who doesn't?

Aside from the dearth of Singapore men who identify as feminists, there is no doubt that much has been debated about how we can improve women's equality from an institutional level.