#EndFathersDay Hashtag Goes Viral, Stirs Anger

People around the United States will celebrate Dads this weekend on Father’s Day. Well, some of them. Others are trying to stop the holiday with the #EndFathersDay hashtag.

The hashtag apparently started by a few angry tweeters who think that Father’s Day celebrates male dominance and rape culture.

#EndFathersDay bc it’s a slap in the face to single mothers everywhere.

— NayNay Thompson (@NayNayCantStop) June 13, 2014

Fathers Day should be renamed to Semen Day, because that’s what men contribute to families. #EndFathersDay — Imani Richards (@ImaniGoddess) June 13, 2014

Everyone knows we only need mothers. Why do we even need father’s day? Fathers are useless. #endfathersday

— Tasha Polwright (@TashaPolwright) June 13, 2014

#Feminism is not about equality; it’s about female empowerment. #EndFathersDay — Tasha Polwright (@TashaPolwright) June 13, 2014

OK then… The argument seems to be that fathers, ALL fathers, impregnate a woman and then leave. These people also seem to be claiming that since some people grow up with fathers the rest of the world should stop celebrating Father’s Day. By that logic, we should probably give up on holidays altogether. You know, since Jewish people don’t celebrate Christmas, French people don’t celebrate Cinco De Mayo, and Canadians are sick and tired of explaining what Boxing Day actually is.

But let’s not get too angry about the #EndFathersDay hashtag because this seems to be the work of trolls.

The hashtag started on a 4Chan message board and went viral after Talib Kwali posted about it on Twitter.

Wait there’s an #endfathersday hashtag? Seems like a silly way to make your point about patriarchy.

— Talib Kweli Greene (@TalibKweli) June 13, 2014

The #EndFathersDay hashtag may have started out as a joke but a few people on Twitter really think that it’s a good idea. And because those people exist, others are really getting angry at the suggestion that ALL fathers are deadbeats.

If you want to waste a few minutes go ahead and browse the #EndFathersDay hashtag. It’s a great mix of ignorance and anger. Your other option, of course, is to close your computer, call your dad, and tell him how much you appreciate him.

Happy (early) Father’s Day!

photo credit: brooklyn via photopin cc