The Dentist was right to kill that lion - because lions are a symbol of masculinity

20-year old feminist Cassidy Boon writes about her support for Cecil the Lions killer - in the name of feminism

I don't get it. I really don't get it. I really don't understand all the hate that dentist who shot that Lion in Zimbabwe is getting. People are (as usual) freaking out over entirely the wrong issues in this world, and as a feminist and someone who is very passionate about what's right and wrong, I've had it. Imagine if people got this up in arms about inequality and women's rights - imagine if people got this fired up about rape, violence against women and catcalling. That's a world I'd be proud to live in, because that would be a world where people had their priorities straight and actually gave a shit about women and not some lion. When it comes down to it, what this dentist did, wasn't wrong, in fact, I think it was a decidedly feminist act.

But before I explain to you why, I feel I need to explain what's happened. So anyway for those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, there was this Lion in the Africa called Cecil who was apparently a celeb Lion there or something. Anyway, so this American dentist guy decided to have a bit of fun and went there to the reservation or national park or whatever and apparently paid a large sum of money to kill Cecil. Now the whole world is like super mad at the dentist, sending him hatemail and want him to suffer the same fate. Everyone is talking about this, even celebrities (human ones) and everyone's being a crybaby about the poor little lion while at the same time demonizing the dentist guy. It's really a circus of priveleged tears and I can't stand it.

What The Dentist did was brave. I know I am usually not the one to be positive about something a White Male has done, but in this case I really feel this guy did something in the name of feminism. In killing this propped up, stupid celebrity (male!) lion, the Dentist really deflated a huge symbol of masculinity and power - because as you all know, Lions are heavily linked to masculinity on a symbolical level. Men are taught from an early age to be "brave like a lion", "strong like a lion" and to have the "heart of a lion", all the while girls are chided when they even mention the animal. So what The Dentist did here was to target the very core of masculinity and destroy it with his rifle, thus ridding the world of this figurehead of masculinity and all the horrible things that come with it. And besides, this lion was no ordinary lion, this was a special, celebrity lion who was no doubt very priveliged in his daily life. It doesn't take too much of a stretch of the imagination to imagine Cecil being quite sexist to the lionesses in the pride. This lion was probably the equivalent of Ryan Reynolds or Mark Whalberg and probably strutted around the savannah like he owned the place. The Dentist did a great job bringing down this priveliged white male lion and feminism is one step closer to eradicating such blatant sexist figures once and for all with his help.

So, to summarize, I think what The Dentist did was great. He brought down a symbol of Patriarchy and privelige and got the world talking about feminism like I am doing right now. I know a lot of stupid animal rights people are probably going to disagree with me, but just know that if you do, you're a sexist who wants support the existence of the Patriarchy and men taking the "lions" share of everything.

I am now starting the hashtag #StandWithPalmer, a hashtag for all those who support what the dentist did. Tweet under it to discuss this article with me.