LAHORE  –  Pakistani actor and activist Ayesha Omar has challenged the perception that feminism is rooted in hostility toward men, highlighting cases of violence against women in Pakistan, India and the United States in a series of Instagram posts. “Why does the word feminism bother men so much?” Omar wrote in the caption accompanying one of her posts.

The post featured a quote attributed to Nadia Carly arguing that feminism does not target men as a group but opposes abuse, sexism, misogyny and sexual violence. The quote further suggested that men who reject such behaviour should not feel threatened by feminist advocacy. Omar followed the post with a series of Instagram stories highlighting recent cases of violence against women from around the world and drawing attention to the circumstances surrounding each incident.

Her first post emphasised the need for men to hold their friends accountable for how they treat women, before turning to individual cases. Among those she shared was the alleged assault of a pregnant woman in Gujranwala after her family reportedly learned through an ultrasound that she was expecting another daughter. Omar also shared coverage of protests in New Delhi following the alleged gang rape of a 17-year-old girl at Aastha Kunj Park near Kalkaji Temple. Students from Lady Shri Ram College and other Delhi University institutions took to the streets on September 23, demanding greater safety for women and accountability from authorities.

She ended the series by drawing attention to the case now being referred to as the “Cornell Seven” in the United States. The case centres on allegations made by a former Cornell University student, identified in court filings as Jane Doe, who said she was sexually assaulted by seven students at the Chi Phi fraternity house in October 2024.

The renewed investigation has also prompted wider scrutiny of how Cornell University and local authorities handled the allegations when they were first reported.

For Omar, the subject is part of a longer-running public conversation. She has repeatedly spoken about gender equality, feminism and harassment, including her own experiences within Pakistan’s entertainment industry. In a 2022 interview, Omar described herself as a feminist and said she believed feminism meant equal opportunities for men and women. She also spoke about the objectification of women in the media industry, arguing that women were often judged more harshly than men. She further said feminism was misunderstood as western propaganda. More recently, in June 2026, Omar joined actor Aliya Ali in speaking about women’s safety at an event in London. She called on men to take greater responsibility for creating safer environments for women and urged them to speak up about women’s safety.

Her latest Instagram posts continue that conversation, linking a debate over the meaning of feminism with cases of alleged violence against women across three countries.

For Omar, the message remains centred on accountability — particularly the responsibility of men to challenge harmful behaviour among their peers rather than treating feminism itself as an attack on men.