Feminism

strider:

I find it incredibly interesting that so many people in this thread go, "I'm not a feminist, but..." Or something along those lines.

I know, right. I mean, it's slightly ridiculous. 'I'm not a feminist, but I do believe in equal rights for women'. Well, I hate to be pedantic, but that is what feminism is. One does not need to be Germaine Greer to be a feminist, it isn't all about radicalism (incidentally, Radical Feminism is very different from just feminism). It's also very possible for men to be feminists, too. Though I'm not sure how many would admit it.

It links back to what I said in my previous post. People have such huge misconceptions of feminism.

strider:

The Velvet Heir:

Despite perhaps believing in the same tenets that feminism promotes, some people wish to avoid the negative stereotypes.

Personally - and I'm not directing this at any individual here - I think it's silly to want to distance yourself from calling yourself a feminist just because some people don't get it. Believing in the ideas that feminism puts forward and saying one supports the idea that women should be treated equally to men on all grounds but yet rejecting the term "feminism" purely because of negativity surrounding it is a little petty. What happened to backbones?

I'm not flaming you personally and I'm not calling you spineless. I'm just putting something out there.

Oh, no offense taken at all! I actually agree with you. I think that if you believe in something, it shouldn't matter what label has been stuck on it or what other people think of it- you should stick by it and support the cause. I don't agree with the theoretical people I mentioned above... just thought that might be a reason behind the mentality.

I understand how men, think women are... weak, but using it against them is preety bad.

women are just as strong as men in every aspect. What they can't do, we can, and there certainly are plenty of things we can use against them. In my opinion, men are the inferior sex. :file:

Definately a Feminist.

I just think that everyone deserves the same chances at happiness and success, there is absolutely no justifiable reason to deprive people of being equal.

Leroquent.:

In my opinion, men are the inferior sex. :file:

Why does there even need to be an inferior sex? :shifty

strider:

Leroquent.:

In my opinion, men are the inferior sex. :file:

Why does there even need to be an inferior sex? :shifty

Exactly.
People should just accept each sex equally instead of constantly thinking of things one can do that the other can't.
There are plenty of tasks, jobs, etc. that some men can do and some women can't; it doesn't mean no women can do that job, and vice versa.
Everybody has different skills; none of it has anything to do with gender.

Unless it's something like.. I don't know.. being able to lift weight with your penis. o___O.

There is too much assumption where sex and gender aspects are entailed.

I, myself, am a socio-Marxist feminist. Meaning that I am a feminist but in the jurisdiction of Marxism, meaning that everyone should be equal and women are a part of that.

Although, to see a good example of sexism is to watch the Jeremy Kyle show. The women are shown as strong, wonders and the men as lazy good-for-nothing lumps of vanity.

There is also the point of the black women figure as it is portrayed horribly that she is a strong, independant woman who doesn't need any help from feminism and that her greatest trouble must be from racism.

Does that make sense or have I dug a pit for myself?

Now a days we almost have the excat same rights as men do, law states that. But that still doesn't matter to men around the world who are sexist. I don't get why they think a woman can't be just as good as a man. Feminists are awsome :]

lydiajudith:

Now a days we almost have the excat same rights as men do, law states that. But that still doesn't matter to men around the world who are sexist. I don't get why they think a woman can't be just as good as a man. Feminists are awsome :]

Sadly, not everywhere has equal rights yet. And even if the law states that, it doesn't make the barriers disappear. Changing the law is a very positive step, but it doesn't change attitudes, and attitudes are what hold women back in this day and age.

lydiajudith:

Now a days we almost have the excat same rights as men do, law states that. But that still doesn't matter to men around the world who are sexist. I don't get why they think a woman can't be just as good as a man. Feminists are awsome :]

The law can only go so far. What about the social structure of our society, or communities? Even if the law states that all people are equal, socially that may not be true.

I once read an article about feminists that pissed me off. It was about a game called Fat Princess, nice graphics and it looked like it had nice game play, and they were complaining about it. It just bothered me is all because it was just a game and so what if the main character was a fat girl?

Also, I'd kinda assume most girls are pretty much feminists. But seriously, just the same. Give them power and it'll go to their heads just like men.

Strider:

Leroquent.:

In my opinion, men are the inferior sex. :file:

Why does there even need to be an inferior sex? :shifty

I agree.
Woman? Man?

In the end, you're still human.
It's the culture of society and history and tradition that has caused genders to differ from one another, but the truth is that abilities, character, intelligence, and etc. of either gender are equal depending on how the person themself molds themself.

Al Rosewater:

Also, I'd kinda assume most girls are pretty much feminists. But seriously, just the same. Give them power and it'll go to their heads just like men.

Actually, I've found a lot of women - particularly my age - will dodge the feminist tag. Even if they think women should be equal with men, a lot will not call themselves feminists, probably for fear of backlash and ridicule from men -shrug-
I think a lot of women fear to call themselves feminists - even if they agree with a certain feminist ideology - because they think men won't go near them with a ten-foot pole. I think that's silly. Most of the guys I hang around with are friends with me because I'm assuming they like me as a person. If anyone - not just a guy - gives you shit for what you believe in then they're not worth being around anyway. I know it's cliche, but it's true.

/ramble

But also - and I'm not quite sure if I interpreted what you were saying correctly, but - feminism isn't about giving women power over men. It's about believing in equality. It is also somewhat about empowering women to voice their opinion and have their say, but I wouldn't say it's about giving women power necessarily.

I am a feminist. i believe women should have the same rights as men.

Here in canada it is illegal to pay a woman less for the same job, however there does exist a glass ceiling which for the most part prevents women from reaching the executive level.

Radical feminism which preaches doing away with men entirely, i do not agree with.

I actually agree with you ^
I'm all for women having all the rights men have, but then there's women going ahead and being the sexist ones.

I don't consider myself a feminist, more a humanitarian. I believe every human should start off equal, have equal rights and be treated fairly. I don't believe women should have any more or less rights than men.

the Abyss:

I find it incredibly interesting that so many people in this thread go, "I'm not a feminist, but..." Or something along those lines.

Why are people scared of calling themselves a feminist? I'm not saying everyone has to call themselves one - but from my point of view it seems that some people associate feminism with negativity, which is why there's that element of "I believe in women's rights and equality, but I'm not a feminist". I'm a Liberal Feminist myself, but even I admit that the word "feminism" seems to make people reel back a bit.

So just because a women believes they should have equal rights that makes them a feminist?
I don't call myself a feminist because I have no interest in joining the movement, or just feminism in general.

^exactly. I'm not afraid to call myself a feminist, I don't call myself a feminist because I don't see myself as one.

jepha:

So just because a women believes they should have equal rights that makes them a feminist?
I don't call myself a feminist because I have no interest in joining the movement, or just feminism in general.

Well, yes.
Feminism doesn't have to be a movement. It's a state of mind. It's a belief. It's not a dirty word. If you believe that women should have equal rights to men, then you hold a feminist belief.

I don't understand how people can say 'I subscribe to the principle of feminism but I am not a feminist'. It's like saying you don't believe in God but you're not an Atheist. The two cannot be separated. It's probably due to the stigma of people thinking that all feminists are crazed, unshaven bra-burners, I suppose.