What does feminism mean to you? (2 Viewers)

[Jaylee42003]

equality rather than 'feminism'.

+ 1

 

[volition]

Check out individualist feminism: ifeminist FAQ

 

[johony]

i'm not a fan of third-wave feminists.

 

[cassieagill]

today my guy friend turned to me and said 'make me a sandwich bitch' ...my only question - 'do you want mayo on that' i then proceeded to make his sandwich

 

[David Spade]

good girl

 

[banipal753]

Women have been limited from education, liberation and justice throughout history and solely for their gender, i dont see the justice in that. I believe they should have equal rights, and i must admit, even though women are considered equal in this day and age, inequality between the two genders still exists, and this is a result of stereotypes that just cannot be erradicated unfortunately. If we can work towards a society where individuals arent disadvantaged because of gender, race or even religion, the world will be a better place to live in.

 

[Cookie182]

I strongly support certain notions within the liberal/socialist feminism movements; equal rights before the law, within the workplace and in the public sphere for women are a hallmark achievement of the 20th century.

Having said that, radical feminism makes me sick. I have found in specific areas- women go from being equal, to creating inequality amongst males and this calls for a responsive masculinise movement to counter-act. The major area I see this in is rape laws- where the potentiality for a young male to go away for a long time just because a girl he'd been with had been drinking (and him also), is quite disturbing...girls aren't always victims.

Then we get to the topic of child custody…

 

[Lentern]

Women have been limited from education, liberation and justice throughout history and solely for their gender, i dont see the justice in that. I believe they should have equal rights, and i must admit, even though women are considered equal in this day and age, inequality between the two genders still exists, and this is a result of stereotypes that just cannot be erradicated unfortunately. If we can work towards a society where individuals arent disadvantaged because of gender, race or even religion, the world will be a better place to live in.

Despite a hint of corn that is lovely sentiment and one I'd like to associate myself with.

 

[Rasengan2dabalz]

Femenism itself is quite sexist - its all about women, fighting for womens rights, making people aware of womens rights - women, women, women.
Yet they dont care about how men are disidvantged, how we also get the blunt end of the stick.

 

[Silver Persian]

Femenism itself is quite sexist - its all about women, fighting for womens rights, making people aware of womens rights - women, women, women.
Yet they dont care about how men are disidvantged, how we also get the blunt end of the stick.

Well, feminism is primarily about women, yes. Just like Oriental studies is about people from the Orient

But there certainly has been a burgeoning literature in the academic world examining how gender norms may harm men. eg:

http://www.michaelkaufman.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/men_feminism.pdf

 

[Serius]

To me it means promoting females and furthering their rights above all else, especially to the detriment of men. It means special treatment in some cases where it favours the woman [e.g family law] but attempting to eliminate that special treatment in cases where it is detrimental, i.e equal employment.

I have no problem with promoting legal equality, what i have a problem is, is men hating feminists who want as many advantages as possible, and dont care who they fuck over or who they run into the mud or whose life they destroy trying to get it. They are that pig headed and selfish that they might for instance, support a crack head, abusive mother getting custody of the children over the good father with a 9-5 simply because all men are bad.

The amusing thing is, they often turn on their own kind as well, they might say they want equality and choice, but if you dont fit their idea of a woman, if you arent as independent and politically active and strong and man hating as them, well they hate you too.

I would say i support human rights more than rights for any one gender over the other. If they were truly about equality wouldnt they be called equalists? My true conflict is that sometimes they have very fucking good points, i just cant support a selfish movement like that. If they see this world as male dominated, they dont want equality all they really want is it to be female dominated so that they get all the power and benefits.

 

[Ben Netanyahu]

Not sure what you mean by social scale?

women receive better treatment in social settings, than men.

 

[Tangent]

nothing. it's over. you got equality it's time to shut the fuck up.

You managed to contradict yourself in the same sentence. Congrats.

 

[Kwayera]

I'm a liberal feminist. Reverse-feminism, in which women are regarded as more important than men, inhereantly disgusting, and I find affirmitive action policies inherently sexist.

 

[Iron]

I find Kwayera inherently shit

 

[Kwayera]

I find Kwayera inherently shit

ily too

 

[Tangent]

I'm a liberal feminist by the definition, though i support equality for everyone. Why should one group be equal and another not? Though i think that there isnt equality for women in some parts. EG. big one is the work place, that sterotypical "women's jobs" are paid less than "males jobs" - child care worker

so im all for leveling the playing field

 

[loquasagacious]

What? You're asking me to take a position on something?! This is indeed a shocking and unsettling turn of events!

Soo...
1) I disagree with difference feminism, because it tends to involve the identification of a particular set of gender norms as authentic, which neglects both the way these norms shift over time and the fact that there is a lot of diversity within the categories of male and female.
2) Radical feminism is somewhat unfair - it tends to position all men as perpetrators of sexual violence and all women as victims. Again, neglects diversity amongst men, and also positions heterosexual women as victims of patriarchal false consciousness. Although, obviously, patterns of sexual and domestic violence are significant problems.
3) I think almost everybody would agree with the general premise of liberal feminism - that men and women should have equal legal rights. jules.09 is a good example, because even though he doesn't self-identify as a feminist, he basically agrees with the political objectives of liberal feminism.
4) Socialist feminism I also have a fair bit of sympathy for - it runs into the issues that were discussed in one of your subjects from a couple of weeks ago. Definitely support equitable income for men and women; I also think that gender inequalities are quite closely related to economic inequalities.

So I suppose I agree with the general political objectives of both liberal and socialist feminism. Although for some reason I feel uncomfortable placing myself definitively under one particular brand of feminism, probably because they all have at least something to offer.

Personally speaking I'd say that based on SP's excellent summary I am a liberal feminist, and as has been said I think that this is a fairly mainstream viewpoint. I say fairly mainstream because there persists a misogynistic attitude in many segments of society; 'women's jobs', sexism, expectations of marriage and procreation, etc.

I think that radical feminism is misguided in the extreme and sets back the progress of liberal feminism by association and it of course creates an easy straw-man for opponents.

To me the biggest issue confronting us now is the divergence between difference feminism and socialist feminism. Specifically the utility of affirmative action policies and whether women are simply choosing not to do some jobs, work the hours that men do, etc etc.

PS: [insert joke about SP and positions]
PPS: Serious I think you are perhaps a classic example of someone who is actually a liberal feminist but eschews the label because of the connection to radical feminism which you (and most of us) disagree with.

 

[Iron]

Personally speaking, i'd say that based on Walt Disney's excellent film, i'm a turn of the 20th c votes-for-women suffragettte - chicks who demanded dignity and a basic equality, but never dreamed of sacrificing their unique femininity/place in the family unit

[youtube]Kvk1NZDFvZU&feature=related[/youtube]

 

[Silver Persian]

To me the biggest issue confronting us now is the divergence between difference feminism and socialist feminism. Specifically the utility of affirmative action policies and whether women are simply choosing not to do some jobs, work the hours that men do, etc etc.

I like this point about the potential tension between socialist feminism and difference feminism - and I think it underlies many debates that go on about gender inequalities and how justified they are.

I think that radical feminism is misguided in the extreme and sets back the progress of liberal feminism by association and it of course creates an easy straw-man for opponents.

I'd also, again, say that radical feminism, at least in my experience, is not something that is particularly strong within the university system. Most academic feminists do recognise the limitations of this paradigm, and are not willing to position all men as homogenously and universally engaged in sexual violence. It does annoy me when people who clearly have no knowledge of feminist theory attempt to attack it based upon the simplifications and exaggerations that circulate in the Daily Telegraph.

PPS: Serious I think you are perhaps a classic example of someone who is actually a liberal feminist but eschews the label because of the connection to radical feminism which you (and most of us) disagree with.

But you've lost me on the connection between radical and liberal feminism?