feminism and anti-feminists
Apr. 9th, 2004 12:13 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
aftertherocketsYesterday I posted a remark about how I didn't understand women who label themselves as "anti-feminist," and it sparked a bit of debate that I didn't quite expect.
For me, feminism means wanting both sexes to enjoy the same rights. It means that a woman should be able to go to college, have good jobs and make good money, hold political offices, write books, direct movies, or own a business the same as any man. Feminism is about equal rights.
Feminism is not, however, about not shaving/showering/using deodorant/etc. Those are matters of hygiene. Feminism is not about hating men or considering women to be superior to men. The point was brought up that those women who label themselves as "anti-feminist" are trying to disassociate themselves with certain aspects of feminism that they don't agree with. I don't think criticisms of feminism are wrong, in fact they should be encouraged, because no one should blindly follow any sort of ideology without question. What I have a problem with is any woman in 2004 enjoying the right to work, go to college, drive a car, not get married or have children if they don't want to, or hell, even vote, who then claims herself to be an "anti-feminist."
Some women do not consider themselves feminists merely because of the stigma attatched to the word, and that is something I think we should work to correct. The term "femi-Nazi" is something I find highly offensive, which I suppose makes it a very effective phrase. Feminists, even the really extreme version which I suppose the term is supposed to refer to, have never tried to eliminate a race of human beings. Nazis are a group that most people have agreed to hate. To associate them with feminists implies two things: first, that any woman who thinks herself equal to a man is to be hated and ostracized; and second, that the people who use this term are afraid of feminists and the patriarchal balance that they are trying to upset.
Mostly, I believe feminism to be about choice. If I want to marry, I can. If I don't want to, I don't have to. If I want to have a career, I can. If I want to stay at home with my 2.5 children and cook all day, I can. Maybe chivalry went out the window with the freedom to choose my own path, but that's something I can live with. Personally, I don't want to be indebted to anyone, man or woman, if I can help it. I can take care of myself, and I don't need, or want, anyone to ride in on a white horse and rescue me. I am not opposed to someone helping me, emotionally, physically, financially or otherwise, but I would never want to sit back and let someone else be responsible for me.
I'm interested in your opinions on the topic. Healthy debate makes me happy!
For me, feminism means wanting both sexes to enjoy the same rights. It means that a woman should be able to go to college, have good jobs and make good money, hold political offices, write books, direct movies, or own a business the same as any man. Feminism is about equal rights.
Feminism is not, however, about not shaving/showering/using deodorant/etc. Those are matters of hygiene. Feminism is not about hating men or considering women to be superior to men. The point was brought up that those women who label themselves as "anti-feminist" are trying to disassociate themselves with certain aspects of feminism that they don't agree with. I don't think criticisms of feminism are wrong, in fact they should be encouraged, because no one should blindly follow any sort of ideology without question. What I have a problem with is any woman in 2004 enjoying the right to work, go to college, drive a car, not get married or have children if they don't want to, or hell, even vote, who then claims herself to be an "anti-feminist."
Some women do not consider themselves feminists merely because of the stigma attatched to the word, and that is something I think we should work to correct. The term "femi-Nazi" is something I find highly offensive, which I suppose makes it a very effective phrase. Feminists, even the really extreme version which I suppose the term is supposed to refer to, have never tried to eliminate a race of human beings. Nazis are a group that most people have agreed to hate. To associate them with feminists implies two things: first, that any woman who thinks herself equal to a man is to be hated and ostracized; and second, that the people who use this term are afraid of feminists and the patriarchal balance that they are trying to upset.
Mostly, I believe feminism to be about choice. If I want to marry, I can. If I don't want to, I don't have to. If I want to have a career, I can. If I want to stay at home with my 2.5 children and cook all day, I can. Maybe chivalry went out the window with the freedom to choose my own path, but that's something I can live with. Personally, I don't want to be indebted to anyone, man or woman, if I can help it. I can take care of myself, and I don't need, or want, anyone to ride in on a white horse and rescue me. I am not opposed to someone helping me, emotionally, physically, financially or otherwise, but I would never want to sit back and let someone else be responsible for me.
I'm interested in your opinions on the topic. Healthy debate makes me happy!
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no subject
Date: 2004-04-12 07:03 pm (UTC)I, too, have problems with extreme feminism, and extreme versions of most things. But Christians who don't agree with the Jerry Fallwell's of the world don't declare themselves to be anti-Christian, and so I think there's no reason for women to do so.
And hee. Your dad's cute. :)