The F Word
 

What do you girls think of feminism?
I used to think that feminists were all radical feminists, or annoying, or both. I used to be one of those uneducated people who thought that all feminists did was male bash and get offended at meaningless sexist jokes.
Recently I've met two of the most amazing people I've ever met. They are beautiful and intelligent and kind and sexual and everything I strive to be. And they don't hate men and they laugh at dumb jokes. But, oh my goodness, they're feminists!! One of the girls is my prof in a women's psychology course. And suddenly I have this new perspective on what feminism is. And I have this weird new like female pride thing that's inside of me all the time. I was just wondering where the rest of you are at, because being on this forum makes me think of my new feminism and how much I love it.

There's different "flavors" of feminism. From what I remember, there's bourgeois, difference, radical, and post feminism. Bourgeois feminists believe that there's no difference between men and women (besides biological) and that men have more power because they have more resources (a clash of social classes), and that men and women would be more equal if they had more resources - i.e. jobs, capital, etc. In other words, the pie needs to be divided equally by giving women more positions of power and capital. Difference feminism is the idea that men and women are different, and that the qualities of men are over-valued and women's qualities are under-valued - i.e. morality. If you've heard of Gilligan's study of morality, her study found that men think more abstractly and by principles, while women are more emotional and situational. Radical feminism basically think that men are never going to give up power or change, and that since we can't get rid of men, it is necessary to start a separate community of women that excludes men - i.e. all-women run businesses, etc. The thing that most people forget when they think of radical feminism is that men can be feminists too. Post feminism is the belief that it's all been fixed, that women are liberated enough to exercise their sexual power freely (sort of a cultural identity crisis of contradictions in popular culture of what's desireable and what's not).

That said, I'm all for social parity, but I don't know how likely it is to happen.

I used to consider myself a feminist. I believed that boys and girls are the same -- that parents cause the differences by raising them differently. Now that I've raised 3

I used to consider myself a feminist. I believed that boys and girls are the same -- that parents and society cause the differences by raising them differently. Now that I've raised 3 boys and 2 girls; believe me, there is a difference! Biology plays a large part in those differences. My boys are all young adults and I have definate feelings around the HUGE power that woman have over men. Yes, men and woman should have the same basic human rights, but woman should not have the power to manipulate man through her "rights." It is very scary the number of woman who are willing to call "sexual harassment" in order to get their way.

So, open sexually -- yes! Believe that woman should get equal pay for equal jobs -- yes! Believe that there are basic differences between men and woman that should be embraced and celebrated -- yes! Feminist -- I don't know anymore.

looking at these categories of feminism, i think my views are the closest to 'difference' feminism. when most people think of feminism, they probably think about the radical feminists. the "feminazis" that give (IMO) feminism a bad name. there are all kinds of feminists, just like people. some anti-porn, some pro-porn.. etc. we don't all have the same views. but we fight or believe in equality.

Im a feminist but i do think that some other feminists go too far and treat men in the way that feminists don't want to be treated by them.

I think that women are very powerful and that has frightened men into controlling them throughout history if that makes any sense.

Im a feminist, I used to be lesbian seperatist, now Im just a moderate to extreme feminist. I have plenty of male friends (both gay and straight), but the power disparity bothers me. Also, the ever increasing violence worlwide against women is extremely scary to me.

I go to a very conservative school, live in a remarkably conservative state. Yet it's pretty interesting looking at the history of things around here... to see that we were one of the first states to have women involved politically and in the career world... and now to see the captivity women face around here...

It's interesting how things change.

I'm a feminist. I've said it flat out to a lot of people here (Utah) and get flack. I work with men. I enjoy it. But i'm a woman and I'm willing to share it.

I'm a feminist because I believe that women must embrace their feminine traits. I believe that women have a right to be women, to be respected, to be listened to. We know what's going on in the lives of those around us. We are capable of making great and beautiful changes to the world by pooling our resources. We deserve to be more than just slaves in our homes and to our families.

Funny, the rest of the nation seems to get it. Why is Utah so far behind?

It's difficult to say you're a feminist without giving a subcategory and even a monologue of explanation, but yes, i'm a feminist too. My personal attitude resembles that of Litespeed.

What is unfourtunate about being a feminist is that the immediate impression is that you're a militant b*tch. It's such a disappointing double standard since there's hardly any sort of those feminists around anyway, but there's still plenty of male chauvinist pigs...but the immediate [and reasonable] impression is that not all men are pigs. Sigh.

i appriciate all of your answers. i just really wanted to get everyone's idea on this fairly broad topic, as i am just now being exposed to it. i especially liked litespeed's post, i think i agree with her the most for where i'm at now.

Re: The F Word
 

honestly?

i avoid thinking about it.

why? because of all the negative associations with it, either in my mind or in general/society.

and, i guess it doesn't really have a place in my scheme of things.

(yeah perhaps i'm just playing ostrich, sticking my head in the sand..i kno there are problems in the world with disparity and such, and that does generally seem totally utterly wrong to me...)

anyways, i personally just believe there's men and there's women. different but equal. 50/50. i embrace the masculine just as much as i embrace the feminine.

:shrug:

:)