Monday, January 29, 2007

The F-Word

Is it such a big deal? Feminism? And no we’re not all a bunch of angry dykes.

We’re women and men that stand for equality among the sexes in all facets of life.

Feminism is still very relevant today, as women are constantly disempowered through our patriarchal society.

My friend once told me that she saw a bumper sticker that read “feminism is just the radical idea that women are human beings.”

I love that. And yes we’re out there. Feminists, that is, in all shapes and sizes, backgrounds of life, races, and religious views. In my mind, everyone should be a feminist.

There are various kinds of feminists, and I’m not quite sure which category I fit into.

As for now I’m just rallying for feminism as a whole. It fascinates me. And some people aren’t even aware of the inequality of women and men and don’t even recognize it when disempowerment is happening in random situations.

Hey check this out Are you a Feminist?

I guess I just don’t understand how women, can’t be feminist….not even that, women who are against feminism. How does that happen?

As for me, well I’m not afraid to be called the F-word.


3 comments:

HannahKat23 said...

THE MOVEMENT IS GLOBAL! Are you in The Sisterhood???

CHECK IT OUT:

http://www.sigi.org

GET MORE INFO:

http://www.feminist.com/resources/artspeech/inter/sisterhood.htm

BECOME A PART OF THE MOVEMENT:

http://home.vicnet.net.au/~globalsn

theCougar said...

leave it to dubbs to keep me up to date with the world..thanks girl!

Anonymous said...

I can think of two reasons woman don't call themselves Feminists:

1) There has been a spin placed on what feminism means by some, especially some conservative folk. Rush Limbaugh calls feminists "feminazis". And although you might not listen to Rush, a lot of people in this great nation of ours do. And the vast redness of the middle section of our country hears bits and pieces in the background, and people realize it's best not to call oneself something so controversial.

2) What about this abortion issue -- it's essentially connected to feminism, right? Well now you lost all your practicing Catholics, and your religious Protestants, your Orthodox Jews and almost all Muslims. Because in their mind, life begins at conception, and they are just defending lives. Dogma? Perhaps. But I also think that on the part of the great Feminist thinker-leaders, there is some dogma also. I don't think the issues are inseparable.

That reminds me, I saw a book called "The New Thought Police" by Tammy Bruce, a feminist. It had a subchapter entitled "The Hijacking of Feminism". It starts, "As a feminist who seeks to act on her principles, I believe that women, and the men and children who love and count on them, deserve nothing less than an effort concentrated on improving the quality of woman’s lives. In all its simplicity, this is the most basic of feminist ideals – but it is not the ideal of today’s alleged feminist leaders. Do not be mistaken: what Gloria Steinem, Molly Yard, Patricia Ireland and all the rest have presented to you over the last 15 years (at least) has not been feminist theory."

I think this is interesting, because then you would have to add a part b. to 1) above, why woman don’t call themselves feminists:

1) b. ) There has been a spin placed on what feminism means by some, including some liberal folk.