Oh, hey, this was definitely not meant to be an attack on anyone for feeling what they do. *Pets* Writing it as standup, in fact, is my way of putting it into non-threatening format, meant to amuse while presenting my vague opinion. *grins* You are completely entitled to interpret feminism any way you want, still, and it's all fine with me.
Where this came from is a cross between all the feminism links that have been exploding of the flist over the past few days, and a seminar I had the other day in which my tutor asked us straight out how many of us were feminists. We are a class full of girls, all studying women's history (and therefore, knowing about the different waves of the 'official' movement, and I was the only one to instantly put my hand up. And then we went into a full discussion of how we define it - so don't worry, I do think about the many different associations the word has.
I used the dictionary definition here because - well, simple, conversation, hopefully amusing format; I didn't want to get too complex while I was explaining... but also because I don't consider the 'insane, men-hating anger' you referred to to be feminism. I just don't. Some self-defined feminists may exhibit it, but that's misandry, opposite of misogyny, and just as unhelpful when it comes to negotiating actual equality, which is what I see as they key element of true feminism. By my definition, everyone who believes men and women are equal, I will incidentally count as a feminist, male or female though they be - you're equally welcome to believe that they're not unless they identify that way. That's how I roll, it's all about what the person currently expressing ther opinion believes. :) Of course, if that opinion happens to be... Um, I don't know, that all green-eyes people are made of SATAN, then everyone else is entitled to believe that they are morons.
*Waves hand* That's just how I work, when I get off my arse long enough to say anything. It's the historian in me. So long as it's just opinion, you can say most anything. (And then someone else can come along and prove you wrong. It's the circle of academia!)
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2008-04-29 10:39 pm (UTC)Where this came from is a cross between all the feminism links that have been exploding of the flist over the past few days, and a seminar I had the other day in which my tutor asked us straight out how many of us were feminists. We are a class full of girls, all studying women's history (and therefore, knowing about the different waves of the 'official' movement, and I was the only one to instantly put my hand up. And then we went into a full discussion of how we define it - so don't worry, I do think about the many different associations the word has.
I used the dictionary definition here because - well, simple, conversation, hopefully amusing format; I didn't want to get too complex while I was explaining... but also because I don't consider the 'insane, men-hating anger' you referred to to be feminism. I just don't. Some self-defined feminists may exhibit it, but that's misandry, opposite of misogyny, and just as unhelpful when it comes to negotiating actual equality, which is what I see as they key element of true feminism. By my definition, everyone who believes men and women are equal, I will incidentally count as a feminist, male or female though they be - you're equally welcome to believe that they're not unless they identify that way. That's how I roll, it's all about what the person currently expressing ther opinion believes. :) Of course, if that opinion happens to be... Um, I don't know, that all green-eyes people are made of SATAN, then everyone else is entitled to believe that they are morons.
*Waves hand* That's just how I work, when I get off my arse long enough to say anything. It's the historian in me. So long as it's just opinion, you can say most anything. (And then someone else can come along and prove you wrong. It's the circle of academia!)