Please guys as well as women answer - Do you consider yourself a feminist? What is your definition of a feminist?
Yes, I am a feminist. A feminist is anyone who believes women are equal and deserve equality in all ways. I grew up in a family with strong women, I married one, and my daughter is one. In a lot of ways, they are stronger and better than I am.
yes. Political, economic and social equality for all sexes. I am wondering if the reason for it to take so long to furthur the sexes equilibrium was largely due to christianity. The teachings in the bible are pretty clear about man having the most responsibility in the relationship. Women played a submissive and dependent role to the man.
A feminist is someone who rejects the general assumption in most of today's civilizations that women are lesser. Yes, I am a feminist.
I am, but would like to see the term changed. I am all for totaly equality in everything,
But the term "feminism" allows people to make false claims about what it means.
What does it mean to you?
@TerriCity To me it was originally meant to mean equal right for women, in Oz we have EEO, equal employment opportunities, that is specifically to ensure equal opportunities for woman in addition to any other anti discrimination legislation. We have another term here called "feminazi" which is where things go over the top, man hating men are bad etc. Many people consider them one and the same, which is why I would like different terminology.
I believe in Equality, not necessarily Exact Sameness, but certainly Balance. Do I support Women? Absolutely! Do I want them to have the same opportunities as Men? You Bet! Do I Admire and Respect women? Yes! and Yes! If you mean Femenist in these terms then yes I am am a feminist.
On the otherhand, If you believe it is necessary to tear men down in order to lift women up or treat men as abusers and women as victims then NO, I am not a feminist.
Interesting that you think some people's idea of being a feminist includes such a negative treatment of men. I wouldn't have thought that and find it sad that this kind of thinking is thought to be a part of being feminist.
@TerriCity Sad, but true. Ask any man who has had his life ruined by false allegations from minor in Divorce and Custody Cases to Major in Sexual Assault. Slutwalk for example views all men a sexual preditors and abusers. and Personally shames them if they say anything about a woman being a responsible adult (Your Blaming the Victim). Others attack therapists who are helping men break from abusive women (try to shame the man, saying he is responsible for the abuse).
@Humanity4all Interesting. I have never heard of slutwalk but I can say first of all I don't like the name. It is true that there are rare cases of a man being accused falsely but it is much more frequent (or has been until the #metoo movement) that shaming or blaming women victims of harassment or rape occurs. I know that in those few reverse cases, this is very difficult for the man and I empathize, just as it is harder in some ways for male victims of domestic abuse. A therapist shaming an abuse victim for being abused is reprehensible. Feminism in it's truest meaning calls for an end to any abuse or inequity. Preventing abuse of women does not mean it is ok for men to suffer from similar attacks on their person or dignity.
I don't like calling myself an "ist" anything. It puts me in a box and sorry but I am a human being not an intellectual sterotype.
There are many definitions of feminism. You could probably split them into 3 main definitions
1 gender equality
2 empowerment of women
3 hatred of men
I am all for the first 2
Yes, too many people treat it like a dirty word. The belief that women and men are equal and deserve to be treated as such.
I liked the feminism where there were to be equal rights and more rights for both genders - things like equal pay for equal work, and men get paternity leave just like women get maternity leave - but I'm uncomfortable with the amount of misandry that is creeping into the movement. Not all feminists are like that, but enough are that I'm not so sure that I want to be associated with those. For example, while men do need to allow a woman to speak, that does not mean that men should not have a voice, too. Plus, there are tiny things that undermine men, like telling them that nurturing and compassion are them bringing out their feminine side - but that things like taking charge are part of being a woman. No one would suggest that a woman applying for a promotion at work was an example of her bringing out her masculine side, so why not admit that nurturing and compassion are part of being a man?
I'd rather embrace humanism than feminism.
Somewhat - believe should have amendment to constitution stating so.
We needed one more state to have the Amendment adopted to our Constitution. Illinois was the state and had a state ERA. Had to be a sure thing, right? It did not get the Illinois vote & still we are not free.
Strange to be asked, in a way, as I am not in that kind of circuit any more - I used to be a very headstrong feminist but moved from England to N.Ireland and lost most of my contacts with radicals. I'm not sure that much feminism exists here for me anyway - The polarisation is less male female than catholic / church of Ireland, Inside I am feisty; 'outside' nowhere to go with it !