Feminism yay!

[alexiscartwheel]

From an interview with Lauren Laverne in the Guardian:

Are you a feminist?

Yes, of course. I know why you're asking it, because people now say no. But how stupid do you have to be to say, "No, I believe in gender inequality"?

Exactly! I do not understand when women say that they are not feminists. Ladies, it just does not make sense!

Comments

[mysticalchild_isis]

So much word.

[tsukara.livejournal.com]

Well, to play devil's advocate here for a moment, I myself have shied away from using the word because there are negative connotations that have gotten attached to the word in some peoples minds. This idea of the man-hating, anti-girly-stuff, screaming straw feminist that is an image both entirely untrue, and far more visible than I wish it was.

Which is why, for a long time, and still on occasion, I like the word 'egalitarian' or 'equalist' better. Simply because it doesn't have quite so many negative connotations attached in the minds of people.

So, saying I don't like the word feminist doesn't mean I don't believe in gender equality, it simply means I dislike the negative connotations of that word and don't want to be reduced, in any debate setting, to nothing more than a straw feminist.

[alexiscartwheel.livejournal.com]

I think the type of woman she's referring to is not like you. They're the ones who say that inequality doesn't exist anymore, and that all feminists are bitter, ugly, man-hating, lesbian shrews... the image that you recognize and reject. I can see how choosing alternate terminology could release you from others' snap judgments and actually give you a chance to to share your views and hopefully enlighten them. It's difficult to get good work done when you're dismissed before you can state your case.

On the other hand, I truly believe that more women (and men, because men can be feminists too) who believe in the ideals of feminism need to own the word. The more people voluntarily identify themselves as feminist, the greater chance there is of breaking through the horrible feminists stereotypes. Unfortunately, in the interim, it means facing a lot of idiocy.

[tsukara.livejournal.com]

Oh, of course it exists. And when I know I'm not going to be shouted down, or shunted aside by people who hold such stupid stereotypes, I am more than willing to claim the word feminist for myself. Or bringing it into a debate once the terms of what equality is, what I'm standing for, have been established, that goes a long way towards breaking down those stereotypes.

But simply going 'if you don't use the word feminist, you believe in gender inequality' seems a bit... well, a bit of an over-simplification. She seems like a very smart and clever woman, in the interview, but that one answer does make me pause a bit.

[ex-jo-blogs.livejournal.com]

I ♥ Lauren Laverne - thanks for the link. Women who shy away from the word feminist are caught in the trap of believing what they're told, instead of defining things for themselves. And of course, you're absolutely right, there's nothing incompatible with being male and being a feminist either. You might enjoy this article (http://www.thefword.org.uk/features/2009/07/confessions_of) - it's quite well written.

I seem to recall you ask me about this icon a while back and I forgot to reply - it's not mine, I *think* I nicked it from someone at http://community.livejournal.com/gradschool_hell

[alexiscartwheel.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the link! That article sums up a lot of pretty common attitudes.

"There is a growing belief in the younger generation that we have out-grown feminism: that it is no longer a valid cause to fight."

I know so many people who believe this, which I find pretty depressing.