Questions - Feminism, capitalism and the church

[MosEisley]

I've never posted on this part of MN before but I have a few questions about feminism generally. If anyone here can help me then I'd be interested to hear your answers!

1. How do I know if I am a 'feminist'? Is it just a fundamental belief in the equality of women or is there something more?
   
   
2. Some reading I did last year seemed to suggest that feminism and capitalism are contradictory. Is this true and if so, how?
   I can see that some aspects of our 'capitalist' society repress women (like the obsession with economic value and contradictory attitudes towards mothers), but as far as I can tell there isn't any good alternative to a free market system for distribution of goods and services. Although obviously we need to use taxation and legislation to protect and support those who need it.
   
   
3. I have a good friend who I think is a feminist and also a Chrisitan. Yet Christianity seems quite patriarcal and frankly sexist to me. Are these two beliefs reconcilable?
   
   Hope to learn something today!

[AliceWorld]

Not got long so short reply, but...

1. Yes equality of people regardless of sex. There's then different flavours of feminism that think different things, but equality is the underpinning of it all.
   
2. Depends on your flavour of feminism. Frequently yes, intrinsically no.
   
3. Again depends and frequently people agree with your analysis, some don't.
   

There aren't really straightforward answers to your second two questions. We've had threads on such stuff though. Gotta run as I shouldn't really be on here...

[MosEisley]

Hey, thanks for your answers.

1. ok, that is fairly clear. So I am a femminist. I just don't know which sort yet!
   
   
2. Thanks Prolesworth, that does make sense to me, although I need to think about it more. It sounds like we live in a society that is capitalist - or at least is supposed to be (sometimes it just seems, well, corrupt), and is also oppressing women, but the relationship between the two isn't exactly clear.
   
   
3. I'm sure that there are large overlaps in the two worldviews which aren't in conflict. I have / have had lots of religious friends and lots of friends who I suppose I would class as liberal and femminist. It just surprises me sometimes that this particular friend who is also quite intellectual doesn't seem to question the rituals of her religion much. Maybe I should ask her about it!
   
   Alice, thanks I did look through recent threads for these topics but didn't see them. I should spend a bit more time doing more thorough searchs.

[Guildenstern]

I'd like to add in my two penn'orth about number three.

I am a feminist and a Christian. I mentally separate 'everything that has been/is being done in the name of Christianity' and 'Christianity as I read it in the Bible'.
The first category of course contains lots of stuff that as a feminist I find outrageous. The second category doesn't and that is why I don't have a problem with both sets of beliefs.

I do realise that not everyone would agree that such a separation is even possible.

[AMumInScotland]

I agree with Guildenstern - IMHO if you do Christianity properly, it's completely compatible with feminism. It should be about equality before God. "In Christ there is neither male nor female, slave nor free"

However, Christianity as it is done in practice is very varied, so it can be a struggle to find a denomination or individual church where you see equality in action.

If your friend identifies herself as a feminist, I would hope that she has taken a good long look at her denomination to see whether it teaches equality or not. She doesn't have to leave if it doesn't, but she should at least be trying to do something about changing it!

[MillyR]

While the exploitation of women can occur without capitalism, it is doubtful that capitalism can exist without the oppression of women.

Obviously you don't need to be opposed to capitalism to be a feminist; liberal feminists generally look to make changes to the existing system to make things fairer for women.

I also don't think that being opposed to capitalism means that you want to see it removed entirely. An alternative is to believe that capitalism is only useful for items that are not essential, but does not have the proper mechanisms in place to organise or distribute essential services like clean water, a stable climate, the reproduction of people, forests or global agricultural land.

[MosEisley]

Wow, great answers! They make me feel like I haven't properly made my mind up about anything. I've been thinking all my life and still haven't come up with a coherent world view.

AMuminScotland - my friend doesn't make a point of being a femminist but I am sure that by Prolesworth's definition she is one. Her career and writing is a good indicator. She is a Roman Catholic (good luck to her changing that, then!)

Milly, all of what you said strikes a chord with me. When you say 'it is doubtful that capitalism can exist without the oppression of women', can you expand a bit on why - what the link is?

My Dad will be a bit surprised that I have so much more material for our next argument debate.

[AliceWorld]

MosEisley - just to say I wasn't saying 'go away and search the boards' more that they're pertinent questions that we discuss and have whole long threads which shows how complex they are and I suppose also hang around for a while to get answers to your questions. Which I would say will end up evolving from you rather than being given to you, if that makes sense.