What makes you a feminist?

[HappyGoLuckyGirl]

And I mean, you, personally?

Tell me the reason(s) you call yourself a feminist. Certain things you do/believe in/think women or men should/ shouldn't be able to do?

I'm trying to work out if I am one or not.

[QueenStromba]

I'm a feminist because I don't think I should be treated any differently because I don't have a penis.

[TheSarcasticFringehead]

I'm purely a feminist because I think everyone should be treated equally, and that means equality between men and women too.

[namechange74]

Because I expect to be treated equally and paid equally to men.

[EBearhug]

For me, it's whenever I'm treated differently simply because I'm female.

The time at school, when the boys were going to be in individual tents, but the girls would be in a large shared tent. (I ended up with my own tent.)

The party I went to, where, in the morning, the father told the girls to do the washing up, and the boys to take down the tent. (I insisted on taking down the tent.)

At work, when I answered a colleague's phone, as he was waiting for a call from a support engineer, and the person on the other end assumed I was a secretary.

At work, when the signs on the door says, "Beware of men working behind doors," as if it's suddenly no hazard if I am the one lifting floor tiles and moving trollies of hardware around.

At work, when a male colleague said, "You can think logically, because you don't have enough hormones."

At work, when I look round, and don't see any other women in a department of 40.

At work, when I have had to fight for a payrise and promotion, even though I outperform most of my male colleagues. (Still working on the promotion.)

These are the main things, but there have been many, many other ones over the years.

[AskBasil]

Because I look about me and see it needs changing.

I can't think of a single good reason for not being a feminist.

[HolofernesesHead]

What makes me a feminist is the glorious freedom of just being able to be me...

...then the soul-destroying moment when someone implies or tells me outright that they are judging me 'as a woman' (I've had this a lot). Sometimes it feels like a straight-jacket.

So I'm a feminist until the glorious freedom of just being able to be me is not only my everyday realty, but the everyday reality of all women everywhere (I'm not holding my breath).

[NotAgainTrevor]

I'm a feminist because I was told that I should make an effort with my appearance and be friendly to everyone and not be rude. I was then accused of dressing suggestively (in a knee length skirt) and being friendly and that is why he followed me and I was raped.

I'm a feminist as I studied a STEM subject and some men on my course always assumed my high marks were due to something other than my ability.

I'm a feminist as the biggest shift in exam marks between genders at my elite Uni was nothing to do with making the subject more accessible to women and everything to do with anonymising exam marking. Womens grades shot up and mens down. This was recently when we supposedly were equal, this was brushed under the carpet.

I'm a feminist due to the way I am treated and the way women in the public eye are treated. The wonderful Mary Beard has been treated hideously solely due to her appearance, but if she was a gorgeous, nubile 25 year old and perfectly turned out she would be derided for not taking her subject seriously. Women cannot win ever.

I'm a feminist as our Prime Minister feels it is acceptable to tell a female minister to "Calm down dear." He would never have spoken to a male MP like this.

I'm a feminist as many self proclaimed "nice guys" think that there are times when they are entitled to sex with a woman.

I'm a feminist as men ask to speak to the man in charge. Despite our roles being clearly introduced nearly all men (and many women) will address questions to my male assistant and not to me. When I answer they will look to my assistant for confirmation that I know about more than just babies, kittens and cupcakes.

I'm a feminist as I use a gender neutral academic title. I have been left sitting in waiting rooms for appointments as people look round the room and see no men so don't even bother asking.

I'm a feminist as FGM and sexual violence is rife throughout the world and I stand with every single one of those women. If it happens to one female then it is an issue for all.

I could go on all night and I am sure everyone else could. We're feminists because women are not some pretty decoration, not an afterthought to be treated like dirt. We are real people and have very right to be equal.

[grimbletart]

I am a feminist because (I hope) I am an intelligent person. Feminism is the logical and rational response to a world that for too long has fucked women over.

[Hazchem]

I'll paraphrase Caitlin Moran here.
DO you have a vagina?
Do you want to be in charge of it?
If you answer yes to the above you are a feminist.


Two years ago I would have said I'm a feminist because I want to because to be equal but shit has gotten progressively worse and I think we need a major change to our system. We actually need structural change which ends the patriarchy before we get anywhere near equal treatment.

[CailinDana]

I am a feminist because I was raped and it took me a long time to recognise that I was raped. Coming to terms with that made me realise how I had not only been treated like shit all my life but that I expected to be treated like shit, so much so that I couldn't see that man didn't have the right to put his dick in me while I was unconscious.

[SconeRhymesWithGone]

I am a feminist because I believe that there is oppression of women throughout all societies, mainly through violence, and so I support the liberation of women.

[MrsTerryPratchett]

It started with my mother, a survivor. Then my childhood, too many people assuming and patronising and patting my head. Then college, where the wonderful Gill Howie tried to get some of the theory into my head. She mostly failed but she left the shape of it there. I didn't realise she had died until I just Googled her. What a loss. It continues because it is everywhere this patriarchy. Women hanging from trees, men taking guns to sorority houses, rape, power and money inequality. I have a daughter.

[Bohemond]

Feminism to me is about choice.

I want to choose my own path and not be judged for it.

My choices might sometimes be considered unfeminist or culturally gender typical but I will defend my right and any body else's right to make that choice.

I don't think we always need to be equal to men - in many things we can be better.

[BillnTedsMostFeministAdventure]

I'm a feminist because the winner of the men's snooker world title gets £250,000 and of the women's gets £400.

That's my reason for this week. I have a different reason each week.

[Hakluyt]

Yesterday, I was a feminist because people on Mumsnet, including apparently, teachers, think it's OK to tell a group of 7 year old girls to go in and change their clothes because the boys were laughing at them showing their pants turning cartwheels and wouldn't stop.

Not sure of my reason today- haven't read Mumsnet/listened to the radio yet.

[skrumle]

i believe we live in a patriarchal society
i believe that is more detrimental to women as a group than it is to men as a group
i'd like that to change
therefore i'm a feminist

it is mostly about the principle for me - i've always had decent men in my life, i've rarely had even inappropriate comments made to me, i've worked in male-dominated fields without a major issue (till my move into my current job which was an interesting start - the first time i've ever really felt disadvantaged by being a woman) but i look around me and i see the inequality everywhere - that's not the world i want to live in.

[NormaStanleyFletcher]

For all of the reasons above and...

Because I have a daughter abd I worry about the society/ world that she is growing up in.

[Hakluyt]

For all the reasons above- and because I have a son and I worry about the world he is growing up in.

[Callani]

I'm a feminist because I don't believe someone's rights and worth as a human being should be determined by their genitals.

Also because I refuse to deal with misogynistic BS on a daily basis.

[HaroldsBishop]

Because if Scudamore's emails had been racist rather than sexist, he would have been sacked faster than you can say "slimy pr*ck".

[AskBasil]

I like the fact that there is a new reason every day.

[AskBasil]

Or rather, I don't like the fact, but YKWIM

[ManAliveThisThingsFantastic]

I'm a feminist as I don't believe someones worth should be determined by what is in their pants! By that I mean a vagina or a penis. Also because, I don't want my future children to grow up in a world that believes the above.

[AbbeyBartlet]

I appreciate the work that was done previously by feminists as I believe that people should be paid the same pay for the same job, everyone should be allowed to vote regardless of their gender etc. However I would never want to identify myself as one due to the more "extreme" opinions (eg PIV sex is always rape etc) that seem to be prevalent.

I see a lot of threads on this board about how appalling things are for women still but, having never actually experienced misogyny at any level in my life, I am unable to relate to that. I went to see Germaine Greer speak a few years ago but it was a waste of money.

[Hazchem]

AbbeyBartlet This T-shirt is about the female deputy opposition leader in Australia. It is in response to a Fuck Abbott (the prime minister) notice the T shirt doesn't say Fuck Shorten the Opposition leader.
That is misogyny.