What does someone actually mean when they say "I'm not a feminist"?

Abused children not being believed and DV going unreported are all part and parcel of the same problem though. The reason there are problems with these specific crimes is because we live in a patriarchal society. Get rid of the patriarchal ideas and a lot of those things will improve.

ISNT I don't read it that way at all. To me all crime conviction rates are equally important. I think they all need improving, I think there are flaws in the system.

This isn't the same as saying that all crimes are equal. Obviously rape is worse than littering.

I also don't generally say to people in RL that I'm a feminist - I think you are right kaloki that it can cause more problems. Which is a shame.

I think people guess though when I espouse my more extreme views, like, women should be paid the same as men for the same work

Lenin I'm happy to just do what I can without going through all the fuss about whether my particular points of view are feminist enough or not.

And by just not saying I'm a feminist I actually find it easier to challenge things, because it does away with the "you're biased" accusation that some people throw about. While people are wrong to be stupid about feminism, I'm more interested in equality, than reclaiming what feminism means, if that makes sense? I think sometimes bringing the word feminism or feminist into a debate can derail it sometimes.

Whereas people don't have their own misconceptions about equality, so I find it's easier to persuade people of different viewpoints without handing them the chance to pull out their own bias against feminism.

Yes, and I don't understand how any women can care as much about convictions for littering or breaking into a car, as for rape.

That comment to me also says that the writer does not believe there are any inherent problems with the way the police and CPS handle rape - that all crimes are handled with the same level of care and competence across the board. There does not seem to be room to acknowledge the specific problems with the way rape complaints are handled. The implication, to me, is that all crimes are the same, and are handled the same. I don't believe that is true, and I don't understand how others can think it is true.

"It seems to be though that feminism goes beyond the prinicple that men and women are equal though - you have to accept that this is not so, that things are really awful, that sexism is rife in every area of life, that you are being discriminated against everywhere you go and in everything you try to do. And if you say, "Well, actually, I don't think that's the quite the case" then you are immediately disqualified."

No - the only thing which may possibly disqualify you would be an insistence that everything is lovely - the best in the best of all possible worlds. That all the battles have been won, equality is here and there is no need for any more action.

You're referring to this aren't you?
"I do not care about rape conviction statistics any more than I care about any other crime conviction statistics"

I read that as caring about all crime convictions equally, not as not caring about rape convictions.

I don't really care if people identify as feminist or not. I do care when people out and out deny that there is any need for feminism any more. And that as men and women are already equal, women who are still feminists must want to rule the world or something.

Because things aren't equal and I find it mind-boggling that people can't see it.

Kaloki my comments were more aimed at people who specifically say that everything is fine, there are no problems in the UK, men and women are equal, nothing needs to be changed. Trying to draw attention to some of the more obvious things and ask, how can you not see a problem there - a problem which is obviously gendered.

I do care but i am not active.I am not proud of this just stating a fact.

Feninism is global though, surely no-one would deny that there are problems around the world when it comes to how women live and are treated?

I find this disconnect between "us" and "them" quite odd TBH - please will read something about a different country and say it's terrible but when something similar happens here everyone says it's not a problem.

Why does someone have to identify themselves as a feminist to care about these things?

As a woman, how can you not care about the way that rape complaints are mishandled though?

Have you seen the thread on here where there were over 1000 posts of women recounting their experiences, the vast majority of them had not gone to the police as they knew there was no point. How is that not a problem? Or is it just not your problem?

Maybe some people feel no need to have a label because they feel 'equal'already .I know that my friends and I are all independent financially and emotionally in and out of relationships and the workplace and are content with that.Obviously there is ingrained sexism everywhere but eroding that takes time which is why gradually things have changed which is why I have the life I have.I think the academia of this can sometimes seem aggressive and a bit over the head of your average woman just getting on with it.I am v interested in Dittanys POV and it has alerted me to many things but I am probably one of many who feels things are moving in teh right direction and although it is slow I am not affected enough by the wider political issues to do anything active about it.

" woman in some parts of the world have a shit life because the system they live under believes that women are not equal to men. This is not the case in the UK, nor in any other civilised, Western country."

Funny funny joke!

Because you have to be kidding, yes? Civilised western countries do not objectify women, pay them less, strip them (close to) naked to sell just about anything, have massively disproportionate amount of men in ALL of the top jobs..etc etc?

Sexism is rife, alive and well in the 21st century. Its just so acceptable, even to women, that a lot of it goes un-noticed. We teach our girls that they have gained every equality, when a cursory look around shows this to be untrue.