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Original poster

I've got quite a simple question that I just can't answer - why would a woman not be a feminist?

317 replies

MarionCole · 17/03/2011 22:49

Surely everyone wants equality of opportunity, don't they?

Would appreciate the opinions of those feminists far wiser than I.

OP posts:
elvisgirl · 18/03/2011 07:57

Fundamentalist religious sects, & even not so fundamentalist ones.

colditz · 18/03/2011 07:54

cognitive dissonance

Goblinchild · 18/03/2011 07:52

I am a feminist, but I also use the 'What about the menz?' argument too often not to be shot down.
I also expect women as adults to be responsible for deciding whether or not to stay in situations that are unacceptable. Which can be controversial.

alexpolismum · 18/03/2011 07:44

you get a lot of that sort of thing, gorionine.

women who are told that SAHMs can't be feminists, or somesuch. I was told only recently that I couldn't be a feminist as I have 3 children, and apparently having several children is oppressing me. I just shrug and ignore that sort of thing.

gorionine · 18/03/2011 06:47

sorry for typos, breakfast and MN do not mix too well.

gorionine · 18/03/2011 06:45

Going on a personal experience here but although I had feminist opinion I was always told (on here in particular but before there was a specific "feminist" thread) that because of my personal choices I could not possibly be a feminist so I believed them, I thought they obviously new better than me andI was not a feminist and I was 'letting own the side'. It took actually going in the feminist thread once it exist to see that I am indeed a feminist.

Goblinchild · 18/03/2011 06:32

Because they think being a feminist involves angry polemic and a narrow focus.They see themselves as unable or unwilling to lead the charge, crushing all opposition in their path.

alexpolismum · 18/03/2011 04:54

because they think that being a feminist means wearing dungarees and being a man-hater

MitchiestInge · 17/03/2011 23:42

well by good at I suppose I mean how consistent my behaviour is with my beliefs

sethstarkaddersmackerel · 17/03/2011 23:39

oh Mitchy!
it is not something to not be good at, it is about your beliefs, not how good you are at anything.
and it is a journey and people are at different stages in it.

tethersend · 17/03/2011 23:38

Ironically, because men don't like feminism.

MitchiestInge · 17/03/2011 23:37

depends what you mean by not be a feminist, I'm reluctant to describe myself as one because it's something else to not be very good at, instead admiring other people for doing it so well

but at same time couldn't say 'am not a feminist' or pretend the work has been done, as it just so patently has barely begun

sethstarkaddersmackerel · 17/03/2011 23:36

because some of the inequality is so ingrained they think it's natural and normal and entirely the result of women's choice
some of it, they just haven't run into yet (eg with young women pre-kids who don't know about the discrimination that hits you when you have a family and stop being seen as attractive)
so they think we have equality and there is nothing to worry about.
that is why I think 'The Equality Illusion' was a brilliant title for a book on why we still need feminism.

thenightsky · 17/03/2011 23:32

I have what I thought were perfectly intelligent friends who say things like...'oooh all this equality thing has gone too far' Shock

When I challenge them I find they haven't even considered it properly.

So, it is lack of reasoning and ordered thought. IMO

BarryShitpeas · 17/03/2011 23:29

I have no fecking idea

Albrecht · 17/03/2011 23:19

Ignorance

Grevling · 17/03/2011 23:17

Some people think (rightly or wrongly) that the way the world is works good and doesn't need to change. Out of ~3 billion females there is bound to be 1.

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