where did you learn about feminism?

Here, on MN. After attending a terrifying lecture about porn and the sexualisation of girls I started reading threads here, I've got some feminist books on order and I have joined a local collective.
And I am realising I have been subjected to sexism and mysogyny in my life - I just didnt recognise them.

I have three daughters, I want to learn so that I can educate them.

On MN. I was one of those girls who would never, ever admit to being a feminist as I had bought into the myth that feminism was shouty, angry, hairy wimmin with a grudge against men. I should admit the first few times I saw some of the wonderful MN feminist poste in other areas of the site I was rolling my eyes a lot.

Then I actually came on to the FWR board and started reading, then nodding along, then joining in, then reading some suggested blogs and books and now boring my friends about it all. It's changed me and how I think about the world and how I'll parent my dc.

Here on MN really, and largely due to encountering Dittany elsewhere on the site.

I was brought up with strong feminist principles but in a very non-academic way. The only time my gender was ever allowed to influence my decision making was going on the pill, but this was just the way it was in my house - there were no discussions about feminism or women's rights, just a blanket rule that men and women were equal and should have equal opportunities. TBH I tended to view feminists as dungaree-wearing 'strident' types, and didn't really identify as a feminist, though I'm sure other people would have seen me as one.

Looking back, the sort of feminism I was brought up with was somewhat derisory of traditionally female roles, such as being a SAHM, and viewed equality as giving women the opportunity to behave like men and therefore achieve the same rewards as men. I never saw it in this framework however until I started reading more on Dittany's recommendation.

By this time I'd also had my own children and realised that despite having things go swimmingly for me in the past by behaving in a more male-like way, having children completely altered the playing field and left me struggling to manage both financially and practically, as well as having a crisis in identity. At the same time, I was in no doubt that having DC was the best thing I've ever done and I was hugely conflicted about the whole thing. Discovering radical feminism was like a sensation of coming home for me. It's one of the reasons I am so grateful to, and will always think so highly of, Dittany, who can be credited with setting me on this path.

Despite having no money and no career to speak of, I can honestly say that at no time in my life have I known myself as well as I do know and at no time have I ever felt the peace I know now. And feminism is responsible for that. (but not before going through a mad, angry phase for a while first ).

I credit my godfather for getting me started. When I was 16 or so he sent me a bunch of seminal works he thought I should read. One of them was The Female Eunuch. (There was also The Communist Manifesto in there and goodness know what else. He is a very cool godfather :) )

At the foot of my mum's desk, at the school gates, in classes, at friends' houses, in the park, at the next door neighbours' house, visiting relatives... Lots of places.
Then I was exposed to different 'versions' through academia.
Also developed my own 'theories' whilst generally out and about. And I still do.

I am 48, btw, so the university stuff was early 80s feminism, which is why I get a bit deja vued out on some of the threads round here.

Oh. Well.

Read my parents' copy of The Second Sex when I was, what, 12?

Read my parents' copy of The Female Eunuch not long afterwards.

Got involved in stuff like women's aid, reclaim the night marches and so on in my year off before university.

Got more involved in other women's stuff at university...

My parents are both feminists so I grew up thinking that was the norm. The real world was sometimes a bit of a shock.

Ecofeminists are a branch I had no idea existed, so still learning.

I didn't identiify myself as a feminist until I started reading alot of the feminist stuff on here. In retrospect most of my views as a teenager etc were quite feminist even though my mother is a MAFMWAFV believer and still feels that maybe 'it's all gone a bit too far' .