Why so many female critics of feminism?

A lot of women are sufficiently educated and self-aware to know that men are not the root cause of all their problems.

Yes that point about dispaying other people's sexuality is exactly right.

Great first thread, and thanks for the book recommendation.

I find it interesting that you also get some anti-feminist thinking from women who have succeeded in traditionally male spheres. They made it there, and now they want to pull up the drawbridge, so to speak, and are worse to the younger women than many of the male bosses are. My thinking on this suggests that this is partly because when these women look back on the huge sacrifices they had to make and the rubbish with which they had to put up from men to get there, it perhaps seems unfair to see younger women not have to struggle quite so hard. It's sad that this is often the case.

And the "displaying sexuality" thing winds me up a bit. Too often I think that this is a case of women displaying other peoples' sexuality, if you see what I mean, like the way most new female pop singers seem to think (based on video clips) that they can't succeed unless they "dress for the lads". This appears to be getting worse, not better.

Sakura, you and I often disagree, so can I pop in here and say that I think your above posts are just brilliant.

equal pay for equal work

Yes, Welcome SDG

THat sounds really interesting about being able to judge women by the mannerisms.

On that note, I do think there is hope in the fact that women are part of the problem in perpetuating patriarchy. I mean, it's hopeful because it's got to be easier to get through to them about these sort of things.

I can't stand it when a woman judges the state of another woman's house. God, that's playing into the hands of patriarchy if nothing else is. If the woman has a H, he is half responsible for the mess. BUt lots of women see housework as being women's lot: otherwise they're slack and slovenly.

no physical labour, just brainpower

Soupdragon, interpret my point however you like. I'm saying that the contrubution that women make when it comes to perpetuating the human race is far far greater.

WOmen have always contributed more, and worked harder, than men.
Do you think that men have made scientific discoveries and great works of literature over the centuries because they're more intelligent than women?
I don'T. I think it's because they always got women to clean up the messes they should have been cleaning up themselves. Women were working: cooking, reproducing and doing the bulk of the work required to sustain civilization, while they were lazing around on their arses philosophizing.

And here's the thing. Some misguided women now apparently believe that if women want to be regarded as equal to men, they've got to work 'as hard as men', even harder than they already have done. Men have always had the cushy jobs that require no physical labor brainpower, women have always done the lowly, back-breaking labour.

So I would say that women and men are not equal, and men aren't doing much to change my perception of that. Not in their contribution, not biologically. I have not seen anything that proves to me that they are equal. Women now have the 'right' to equal work for equal pay. Whoop-ee-doo.

What about women's unpaid contribution of pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding.
I'll tell you how the patriarchy see it: they regard it as inferiour work.

So, Sakura, you are saying that women are better than men if we're not equal.

SWD, that book sounds very interesting, what's it called or can you link to it?

No, it's not equal at all. If you want to equate having sex with pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding, then you and I are living on two different planets.

And are you saying that what women do is not equal to what men do?

"Why should women pretendalong with men that what women do is in any way similar or "equal" to what men do. THey create life, and they should be respected for their work."

Last time i looked, it took both a man and a woman to create life.

I'm not promoting the name Equalism, I'm just pointing out that Feminism, as a word, is seen as anti-men. It's semantics, but possibly goes a little way to explaining antifeminist viewpoints.

Good idea, posieparker, but what's in a name?

They had to change it from WOmen's LIberation because that was used in a derogatory way (Libbers)

Now 'feminist' is used in a derogatory way

It doesn't matter how many times we change it

Perhaps something that addresses what feminism is against as opposed to an easily misinterpreted name would be good. Anti Patriarchal movement?

Equalism is a meaningless name. It could be applied to the struggle for any minority trying to gain rights. If feminists used that term they would be criticised by every other social justice campaign.

Sakura, I am not projecting my own issues. I am not a SAHM. I simply have heard and read many SAHM feel this way.

The OP was asking why some women are critics of feminism, and I am suggesting why. It does not mean that I personally feel that way.

The image of feminism and the reality of feminism are different things.
Given that no one is obliged to become involved in, or learn, or care about anything, a lot of people see the man-hating ranty image, shrug and say that's not for me.
Most women don't hate men. They marry them and give birth to them. If the movement was called Equalism or summat like that I believe more women would be attracted, it would be the default setting.

So the image needs to be addressed.