I'm a feminist-ask me anything.

[BertrandRussell]

and available for all.

We've been together since we were 17 and we learned a lot together. But it's up to him what he thinks and is. Not my job to "teach" him anything!

What is going to happen regarding transwomen going into female places, womens prisons, swimming areas etc?

Are you worried about the apparent increase in transwomen? Will trans women take over feminism or are they staunch allies?

Does the transwomen movement alarm you?

I don’t know. I don’t know. I don’t know. Yes.

Hiya Kim Jong Un of feminism! (I remember that and the brief namechange). How do you feel about women being called derogatory terms usually reserved for men, e.g. dickhead, dobber et cetera?

I feel better that you don't know Bertrand because I am starting to get really confused. I generally get a grip on things. The bottom line for me is I have no beef with trans women but I am concerned about the level of activism and I believe that this cause is being hijacked.

I am very concerned about young people who are in a state of bewilderment over their gender. If I find it confusing at 50+ how are kids going to cope?

Thanks for getting back to me.. Any pics of you in the red dungarees???

Bertrand, you are on e of the women who I manage to simultaneously agree and disagree with most strongly. On the subject of legal hair etc, though, I have thick dark hair. I do my best to ignore it but I do shave it in hot weather, despite the inevitable rash, since it is actually stiff and uncomfortable. Armpit hair reached 1/4" today and had to go.

I usually ignore it at that length, buyer appear to be heading for more than the obligatory 10 days of this year when stereotypical feminine cap sleeves aren't the least nice choice to wear.

Auto correct beats me, tonight. Sigh

I'm personally worried about the apparent increase in transwomen who apparently have done no more than try on a skirt (frightful things) despite never having knowingly met one. That whole level of wtfery really bothered me during the last election, though.

About women being called things like dickhead- I don't think I've got an opinion (blimey-not sure that's ever happened before!). I don't think I mind-but I don't think I have heard it much. My children use "dick move" for behaviour by either sex, and I do like that.

What do you think about women aging?

I think that older women are treated incredibly badly by society in general and feminism is no exception. There is no such thing as an "older stateswoman"!

What, not even the prime minister, OP?

Not sure the Prime Minister is respected and valued for her life experience and accumulated wisdom........

A feminist is "a person who supports feminism" so surely men can be feminists.

What would your advice be to someone who is new to feminism and would like to get more involved?

Depends what your particular interests are. Thinking about how you lead your own life and bring up your children is a good start. Look at your children's school, your own workplace. Think about how you vote, both local and nationally. Talk to other women. Question stuff!

Why do you think you're qualified to answer on this?

Posted to soon - sorry

Beucase I think it's a bit of a personal feeling thing being a feminist and every one does it differently and what works for you as a feminist won't work for me.

I suppose I see feminism as different to a job where there is a standard to follow

Do you have a most proud feminist moment?

I think that regarding feminism as a purely personal thing is a pretty dangerous road to go down. The bottom line is that a feminist must put women and what benefits women front and centre of their thinking. Obviously this is a council of perfection and nobody manages it all the time. But that's what we should be aspiring to. There are plenty of people trying to "divide and rule" us, and the idea that feminism is whatever individuals want it to be is a big weapon in their armoury.

No, I don't have a "proud feminist moment"- although I do give myself a secret pat on the back sometimes at some of the things my teenage son says. I don't think it's about moments- it's about slogging on and never giving up.

Is it unfeminist to let your child play with barbie dolls and wear pink?

No. But what I said earlier about reading and learning and thinking about what we do is important here. Girls are not drawn by nature to barbies and pink, and boys are not drawn by nature to trucks and blue (although if you look at the two stereotypes I produced you would be forgiven for thinking they are). We-as individuals and as a society make them like that. Knowing why helps us ensure that it doesn't develop into "girls aren't any good at maths" or "girls are more caring so should be nurses and GPs rather than surgeons"

I’ll take you up on the .

I can’t quite figure out how to phrase what I want to ask, but it’s something along these lines. What’s your take on how feminism interacts with with things that need to change for boys and men? The way I see it, the scope for what is socially acceptable for women has widened significantly, albeit not yet far enough or universally enough. However I look at men and think that their scope looks narrower than ours now - sure, it’s broadened a bit, but not to the same degree. Their scope is skewed to what society sees as powerful but in other respects it’s more impoverished. I don’t at all think that things have gone too far for women - I don’t think there is a ‘too far’ on the way to equality, but I think they need to change more for men too.

So when you say this The bottom line is that a feminist must put women and what benefits women front and centre of their thinking. I think yeah, that’s why I don’t identify myself as A Feminist. For me it’s a lens to view things through and it highlights particular issues, but I think it’s equally important to look at what needs to change for men too.

For you, is that something you recognise but it’s for someone else (men?) to do? Or you think women need change more than men? Or you think something else entirely?

It seems heretical to me to say I’m not a feminist because I share many of the views and aims of people who describe themselves as such. I just struggle with a label that ignores the other half of the population, which doesn’t sit well with what I think about equality.

That's a very interesting question. For me, as a woman, my focus is always on what is best for women and girls-by definition. BUT. I think that is what is good for women is also good for men. It's easy to think of it adversarially-as if women can only benefit by taking something away from men. But I don't see it like that. I see a more equitable society as benefitting men too. A society that properly values families and caring for children, for example, will allow men to have a better share of family life and childcare without having to give up any career aspirations. A society where there is no gender stereotyping will free men to make choices which would be difficult for them now. Addressing male violence would be good for men who are victims of male violence as well as for women. The patriarchy is bad for men as well as women.

Sorry. Pressed post too soon. So while I do think that men should step up about things like domestic violence shelters, and women should be supportive but not taking the lead, I do 't think feminism does ignore the other half of the population. I think it just doesn't put it first, in the way it's used to.