to think the 'F' word is one we should be proud of......

[PosieComeHereMyPreciousParker]

Thanks to MN, especially dittany, Lenin, BoF and Anyfucker, I have been made aware of my casual attitude to misogyny. This short journey in my reclaiming my old values recently lead me to the London Feminist Network Conference on Saturday. And Oh my God it is one of the most inspirational things I've ever done.

Having money and being relatively attractive in my younger days I was mislead into thinking that being a feminist was irrelevant, after all we had a female PM and then 'girl power' where we were fooled into thinking with the right body shape and a little wit the world was our oyster (farm).

My husband's and friends' response to my recent activities have ranged from being mystified to mockery, from resentment to full on stereotypical prejudice. I am alarmed that barely any of my friends think feminism is relevant.

Am I being unreasonable to reclaim the word feminist to mean a person that wants to rid the world of gender prejudiced?

It's not distressing, it's boring.

Arguing with someone who is not sincere and not honest, not willing to learn and not willing to share learning, gets boring and irritating.

It's OK for a bit and can be fun, but after a certain amount of time, it palls. I have a male friend who does this in RL and tbh whenever the conversation looks like it's going to get round to feminist issues, I try and steer it elsewhere. Not because I'm distressed, but because I just can't be bothered with his gad-flying. It's just not that amusing.

how you all demonise and opine is stereotypical.feminism section isnt special or invite only it is open discursive to all on mn

Exactly HB.

No-one is demonising you SM.

You're not that important.

why do activists discuss rebranding.ellie levinson book sentiment.there is an undeniable challenge to certain givens and decrying divergent opinion isnt addressing a opinion held

Well if you'd like to make the case for it properly then please do. Paraphrase the book if you want.

I agree Lenin, I think SM just can't hide her hostility as effectively as she would need to, to make these exchanges more fun.

thought the book was frothy,easy read not deep.but the sentiment was there and she tapped in

SM is a contrary divil though.

didnt like elles book,careful ignoring and editing but noteworthy she caught a moment

I'm a feminist and I'm very grateful for all the efforts put in by feminists before me to win me the rights and freedoms I have today. Just adding my support for the OP.

yes we should be proud of the F-word and what it stands for. Sadly, I think the F-word has always been deliberately subverted and misrepresented by those who oppose feminism and it's a strategy that has worked very well. I'm not sure where we go with that. Sometimes language must evolve to suit purpose so if being 'anti-sexism' gets more people on board about the continued existence of gender inequality (because it names the issue rather than the person campaigning IYSWIM) then I'll go along with that.

ellie book=rubbish,cant you see though the discussions about rebranding and Ellie are indicative of a message lost and alienating.indicative of a malaise

I suppose the question is then do you alter the message you believe to be the right one in order not to alienate people who disagree with you. You appear to be confusing feminists with Liberal Democrats...

I think it's time to shout the message a bit louder TBH. In my school, the Head is a woman, as are half the SLT and all the Heads of Core subjects. Yet I still have my annual barney with the Head of PSHE (a woman) over whether I should spend a lesson with a moxed year 9 class talking about the 'signals' that girls give off with the clothes they wear. And it's not supposed to be a "boys, listen up, none of this means she wants to sleep with you or be treated in an objectified way, OK?" discussion...

Of course she tapped into something there - it's called the bog-standard view, which is basically anti-feminist.

FGS do you tell the Nation of Islam that the BNP have tapped into something? Or Greenpeace that Shell have written this really interesting report about fossil fuels, and they should read it and take it on board?

We've been down this road on another thread this morning.

rl i know feminist academics they have no issue with my pov only on mn is it so contentious.they openly and actively discuss feminism branding and associations

You are not interested in feminism SM.

Talk of branding is just flim flam.

Branding sounds to me like a diversion from activism. Of course anti-feminists would like feminists to involve themselves with branding, now that some of them have stopped buying the shit that getting our tits out is empowering, they've got to come up with new bits of rubbish to confuddle and undermine the movement.

step back,deep breath what about another woman posting get yer goat so.bnp etc comparisons well lets just think godwins law

is it really so galling for some of you to read?havent you participated any recent feminist discourse.as unpleasant as some of you find this,there is a paradigm shift