To ask you to define modern feminisim?

[Cocoflower]

There is much talk on MN about modern feminisim.

Its not been something I have ever given much thought about until now.

So can I ask;what exactly is and isn't modern feminisim?

(I mean many academics don't have them on their radar, not that few do)

Obamaniqua, you are not the only one. The academia threads on the feminism board are brutal.

HerBeX, I can imagine better places to get some cyber-loving than a thread that is about to mention empowerfulness.

Diablo, I can't find any feminists interviewed about Hugh Hefner by Sky News other than Kat Banyard. Do you mean a comment in response to the video in the comments section on the website?

I don't think 'modern feminism' is a recognised term; I just googled it and I found one site saying it meant post-1963, but mostly people seemed to be using it just to mean contemporary feminists (as opposed to the ones from the 70s).

I was avoiding even mentioning the term 'modern' feminism. But now someone else has...

We're talking contemporary feminism surely. What is popular in academia, that people often see as vacuous is postmodern feminism. Not sure what I'd describe as modern feminism.

MillyR I believe Kat was one of the rational interviewees - I don't know who the woman was, she was last of 3 women they spoke to during which ever news bulletin it was.

I reckon the Op just used the word modern to mean 'stuff that is going on now.'

From my observation, modern feminism is actually equalism, not feminism at all.

SybilBeddows - That's a fair point. I really couldn't claim to be any sort of expert where activism is concerned. As someone with an interest in equality, however, feminist theory really does make my blood boil Unfortunately, that puts me off the "movement" as a whole (although I also don't consider it necessary to be a "feminist" per se to believe in equality).

I dont really know anything about feminism (apart form Cindy Sherman is meant to have made art on the subject.... I think!)

I didnt know if there were different movements in feminsim or not?

I guess I assumed feminisim had evolved as a moment and what does it mean today in 2011.

Again I am genuinley intrested and feel free to ignore the word modern if this is wrong.

I mean evolved as a movement!

yes, lots of different movements

in fact the wikipedia article starts with 'Feminism is a collection of movements....'

Living Dolls is another very good book to read.

I think it's easy to knock feminists in the 21st century. Indeed, it is easy to sit back and say they are a bunch of wild haired obsessives. However, as I am not a particular feminist and extremely politically lazy, I salute each and every woman who fights the corners of people like me who don't contribute. Whether it's Pankhurst, Greer, Jo Brand or Kat Banyard, all these people have by definition empowered and enriched MY quality of life.

NB except Harriet Harman