to not understand the words "I'm not a feminist"?

[bushymcbush]

I've seen this countless times on MN and I really don't get it.

Actually I've heard it quite a few times in RL too.

So, to those of you who are so keen to communicate your non-feminist standing, could you please explain to me which part of 'total equality between the sexes' you disagree with?

Alternatively, you could (gently) explain to me which part of that generic description of feminism I seem to have misunderstood?

[theodorakis]

Who have I dismissed?

[theodorakis]

Again, I do have Botox and have had a lot of stuff done. So what? How does that in any way affect my ability to make decisions as a womwn?

[theodorakis]

I raerly find anything radical about the MN Feminists except they are generally capable of rational conversation without resorting to insults. Unlike the mum threads, dog threads and threads about any type of ingestion.

[limitedperiodonly]

I was accused of being a RadFem recently. I was bewildered but I suspect not as bewildered as those doing the accusing.

[catgirl1976]

I apologise for mis-reading your post Theo.

I thought you were saying that having those things meant that you could not be a "proper" feminist.

Which is how your post read to me. It was not clear at all you were saying you had those things and did not believe they impacted on your feminist credentials.

But I misunderstood and I apologise.

[seeker]

"Because "feminists" are all to often telling us off for things we like doing. Such as removing all the hair from our fanjos."

What else do feminists tell you off for doing?

[theodorakis]

Cat, sorry am in a post surgical fog. Didn't meant to be so defensive.
Can we change the term "bunfight"? It sounds way too ladylike. I would prefer "throwing a spanner" or a favourite from my schooldays, "bundle".

[theodorakis]

In fairness though, a lot of the women who post on here are obviously academics who have studied this at a very different level. I think it gets confusing when the individual is labelled as wrong for doing something like shaving when they are really commenting on years of the actions of society. It gets too personal and microscopic.

[catgirl1976]

Ha ha ........ I love "bundle"

I honestly just mis-read you, sorry. I thought you were having a pop at Latara and it was me who was therefore being defensive

Hope you are recovering well from whatever sugery you have had.

[theodorakis]

Thanks cat and sorry again. Pethadine is great but seems to have affected my brain!

[WorraLiberty]

Yep Worra, all those radical feminists bombing and killing innocent civilians. I can totally see why you don't want to associate yourselves with feminism.

See it's pointless contributions like that, that make me wonder why you didn't just type "iu[jeiotjeofoiu(*&(7098"

For all the good it did your 'argument' (whatever that is) you may have well have done.

[SmashingTurnips]

WorraLiberty upthread you compared feminists to the IRA and extremest terrorist bombers. Didn't you?

You said you didn't want to identify as a feminist, due to extremism and terrorism, in the same way the IRA put you off identifying as an Irish Catholic.

I think it is awful that there are women bombing, shooting, maiming and killing people in the name of feminism and I can understand you wouldn't want to support gender terrorism.

[eBook]

Often, when people say they're "not a feminist" they then go on to give many examples which really are not what feminism is.

The more non-stereotypical feminists speak up and claim the word feminism for themselves, the more those who wish to stereotype us will have no leg to stand on.

[mutny]

smashingturnips that's not what words said at all. Either read the posts properly or just don't bother at all.

[SeveredEdMcDunnough]

Hecate I'm sorry, I actually switched this thing off after posting as I knew I'd never make it to school otherwise yes indeed - what were we doing up at that hour having a philospohical debate??!

Thankyou for the offer to PM me - I am interested in hearing whatever it is! Really nice of you.

[WorraLiberty]

Really Turnips there are reading and comprehension courses you can take to help you with your problem.

[SeveredEdMcDunnough]

Ebook, could I just say having read your last post that I don't understand what people think is the possible motive behind other women not wanting to associate themselves with feminism.

Surely the end goal is what we all want? In which case why would some of us not wish to adopt the name 'feminist' - it must be something associated with that word which puts us off.

Nearly everyone on this thread has said, yes, we want equality. So why on earth would we be objecting to the label of feminism, if that, to us, represented the same thing?

[SmashingTurnips]

WorraLiberty, I have read your post really carefully.

It says that you don't identify with feminists just as you don't identify with the IRA and understand why Muslims don't wish to identify with religious terrorists.

Your post places feminists on a par with the IRA and terrorist bombers.

Seems to me that it is perfectly understandable not to want to be associated with women who bomb, terrorise and kill in the name of feminism.

Or it would be if there were any such women.

[WorraLiberty]

Again you really should take up that course Turnips

Then when you re-read it, you'll see I haven't mentioned women who bomb, terrorise and kill in the name of feminism.

It's quite clear (to me anyway and I suspect to anyone with the ability to read and digest) that I'm pointing out how and why people feel too horrified/embarrassed to admit to being due to extremists.

Or you could of course continue to sit here all day and deliberately misunderstand what's written before your eyes.

It does provide a bit of amusement to an otherwise serious thread though, so do carry on.

[SmashingTurnips]

Oh right.

So you mean women who Say Stuff or Write Books about women's issues put people off feminism in the same way that people who bomb, maim and kill put people off identifying with religion?

[mutny]

smashingturnips why are you purposely mid interpreting words. There must be a reason. Because its clear that is not what she was saying.

[WorraLiberty]

Are you deliberately being obtuse or are you honestly not 'getting it'?

It's hard to tell but I think I'll go with the obtuse because I genuinely don't think anyone could be this...what's the polite word for dim?

I've thrown you enough bones now Turnip if you're that bored you could always trawl MN for something else to misunderstand.

I hear someone made a typo in chat earlier on. Why not hunt it down and have a field day?

[eBook]

why would some of us not wish to adopt the name 'feminist' - it must be something associated with that word which puts us off.

But if the associations and stereotypes are incorrect, then why be swayed by them?

[FreudiansGoldSlipper]

i do not know anyone who is is embarassed to say they are a muslim, catholic, hasidic jew and so on because they know what there beleifs are and that extremists are just that extremists

i do know many who are fed up with having to justify their beleifs but not embarrassed

[catgirl1976]

Turnips, Worras post was very easy to understand.

It would be very difficult to make the leap you have made. I am by how you got that from what she posted