Should women be allowed to do everything men do?

[Hullygully]

Talk to me about equality.

sparkly - I don't know if it helps, but do you mean feeling inadequate because you feel stuff you do isn't seen as being as valuable as, say, being a woman in the boardroom or whatever? Because if so, I have a lot of sympathy for that. I do think people still don't value work like bringing up children, keeping a house clean, etc. etc. But it's work and someone has to do it, and ideally do it well.

I do think MN feminism is by and large in agreement about that, though.

Hi sparkly

It's good you've come over, as the more you write, the clearer it is what the issue is.

Feminism isn't about dividing and judging other women, although I will hold my hand up and admit to judging people who willingly reinforce the patriarchy as a political stance. But that isn't so itch a facet of fem as my judgey, fighty personality.

I think it is extremely unhelpful to reject feminism if you are a woman, as you are helping perpetuate the very stereotypes that undermine the great things that feminism has done and is still doing for women.

Stay awhile. You'll see that we are all individuals who just happen to have an interest in speaking openly about women's rights. And we are also quite funny.

I think feminism is given a bad name by the media, and a few very loud voices who believe if you are not out on the street beating men with placards that say 'my uterus something something' on them every weekend, you are not doing your part for womankind.

The 'feminazis' much as I hate that word.

Most feminists wouldn't title themselves that, they just believe everyone can live equally. And do what they want, and strive for what they want. My parents both taught strong feminist principles, as did my partners, but if I said to my dad or MIL 'are you feminist?' they would say no.

On the opening jars front you just need to have good grip rather than strength. I've never met a jar I can't open!

I have never ask permission to do anything and never will.
quoteunquote

Couldn't agree more.

Men can wear what they want without wondering if someone might accuse them of inviting rape.

I'd quite like that freedom.

I've held up many signs with "my uterus ....."or similar in my time. Never used them to hit men with, either metaphorically or literally. In fact DH and DS are usually there protesting about whatever it is, too.

I don't ask for permission either but that still doesn't mean that I get what I want or what I expect or what I deserve.

I cant possibly comment on this thread as my tits are distracting me.....

I don't have a man, but I have a tall son who can reach the highest kitchen shelves without having to stand on a chair.
And I get a man in to cut my grass.
I could to this myself but he only charges a tenner and I CBA.

I run the hot tap over those pesky jars and they open a treat. There's nothing you can do with brawn that you can't do with brains.
And I'm a feminist who was a SAHM for a long time. I certainly never felt I was letting the sisterhood down. It's about choice innit? And equality. And not about wanting to be a man.

Hullygully are you in the UK? I didn't think the Royal Navy had had a female Commander of a submarine as yet - will stand corrected though...

i have hormones - ergo I don't have the ability to form an opinion - sorry

I all honesty - I just don't walk around the world labeling things, including tasks and jobs, as 'male' or 'female'

Vinegar, you're doing it right. As are 99% of feminists. But like I say the media concentrate on the loudest and most disagreeable voices.

This did my tits in too;

A few weeks ago and old schoolfriend parked her car in a stupid place. Next to a bus stop on top of a hill where it is not easy for traffic to pass. I'm pretty sure there is a single yellow.

A female bus driver scraped her nice new car, phoned the police, got it all sorted out, is paying the £600 insurance or whatever. Taking full responsibility

Said old schoolfriend started ranting on facebook about 'bloody woman drivers'.

Someone else having already mentioned she shouldn't have parked there (perfectly good car park across the road, too ), I told her It was sod all to do with being a woman, and as a woman herself I was disgusted she would make such comments.

She deleted me. Good Riddance.

ilovechips - I am the first. I am forging the path, although I don't really want other women as then I'd have to share the little matelots.

Ok, I am about to do something I may regret...

I am going to accept that I am wrong. My earlier posts regarding my image of feminism is wrong, and dates back to the seventies and pro active feminists in jeans with no bras.

I am therefore going to change my previous statement and say that I am a feminist. Just not a radical one.

I accept women's rights to have the choice and to be entitled to it being recognised and rewarded accordingly in an equal way to men.

popcornia I use the upside down teaspoon under the rim truck to open jars too. I like to think this proves that it requires a brain rather than a penis to open a jar

DP occasi refers to me as Millie Tant

*occasionally

I'd love it if parenting and other unpaid caring roles were valued more highly by the whole of society, regardless of the gender of whoever it is doing it.

I've only joined MN in the last 6 months or do, but the extent of casual acceptance of ingrained m/f gender roles even in young women on here really depresses me on a regular basis. Often it does get challenged but not always.

hurrah!

Next week: radicalism

Hurrah!!!

I knew you had it in you, sparkly.

Feminism has many shades, but we are all here, failing to open jars with our vaginas and secretly wanting to be Brian Blessed.

I think my previous views on feminism came from feeling my choice to be SAHM flew in the face of feminism... I see now this is not the case. And have enjoyed all the joking around on this thread!

I too can open most jars without the need for a man. It's pesky bottles of champagne that have me gazummpt. And mainly due to the corks popping being a bit scary! I don't want to break anything!

I don't think there is anything on this earth that someone has the right to say that you may not do because you are female.

can you think of anything that it would be reasonable to say ok, you are physically capable of doing this, but we are banning you from doing it because you are a woman.

I can't think of a thing.

I know this one!

The key to champagne bottles is to hold the cork and turn the bottle. The cork doesn't fly anywhere.

Next week: how to get caviar out of mink.

Sparkly, wanna join me in the liberal feminism camp ?