To ask if you feel feminism doesn't include you?

[FlyingElbows]

I was brought up by a mother who, like so many others, found feminism in the late 70s / early 80s. She spent most of my life telling me that I could do anything but I was essentially too stupid to form my own thoughts and opinions and needed "feminists" to think for me. Throughout my adult life I have met women who proclaim to be "feminist" but hold what I have found to be questionable views about who "feminism" should be open to. So, do you feel feminism wants you or are you too stupid, too lacking in academic prowess, too working class, too blonde, too keen on glittery things, too married, too a sahm, too anything at all to be good enough? Just wondering because I have had enough of other women telling me what to think and I'm wondering if it's just me?

It's fine if you don't get it fascicle

Well, now i've read all that and forgotten what the bloody question was!!

Oh yes, does feminism include me - of course it bloody does. Am i scared of FWR, umm nope - though i am often intimidated by the sheer intelligence of the frequent posters! But i post there, and i learn, and everything is hunky dory.

Oh and i'd call myself radfem, yet i de-fuzz, have my dh's name and frequently wear make up. Noone has ever called me a bad feminist for any of these, clearly i missed those threads.

i'd call myself radfem, yet i de-fuzz, have my dh's name and frequently wear make up. Noone has ever called me a bad feminist for any of these, clearly i missed those threads.

Me too except for having DH's name. I don't but don't think there's anything wrong with women who do. I wouldn't have thought of myself as radfem either but I now realise that some of our views concur. Sometimes they don't.

I thought fascicle got it too, btw. I often agree with you CoteDAzur but on this occasion, I didn't. But that shouldn't matter to either of us.

There are 2 threads on FWR which I have commented on. The one about the Breitling display I am 100% behind.

The other about haircuts is the sort of patronising, misogynistic nonsense which leads me to think feminism is not for me.

Lots of boasting by feminists who resist patriarchal stereotyping and judgemental remarks about women who don't.

I wonder if age helps resolve with feminism. The older I get the more sexism I see. Not saying that you can't be an amazing feminist if you're young, but with age comes confidence and conviction.... As well as more likelihood of encountering sexism and/or being able to see certain you may have accepted before as sexist.

Certain things

Agree posie. When i was young, i was definitely of the "we dont need feminism anymore" ilk. It wasnt even an assault in my early twenties that made it click, it was having a child and how people reacted to that and my maternity leave/sah

My experience exactly! Had this exact conversation with dgoddaughter yesterday, she - shiny, bright, masters-educated- thinks "men and women are all equal now" . I admire her spirit and optimism, should help her but fear she will face exactly the aame hurdles as us all in due course.

I'm 41 and I ups certainly agree that I thought the world was my oyster! I got my degree and then worked in a high pressure highly paid sales job, very very male. I used my femininity to manipulate CEOs and the like to buy... I was very successful and "strong". I was a "powerful" woman and a feminist.

However along came motherhood and a consciousness of sexism that I had presumed was over as I was so strong and had outdone most of my male peers. It was a huge wave of realisation that continues today.

I'm 55. I don't feel there is any feminist theory or branch of feminism I identify with. I believe in equal opportunity. If I had to, I suppose I am a liberal feminist but I am not "pro -sex" or in favour of legalising prostitution or brothels. I am pro-choice.

On the other hand I very much dislike the type of feminism which seems to deny women have their own minds.

I loathe the term "performing femininity
( meaning I'm a feminist -I choose how I dress and what image I have- you on the other hand are too conditioned to know what you're doing) or that any bad or criminal action by a woman must have some mitigating factor behind it.

I'm amazed when posters say sexism is worse now. Guess stuff like Benny Hill, dolly birds, Pans' People which was just good old fashioned family fun in the 70s must have passed you by.

I am a mother and apart from 3 month's maternity leave have worked full time. I did not take my husband's name.

I read descriptions of how terrible it is to be a woman and how terrible it allegedly is in my profession and I don't identify with that experience at all.

Radical feminism is not for me, if nothing else it is not clear what society radical feminists are looking for. I am sceptical that it really means we'd all be free to be ourselves.