to be depressed that only 9% of women identify as feminists?

[parklyfe]

www.telegraph.co.uk/women/life/only-7-per-cent-of-britons-consider-themselves-feminists/

''When split out by gender, women were more likely to identify as feminist, with nine per cent using the label compared to four per cent of men.''

And told to provide examples Paul, it's always the same.

I see that blog to be an example of equality.

I don't identify as a feminist. That doesn't mean that I don't have feminist opinions and beliefs.

If I had to label myself, I would identify as an equalitist. I believe in equality between the sexes, the rights of women but also the rights of men.

I found some interesting facts here: www.thegreatinitiative.org.uk

I have to say that it is the title of Feminist that's put women off identifying as one. It's because of all those unflattering portraits such as Milli Tant and the cartoons of raging, ugly women.

Much like the saying that if you travelled by bus after 30 you were a failure that went round in the go-getting '80s.

It sought to make it shameful and it worked, along with similar jibes about union membership and living in a council house.

Meanwhile many of us continue to travel on the bus and always will.

It's not a very welcoming thread. I like learning about feminism and the way this thread is going, isn't very encouraging.

Yup Through. God forbid people voice their own feelings without providing evidence of why the feel that way.

Yep and no doubt at some point this thread will be covered in a shit ton of links, to massive research findings that everyone is expected to go away and read, rather than stay on the thread.

That and about 5 book recommendations, is the way these threads seem to go.

Perhaps that's why some people glaze over?

are all scared off with the extreme feminists, who badger you about everything and make you feel like you're not feminist enough

If that's the case then it's time to reclaim the word feminist Feminism is about equal rights. What's extreme about that?

worra do you have evidence of that?

Yes Paul and here it is

Today I'm channelling Sheldon Cooper

PaulAnka, if that was meant for me, I have hardly 'jumped' on you. I asked the board (not just you) for examples of 'extreme feminism' because I honestly don't know what people mean by that. Feel free not to reply but it was an honest request for an honest answer.

This reminds me of an analogy used by the comedian Azeez Ansari, where he draws a comparison between people who say 'I'm for equal rights but I'm not a feminist' with someone who might say 'I'm a doctor who specialises in skin disorders', then when someone else suggests 'oh so you're a dermatologist', they respond with 'oh god no, no way! That's a word that conjures up unpleasant images, its way too aggressive!'

Or to paraphrase Caitlin Moran - got a vagina? Want to be in charge of it? Congraulations! You're a feminist! Hairy legs, DMs, checked shirts and bra burning optional

If you came on a thread and said: 'black people smell', the very least you would be asked would be to provide examples ThroughThickAndThin01 and PaulAnkaTheDog.

It's not really any different.

Not surprised that the majority of people in favour of equality was men. There have been noticeable benefits from our perspective, but these were certainly not intentional on the part of feminism (and, at times, feminists have been the ones campaigning against the benefits of equality).

Why do some people think Caitlin Moran gets to decide what a feminist is?

I like a nice rational Phylosophy type of debate.

OP have a look at dawnofthedoggers' other thread on feminism. Lots of suggestions as to why people don't like the notion of feminism. There was a lot if aggression and vitriol on it though. I was quite shocked. I had assumed that women would mostly be united in a wish for equal rights. I made a few points - contributing to a reasoned discussion i thought - and almost everything I said was jumped on by one poster.
Baffling.

If being a feminist means allowing your son to dress up as Elsa from frozen then I'm not one. I mean, I would allow it at home but I wouldn't encourage that sort of thing or make an effort to buy him the costume. I think sometimes people go the other way and get so wound up about not stereotyping or being gender specific that they end up being weird.

Eh limited? Well if anyone said anyone smelt how could you provide an example? It's all in the nose. Thats too ludicrous as a comparison.

Feminism is about equal rights. What's extreme about that?

That's what I thought, until I dared to venture onto the feminist board. Now I know that it's much more than that - it's political and it believes in a specific way of thinking (as defined by the feminists) that sets out what women should think and do in order to identify as a feminist.

I don't fancy 'reclaiming' the word, I have no interest in it. Feminism has reached such bizarre extremes at times. Why should females have to 'reclaim' a word from other females if it's supposed to be for everyone?

Because nogoodblood, Caitlin Moran's explanation of what feminism is nice and clear, succinct, makes sense and gets to the core of the issue. And I'm no fangirl of hers either. Feel free to suggest your own definition of course

...I could say "I thought someone smelled", but unless I dragged them through the MN screen how could I provide an example? That's typical of feminism...always being told to back an unpopular view up.
^^
That all to limited

"Or to paraphrase Caitlin Moran - got a vagina? Want to be in charge of it? Congraulations! You're a feminist! Hairy legs, DMs, checked shirts and bra burning optional"

By this definition men can't be feminists.

What a ridiculous example limited. Nice way to try and play on people's morals though!

'I'm a doctor who specialises in skin disorders', then when someone else suggests 'oh so you're a dermatologist', they respond with 'oh god no, no way! That's a word that conjures up unpleasant images, its way too aggressive!'

Actually, you could just be a GP who did most of their dissertation (or whatever the process is for those who studied medicine) on skin diseases, but didn't qualify specifically as a dermatologist. In which case you'd feel unwilling to adopt a label that represented more official recognition of your expertise than exists.

In the same way someone might have done a good deal of reading around feminism and be very supportive of gender equality, but is presently focussing more on the improvements that can be made in economic justice rather than gender specifically.