...to feel depressed that only 7% of UK identify as Feminist?

[DioneTheDiabolist]

www.fawcettsociety.org.uk/2016/01/we-are-a-nation-of-hidden-feminists/

7% of the population and just 9% of women in this country identify as feminist. I'm not saying that everyone should call themselves feminist, I care more about what people do, rather than the label they assign themselves. But I am that the number is so low.

Given that most people believe in sexual equality, why do so many people not feel comfortable to call themselves feminist? And what (if anything) can we do about it?

Beyond I don't see anyone on this thread saying they wouldn't identify as feminist because of the media. What I do see is plenty of people saying they wouldn't identify as feminists because of other feminists.

Perpetuate

Not perpetrate ...

Restless, it's more of an insidious thing, I don't expect anyone to say it is because of the media.

Because i keep being told i am not one

I'm not surprised as there can be a stigma attached to it, not necessarily just from men either.
You can believe in feminist issues but then be put off by the men haters who call themselves feminists, assuming you must be like them to be feminist.
There are those who shout about women who choose not to work and take a family caring role as not being feminist and part of the problem.
I'm not surprised few admit to the label.

I'm a feminist but don't go on the boards here...I tend to stick to aibu and chat. I don't see the boards on one parenting site to be representative of feminism as a whole, especially given MN fits a very strong stereotype. So it's quite sad to see lots of people on here saying they are not feminists because of the boards here.

It's from wikipedia, but...

"Though most journalists aim to create an objective view of their subjects, feminism has long been portrayed in a negative light. A study by Lind and Saio (2006)[11] revealed that feminists rarely appear in the media and are often demonized. They are often portrayed as different from “regular” women, and are not associated with day-to-day activities, but rather, public activities and events. Feminists are also not often portrayed as victims and are more frequently associated with the women’s movement and their goals compared to regular women (meaning if a woman isn't a labeled "feminist" she isn't often associated with the movement, despite being female). Creedon (1993)[12] wrote, “feminists are constantly framed as deviant sexually, a bunch of man-haters out to destroy ‘family values.’” In the media, the term “feminism” is often opposed to the term “family,” leading to the idea that feminists can’t be family women. This negative portrayal over the decades has led many young women rejecting the idea of feminism, in part due to feminists being labeled as “man bashers.” Other labels associated with feminism include: “bubblehead,” “Amazons,” “angries,” “radical,” and “hairy,” (Jones, 1992).[13]"

I also wouldn't call myself a feminist. I think for any of feminisms goals to be achieved a lot of input from men is required, but men are very much not the focus of feminism. I depressingly came to view feminism as shouty women demanding that men stop other men from treating them badly.

I do find this surprising, but then I also find it surprising that women make up the majority of the DM readership. I suspect that there is some overlap between those readers and the non-feminist women

I'm not sure I know what feminism means any more. Which wave are we on now?

And I've read too many threads, here and elsewhere, that have degenerated into slanging matches.

And, as a woman married to a man, I'm not sure I'm welcome in the feminist camp anyway.

I believe in equality and in working to overcome the unfair disadvantages that women face all over the world. But I don't feel comfortable using a label that I don't believe to be clearly defined.

Spud, I'm a sahm, married to a man, who shaves her legs and wears make up. You are welcome, I promise. :)

(Current wave is the third wave, but I identify more with the second)

Olenass I can assure you I do not read the DM.

A quick look at he feminist board on here tells me I can't be a feminist becsuse

I don't mind being called "one of the girls*

I'm supportive of transgender rights

I don't think 'Wonderful Tonight' is a sexist song

I've had a look at the survey.

The survey appears to have been constructed so that respondents could choose only ONE of the following 7 statements. Extract below:

Respondents were asked to choose between seven statements: 1) “I describe myself as a feminist”, 2) “I believe in equality for women and men but I don’t describe myself as a feminist”, 3) I feel excluded by feminism”, 4) “I think feminism is irrelevant”, 5) “I am opposed to feminism”, 6) “I don’t know what feminism stands for” or 7) “none of the above”. All those who selected options 1) and 2) are described as believing in equality for women and men as feminism entails this belief. This group as also described as “sympathetic” to feminism as they support the key principle of gender equality. Those who selected options 4), 5) and 6) are described as “unsympathetic.”

They don't actually say what proportion of the 33% each choose options 3-7.

rebel

Because i keep being told i am not one Ooh me too. The only time I've really genuinely wondered if I am a feminist is when debating with other feminists on mn.
It's the same stuff rebel meantions "one of the girls" isn't an issue for me. Supporting transgender rights, not caring about the colour pink.

I wish transgender and 'gender fluid' things would be kept separate from feminism. They are irrelevant to issues that female half of human population deals with.

I don't identify as anything except me.
Especially not something I am being told I must do or I am a sheep.

I'm happy to say I'm a feminist, and to tell people that. But, I'm nearly 40 so probably not of the age group that seems to have totally rejected the descriptor of feminist.

I don't understand the idea that because there are people on the internet (or elsewhere) who say things I don't agree with under the name of feminism means that they reject feminism in its entirety. If an idiot on the internet says things about feminism that I don't agree with it doesn't devalue my feminism.

I don't know why younger women have rejected feminism as a descriptor. I don't understand why so many seem to think that feminists want supremacy over men. I don't understand why so many people ascribe views to feminists that aren't true from my experience and understanding of it.

Maybe I'm really ignorant but wtf is a feminist??

Sounds stupid, I know a lot but not this!

Someone please tell me what feminism is!

wynter

[[https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/feminism ]]

Start with this.

I am in the minority here , I am a feminist largely because of the MN feminism board.

I wouldnt not call myself an atheist because some of them have said or done dreadful things

I wouldnt not call myself british because of the behavior of some british abroad

I wouldnt not call myself a feminist because some feminists have done and said stupid things or things i dont agree with

I wouldnt not call myself a mother because some mothers online are fucking irritating

Cant think of any others off the top of my head...but you get my point

And yes i dont agree with labelling myself and yes i know all those things above arent the same and yes to anything else anyone thows at me

Really kesstrel

But thats not the same thing at all

Stupid surveys

Exactly Rufus