...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?

I never called myself a feminist until the trans agenda became dangerous to women

Have to agree to disgree there its

Atheists and british can be very militant

Not sure about the mothers bit though...will have to think about that

I never called myself a feminist until the trans agenda became dangerous to women

That could put others off though. If they feel that calling themselves a feminist could mean others just assume they are anti trans (possibly more of a mn thing than a day to day thing).

I hate to repeat myself but...

No feminist in the west is really worth their salt. Who wants to be associated with women that whine about the colour pink?

Meanwhile in the middle east strong women are taking up arms to fight their oppressors

I think i am a feminist

I think woman should have equal rights and opportunitys as men

Aaaaaannnnnnnd

Nope thats it, In my case anyway

I am not anti trans or their rights, i am not a man hater

I dont like pink, i was a sahm, i shave my legs in the summer, i have very short hair, i dont like dungarees, i think my feet are too big for doc martins, i wear shedloads of makeup, i drink lager...and wine...and stuff

I think non feminist women see themselves as people, much like men and children do.

And you don't think women would take up arms to fight if they needed to here

We simply and thankfully do not need to

Though many women put themselves at risk through the work they do to gain better rights for all women

I remember being asked if I have a vagina and believe men and women are equal. I answered yes and was told congratulations, you're a feminist!

In the 20 + years since then I've become more gender critical, so suppose im mostly a gender critical second waver.

Saying that, I'm not particularly bothered by a bloke calling me love (or a woman for that matter ), pink is just a colour and I'm (reasonably) happily married to a man. I shave my legs, wear make up and heels when the mood takes me and still manage to believe I'm equal to any man.

I can quite believe the survey results after discussing feminism and trans activism with some friends and their reaction to my saying I'm a gender critical feminist was the same as if I'd taken a shit on the table. One said that they were shocked because I seem so 'right thinking' whatever the fuck that means.

I think the label "feminist" has a thing of "man hater, bra burning, crazy lady". I am definitely a feminist, but likewise I don't like to label myself. I am completely on board with everything it stands for though, and if asked I would say that yes, I am a feminist.

fwiw, I dared to peek at the MN feminism board just now:

"can someone be in a BDSM relationship and still be a feminist?"
right away, debating who is allowed in the club or not.

"girls" in the office -- ok, fair enough, you feel strongly about it. But it's not something I relate to.

"Was Karen Matthews unfairly demonised only because she was female?" maybe so, but I'm not really interested.

"Which love songs aren't sexist?" & "How unfeminist is Star Wars, really" Or is that just nitpicking, I mean can you ever enjoy something without thinking critically about it? Maybe I'm just not intellectual enough. The problem with your feminism club is it's too boring.

the other threads are mostly about sexual violence (only against women I think) & tirades about transG. It's great that people care & do what they can. But it's not where I am going to put my energy. I don't know what else the F club has to offer.

oh and the term mansplaining.. that word offends me. Can't we just call a patronising git/sod, patronising? Or will I get told those are gendered insults so may as well make it explicit. Pah.

But surely you can see that the MN board isn't feminism?! It's just a chat board, not the whole concept?

And tbh, it is the chat board. Where people chat about various topics vaguely related to the subject.

Sexual violence mainly takes place against women, hence it being discussed as a feminist issue.

What is 'the feminism club'?

glen, I had a similar conversation once:

Feminist: Do you have a vagina?
Me: Yes
Feminist: Do you believe your vagina makes you of lesser worth?
Me: No
Feminist: Congratualtions! You're a feminist!!!
Me:

The MN hard line feminists put me off. Many posters have said the same. Thus, clearly such hard line feminists are doing more harm than good.

oblomov when you say you're put off feminism, do you mean you're put off wanting equality for women and girls? Does it make you think that women are naturally inferior to men?

I am proud to identify as a feminist.

Women may not be superior to men but there are so many battles still to be won when it comes to equally. And that's just in our own country, let alone the rest of the world where women are often still subjugated and abused from cradle to grave.

It's interesting that fighting for women's rights gets people's backs up so, so much more than fighting for the rights of other races. No one would be ashamed of identifying as 'anti-racist' even if some within that movement may be overly militant.

I often wonder if it's because racism affects men too.

We now live in a world where we have to pretend there is equivalence levels of domestic violence and sexual violence toward men by women as there is by men against women. Insane.

No one is suggesting men should be abused but really. Isn't it like claiming there is an equivalence between racism against white people by ethnic minoritiea as there is BY white people against those who have been oppressed by the group that have held power for millennia?

It's a very, very effective strategy by MRAs. Women yet again find themselves apologising! And someone like Philip Davies MP is nowhere near being the sort of pariah he would be if he was a member of Britain First.

Nuts

This is a really interesting thread. I think all men and women should be equal, have equal opportunities in all aspects of life.

I don't agree with much of what is said on the feminism boards here, I agree with trans rights, I don't think my daughter will be disadvantaged because she wears some pink clothes etc. 10 years ago I would have identified as a feminist, not so much now. The problem is, it's ok saying that the MN feminism section is just a chat room, of course it is but when you're told you're not a feminist pretty much every time you try to engage on feminist threads it does make you think that maybe you're not.

its

Thats why i get confused on some threads, you get someone saying

Feminists believe xy and z.. I just just sit there going "what now?"

I also agree with purple and glen

MN feminism def puts me off calling myself a feminist. Lots of pretty gross anti-trans stuff, some pretty sex negative attitudes, demonizing sex workers, and talking about men like they're another species.

I think women should be treated like human beings, but I don't want to be a part of those spaces. So I find it easier to avoid that label.

Is it not possible to be a feminist and be anti-prostitution then? I'm anti-prostitution, but I don't recognise that as "sex negative" or as "demonising sex workers".

See I think the hatred of MRA's make me laugh the most. Absolutely no insight from feminists that they're two sides of the same whiny coin. Both predominantly white middle class moaning that they have it hardest in the world. I mean it's nice to have an excuse as to why your life is shit, but lets be honest, in 2016 in Britain, it's fuck all to do with your gender.

Between the rabid mob on mumsnets board, the idiots of youtube and a survey designed to produce the answer the results they wanted. Why on earth would anyone want to be affiliated with the label.