Feminism chat thread II

[ElephantsAndMiasmas]

Since it looks like the first chat thread is about to fill up, here's the next one all ready and waiting.

Think of it as the gated commune with babysitting on demand and gorgeous poolboys serving the drinks :o

CBeebies equality policy - that's a good idea, will try and find out.

Smurfs - Alexpolismum - I was practically turned into a feminist by the blatant sexism of the Smurfs - we used to save up our pocket money to get those little plastic figures of them and I was furious about the fact that there were all different boy smurfs and the only girl was bloody Smurfette with her long eyelashes and f*cking blonde wig and high heels

Haven't seen a Smurf for years though, I assumed they'd died out due to Smurfette being the only girl one Do you still have them in Greece?

yes, the Smurfs are still on in Greece, and there is even a band of people who dress up in Smurf costumes and put on frankly dreadful little shows for children. They're called Stroumfakia here, with Stroumfita being the girl smurf.

you would think by NOW they would have invented a few girl ones, wouldn't you? Now that there are even lots of girl trains chugging around the Island of Sodor on Thomas the Tank Engine and so forth.

Engelbert! So nice to have you back!
yes, who needs furniture when they have broadband, eh?

I asked dd if she was going to tell her teachers about her letter to CBeebies and she said 'No, because they don't know about feminism.'

My heart is breaking for the girl feminists :(

Especially when reflecting that SSM's DD is probably right and her teachers may well not know about feminism. But surely other girls think it's a shame that there are no girl characters. Or are we really trained so young to be "good" and not care?

"she's all excited and telling people about something they tend to turn it into her being against boys, and when she explains (she can explain herself pretty well) they ignore her" - like the feminist section concern trolls more traditionally-minded posters on MN, then.

why is "you are against men/boys" such a damning accusation, whereas "you are against women/girls" is a) never said and b) laughed off.

Welcome home Engelbert :)

Ooh I am really angry. My sister has been visiting and had left an article on the BBC website magazine open on my laptop called 'Is it OK to compliment a stranger'.

Obviously this article is solely about men commenting on women's appearances so is irritating as fuck in itself.

But what has made me incandescent is the comment from some pompous twat who is the UK editor of AskMen (whatever the hell that is) who proclaims confidently: "Let's get this straight from the start - there's no such thing as a woman (single or not) who doesn't actually like receiving a compliment based on the way she looks - provided it's delivered in a genuine, respectful and unimposing manner. Any woman who tells you otherwise isn't being honest. The reality is that women need the occasional bit of ego rubbing - it's nourishment for their self-esteem."

No, actually I think you'll find I'm not at all interested in what you think of my appearance. Piss off.

Sorry for the swearing but I really really really hate men making assertions about what women want and like and then if we say we really don't, we're actually lying. It's the most pernicious form of public gaslighting.

I know - as if the very idea that we should argue with some bloke's beliefs about WHAT WE ARE LIKE AND WE DO AS WOMEN is beyond the pale. Cock= expert on everything, obviously

Just going back to the children's stuff - yesterday MIL came round with some presents for my children. A pink glittery princess book for dd and a dinosaur book for ds1 (and a baby toy for ds2, who has delayed development). Anyway, as she was giving them out, dd went straight for the dinosaur book saying "Look, Mummy! A triceratops!" and ds (4 years old, one year older than dd) took the princess one. "Look, Mummy, it's just like the one Maria has got!"

MIL is now referring to dd as a tomboy and took me aside at one point to ask me in a whisper if I thought ds might "become" gay! They are 3 and 4 years old! All that from a couple of books!

Interesting thread in chat about DH/DPs who don't get home in time to see the DC.

Not sure what I think about that thread as I do the long hours described and am primary parent. I leave before the kids are awake and get in at the tail end of bedtime hour. ....clearly the balance in my life is fucked :-(

Watching this prog about a young British-Afghan woman on a trip back to Afghanistan. She has just said something along the lines of "Before the Taliban, it was the Mujahadeen. It's like for 20 years men have just been fighting each other and screwing up the country!". I think she's becoming one of us.

Interesting programme.

Def watch the programme I just linked to (I hope it goes on iplayer). I think you'll all find it fascinating. And horrific.

Why do they only show this stuff late at night?

For anyone who wonders what the patriarchy is, HERE it is.

I LOVE that programme, Aye. It was on BBC3 last year and I started a thread about it then, I think. Will check.

Women, Weddings, War & Me on iplayer.

Do you want me to call you a seditious antifeminist man-lover, to make up for it? :o

Sorry people are being idiots.

"I keep getting called a man-hater. in this section It's getting tiresome. Twice so far this week."

Maybe you keep on getting called a "man-hater" because there actually is some substance to the allegation.

Or perhaps people are not bothering to read Dittany's posts carefully, and they are not reflecting on what she is actually saying.

Seriously femtastic - what is your agenda?

anti-feminism, it's clear enough.

My lawn is looking fantastic. Green and lush and not a single dandelion.