You don't have to be feminist to post here, but it helps...

[MrsReasonable]

I've noticed that whenever a 'non-feminist' view is brought up, there are occasionally some posts along the lines of 'this is a feminist board, why come here if you aren't...', etc.

Genuine question - is this a feminist board, or a board about feminism? Obviously the majority of posters are feminist, but I'm not sure whether that is because feminists (surprise surprise) like discussing feminism, or because it is seen as a feminist 'safe haven'?

Whoever kept using the term cowtow should be aware that the term is actually kowtow. FGS standards are slipping.

That's how it appears to me, in-fighting is probably the most harmful and hurtful of any.
But I'm only a casual visitor, so I may be completely wrong.

'Whoever kept using the term cowtow should be aware that the term is actually kowtow.'

Thought it, didn't say it.

I really wish all this fighting would stop so we could get on with Smashing the Patriarcy

I mean, I'm on a schedule here

please inform that person in future, otherwise they risk making an ass of themselves.

But then you get called picky and led firmly to pedants' corner.
Although the image of my DD at 2, towing a wooden cow on wheels was a welcome flashback. It went everywhere with her, regardless of the opinions of others.

She sounds like she will make a good feminist and won't be swayed by false arguments.

Oooh I'm not keen on horses. You can have the horses.

I'll be like Tank Girl

Radical Feminists- Patriarchy Theory: men benefit from women's oppression and rule by force and stealth, so we need to fight them.

Liberal Feminists- women should have the same choices as men under capitalism; as long as everyone can do what they like, what they achieve is only limited by how much money they have.

Socialist Feminists- women will only be equal if we overthrow class society, so we should fight on two fronts.

Mind you I'm not sure what my husband would think of that.

While we're being picky, someone on another thread just used 'cites' instead of 'citations' and it is like fingers on a blackboard.

Anyway, I think the term 'in-fighting' is daft. We're not a unified group. There is no 'in'. You can call yourself whatever you like and there are posters here who I may think are nutty as fruitcake when they call themselves feminists, but there we are, that's what makes them happy. But terms like 'in-fighting' suggest we really should get our ranks in order and take responsibility as a group that there's no disagreement. How boring and pointless would that be?

Thanks BoF

So what would a feminist who wants to smash it all up including the class system, capitalism, nuclear weapons and destructive global industries be called?

And instead live in a flowery garden sort of place where everyone is nice to each other and offers to look after your children all the time so you can go off and read books about robots?

Because I am sure there are a large number of people on these boards who would sign up for that.

LeBjof - since there's pedanty stuff going on, can I say I think lots of radical feminists would reckon they're fighting the patriarchy (ie., the social structures that benefit men), not men themselves?!

Thing is, no-one's going to change, are they, and I personally wouldn't want them to. So we have no choice but to muddle on as best we can

Oh, and from my understanding, the feminist movement started to fragment and collapse under the weight of these contradictions in the early eighties (I'm pretty sure it was then), when they had one of their annual conferences and lots of groups fell out big time and got really upset with each other. So it would be a shame for the same to happen here: unless we can find a way of discussing with each other respectfully, we will be smashing our laptop screens long before the Patriarchy...

Just marking my place so this thread will come up on "threads I'm on" - I can never find anything otherwise

LRD, yes, you're right. Elementary mistake of mine there!

No worries. I just like to type 'patriarchy'.

SGM - so what was it you said to ge deleted on page one of that thread?