Feminist Thread - pro feminist discussion

[MarginallyNarkyPuffin]

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Thank you, MNP... Was wondering where we'd get this, these days...

It's clearly labelled to avoid any confusion.

good idea Puffin.

you raaaaaaang?

I thought that this might be a place to post anything you might want feminist view points on.

i need a moment. i'm all twitchy and defensive from the onslaught of delightfully feminist-alternative viewpoints which saturated previous threads

Ahem. So, I've been told I'm getting "overly PC" because I got kinda angry at this

For those that aren't aware, btw, Mia is the name given to bulimia by sufferers. Maya just feels a bit... pro-mia to me. But yes. Views, please?

Er, I wouldn't say overly PC but I would say that you have to do a bit of mental gymnastics to get from Maya to Mia to bulimia. They're saying Maya remains so they're probably making a (rather messed-up) link to the ancient Mayan civilization.

"Sexy" skeleton outfits on the other hand... yuck.

Yeah, the sexy skeleton thing got me the most, but the name... I'm not sure if it is my dyspraxia, though, as I do tend to do a bit of mental word play as a result of it, and knowing the bulimia being known as "mia" thing, amongst sufferers, I guess I got there quite quickly. but the Mayan thing makes sense.

The same site had a costume removed this morning; "Anna Rexia". The costume was almost identical, but came with a tape measure round the waist, and didn't light up... Have to wonder about their designers...

Anna Rexia? Jeez. I didn't see the Maya one as a reference to EDs though, but as part of the modern trend to "sex up" Halloween, particularly in the States, but increasingly here too. There's a scene in the teen movie Angus Thongs etc where the main character shows up at a party dressed as a pumpkin. She is howled out of there by the 'cool' girls, who all have fishnet stockings and skimpy outfits on.

Oh good lord. Anna Rexia? How is that OK on any level? Who the fuck dreams this shit up?

By the way, anyone want to come and help deal with the MRAs on the 'Does the violence ever stop?' thread in Relationships? That one certainly has my feminist blood boiling.

Am I in the right place for anti-anti-women discussion?

Been a tad confused lately.

I think from a company that was promoting an Anna Rexia costume, you're probably not far off the mark Froths.

I hate listening back to old music, and thinking 'you know, that's not so nice'. Was driving round the other day singing along to 'Does your mother know' by Abba thinking it probably wasn't the best to pay too much attention to the lyrics.

I think the only way to respond to the MRAs on that thread is to completely ignore them and let the thread die. Beachcomber made a good post. The OP won't come back. I think the whole thing should be deleted and left with MN's new "all a bit of a bunfight" message. It was hardly appropriate in Relationships, was it?

Alys, I'm so mixed on it. Either way, the Anna Rexia costume was the vilest halloween costume I've ever seen. I nearly lost two friends to anorexia, and I don't see how any company can justify using an eating disorder to promote sales.

There's at least one Bayside song I can't listen to anymore. Even though the lead singer has said it's about having someone drag you down so much you think your life would be easier if they were dead, but he'd enever do anything like that himself, it's just full of DV excuses. Ahem. There's the lyrics

There's a lot of music out there which you need to gloss over the lyrics for.

Glad this thread is here. I've been avoiding the rest.

I've become very aware of my use of language. I've stopped using cunt as a negative word. It's harder to stamp out some of the more subtle ones. Bitch is obvious. Words like slag and slut too. The trickier ones are words like strident, hysterical etc - the kind of words that would only be used to describe X behaviour if it concerned a woman and that reinforce a stereotypical way of thinking. Describing a woman who is angry as moody or a woman who is assertive as pushy is aligning youself with a sexist view of women.

I'm trying to make sure I use positive language. Cognitive therapy often involves changing the words we use about ourselves or others in order to change our emotional responses. Changing the words can alter the way we perceive thing. Words do have power.

SGM, why aren't FNM feminist-friendly? I have to confess I only know the lyrics to a few of their songs.

Puffin, I have been called 'overbearing' at work. I promise I am not. I just assert myself. Honest.

Yes language is very important. And whilst we're on the subject, can I mention my thing for not going for contrived gender neutral terms like policeperson, fireperson, ambulanceperson etc? IMO they highlight the gendered nature of the term in the first place, allow people to go 'oh that's too longwinded', and also facilitate a ready slip back into policeman, fireman etc (and they actually don't make sense). Whereas police officer, fire fighter, paramedic/ambulance driver just removes the reference to gender at all, and focuses on the task instead. There's a few I haven't been able to find a good alternative for, but not many.