My Feminist Fail

[msrisotto]

This is meant to be a light hearted thread!

I am a card carrying, soap box ranting, "This Is What A Feminist Looks Like" t-shirt owning feminist but......[small voice] I love watching America's Next Top Model. Shocker! I am embarrassed to admit it, I know how awful it is. Encouraging and celebrating the sexual objectification of women.

And I wear quite heavy make up when my skin is bad. But I don't think Feminism would blame me for that, a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do to survive in the patriarchy!

Don't tell me everyone else is virtuous here! Care to share?

[Mumcentreplus]

I allow myself to be called 'Mrs Harry'...(Harry is my DH's first name) by the taxi drivers in my area...I actually find it quite sweet

Oh and I love 2 and half Men..fucking brilliant...but only with Charlie

[bushymcbush]

My feminist fail is my use of the saying "Don't be such a girl," or "You big girl's blouse," whenever someone (of either gender) is displaying irrational weakness such as fear of a spider. The words just fall out of my mouth but I could kick myself everytime I say them.

[messyisthenewtidy]

I like chicklit and chickflicks.. oh and I often devise pro con lists in my head over who to choose: Edward or Jacob. Oops did I share too much?

[Thistledew]

My feminist fail -

We (DP and I) need a new car. I have zero interest in cars, and intend to leave the car choice almost entirely up to him. I will test drive a short list he compiles, and get him to give me a rundown on the finance side, but apart from that, I don't give a damn. I know it is a significant financial commitment that I really should be interested in, but, Meh.

[MartyrStewart]

I have been known to watch Toddlers and Tiaras.

But I watch it through my fingers and shout at the screen. Is that a feminist fail?

[TheRealTinselAndMistletoe]

1. I have a secret collection of cute animal pictures. Mainly dogs with a few monkeys. Sometimes I think 'oh I need a look at my 'collection' and it makesme feel better about life....ffs!
   

1. Until I find a suitable replacement for balls, bollocks and dick, I continue to use phrases such as 'why did I get his balls' and totally dickless. I like not having a dick as they are fairly ugly looking imo, but the symbolism works un a way that I cannot replace using better language

[Himalaya]

I despise the labelling and marketing of toys as 'for boys' and 'for girls'

I have two boys who had kitchens, dolls, knitting sets etc...when younger and have also been through a lot of construction toys (lego, knex, magnetix, lincoln logs etc...)..I love construction toys (more than DH..).

I am having a clear out and have boxed up a load of old construction sets. I want to hand them down to some younger kids, who will appreciate them.

My problem is I cant imagine any of my friends' little girls really liking them (they are all quite pink and girlie-girlie) and I don't want to just give them to someone with boys just because they are 'boys toys'.

So at the moment they are just in boxes making me feel bad.

[Arcticwaffle]

I have still not managed after many years together to get DP to do half the mental organising about housework etc, in principle we both agree that we share it all but in real life I'm the organised one who manages the show. In my Ideal Feminist Life this wouldn't happen.

Himalaya, my dds like construction sets. They don't like toy cars and garages (but who can blame them, cars are boring) but they love building things. Lego and magnetix have been things they've all played with for years.

[Himalaya]

Arctic - thanks. I had no interest in cars and garages as a kid but loved construction toys too. So I do know that girls like building stuff...but I guess I have also imbibed the message that regular construction toys don't appeal to girls nowadays - hence pink magnetix, Lego Friends etc...

I don't want to pass on our shoe boxes full of much loved Knex rubble to someone who is going to think it is old junk. I guess if i was giving it to someone with boys I would just dump the boxes with them and trust that their boys would see the potential, whereas as I want to pass them on to someone with girls I will wait for the opportunity to sit around building with them and see if they get enthused.

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

MrsC - thank you for explaining. I would be more appropriately called MsPenPusher nowadays, but like to think of myself as a chemist still.

Himalaya - my DD(5) plays with lego etc more than DS (7), although he has Asperger's and coordination problems and finds the whole concept quite hard. DD loves building either structured kits using instructions or just inventing stuff out of a pile of bricks. DD is also very pink and girly . She likes Hot Wheels too.

[mumwithdice]

I own a corset (properly fitted) and wish that it was still possible to wear 18th century clothing. I want long skirts.

But I also want DH to wear 18th c clothing cos he'd look hot in breeches

[yellowraincoat]

Oh I own tons and tons of frankly disgusting underwear.

Disgusting in a good way.

[TheRealTillyMinto]

i have asked a fit man to get my bag down from the high shelf on the train (when i was quite capable of getting it down myself) just so i could watch him.

[msrisotto]

LOL Tilly!!!

[Trills]

You can wear long skirts for everyday.

Corsets, not quite so much, but I am currently stockpiling long skirts ready for when they go out of fashion and can't be found in any shops for the next 5 years.

[mumwithdice]

Trills, where do you get them from? I can never find any. Ankle length is what I'm thinking.

As for corsetry, mine is for everyday, but I won't be able to use it until I stop bfing which won't be for a while.

[Trills]

The last two I bought were from Warehouse.

Not sure if this link will work

[technoduck]

My feminist fail.... hair extensions and chicken fillets, enough said.

[LaurieFairyCake]

My feminist fail - being married as I don't believe in state marriage as I think it's favoured by politicians for patriarchal reasons.

But my lovely dh wanted to. And I also don't believe in it for religious reasons as there was no marriage 2000 years ago (and I'm a Christian which most idiots would think is a feminist fail but it's not as my God is not remotely sexist)

[TadlowDogIncident]

Hurrah, LaurieFairyCake - good to meet another Christian feminist! I also don't regard it as a feminist fail. God isn't sexist even though far too many religious people are.

[LaurieFairyCake]

nice to 'meet' you too Tadlow

[BasilRathbone]

Eh? There has been marriage in most developed societies for absolutely hundreds of years. Certainly there was 2000 years ago.

Now I want to know when marriage was invented.

Anyone?

[TadlowDogIncident]

No idea, Basil. Prehistorically, probably - as soon as there was property to be passed down. The ancient Egyptians certainly had it, so that's 5000 years at least.

[Matronalia]

Wasn't Odysseus married to Penelope in the Odyssey? And Menelaus to Helen? And Clytemnestra to Agamemnon-that puts marriage in the earliest recorded literature.

Athenians of the fifth century BC had documented wedding celebrations.


Weren't Mary and Joseph betrothed when she got pregnant with Jesus-much talk of Joseph putting her aside...and they get married in the book of Matthew after the birth of Jesus.

[TadlowDogIncident]

Oh yes, the ancient Greeks certainly had marriage (and wedding ceremonies, for that matter).

And it clearly existed in the Middle East by the time the Pentateuch was written: Noah and his three sons all have wives, for example.