Is there another word for oppression ?

[Blistory]

In the context of the patriarchy oppresses women ? I know what I mean by it, I know that most posters in this section understand what is meant by it but it seems to be a term that causes some women to automatically rebel against feminism.

Most the of the circular arguments on MN seem to go along the lines of
'but it's my choice therefore I'm a feminist exercising my choice'
'no you're not, you have no choice'
'I am a strong indepedent woman, feminisim has achieved its aims and I can do what I want'
'no, you think you have choice but you don't really because you are oppressed'
'I am not oppressed, sod off, you nutcase feminist'

Obviously that's not a serious example.....

How the hell do we get around this everyday thinking without attacking, without patronising ? There must be a better way to have these discussions but damned if I can think of it.

Is oppression as a word too emotive and if so, how better could this be phrased ?

Shaping it is then. Thank you for all your thoughts on this.

Don't want to cause a problem but "shaping" to me is what we do with children when we being them up so can be either good or bad for them. In terms of feminist are we not saying that "shaping" is bad or is that dependent on the paricular discussion?

Oppression implies unnecessary and wrong. Shaping can be a positive process.

Eclectic - shaping is what we think we do when we bring up children, coping is what we really do

So true sometimes :)

I so believe that you can be trapped by the word 'can't' as much as trapped by any outside force.

In order to build self confidence on a personal level, people are taught to do positive affirmations; and yet as soon as you start talking about the word 'oppression' you do quite the reverse for women as a group.

There has to be shifts in attitude from within as much as changes in attitude from without.

I'd live to do a really positively minded thread in this section to that end. I'm still trying to think of a good way to do that...

There is always "grooming"....

Actually, it's very like grooming. Only, then, wouldn't you get into disagreements about whether grooming was the consequence of grooming?

Sexism. What's wrong with it.

I do try to use the appropriate word: sexism; patronisation; gendercide; violence against women; belittling; dismissing; discounting; assault; harassment; objectification; pornification (if that even is a word); abuse; bullying ... Grandiose or quasi-technical terms make me feel alienated, so I really understand why others get pissed off by them.

Wrt patriarchy, I don't know. It's only a concept so, whatever you call it, it's easy to discount. My immensely long, explanatory post on the "stupid" thread was roundly ignored, even by those who would trash my take on it.

Garlic, I agree with using the appropriate word for the situation or context.