"I don't like being called a feminist. I'm a woman. That's it."

[AnnieLobeseder]

I read this opinion piece in the Huffington Post today.

To quote a small part of it: "If I'm honest, I don't take feminists seriously. Unfortunately I feel these protests don't do much for women. Certainly, they create a sense of solidarity among those who take part, but beneficial? I'm not so sure."

To some degree I agree with her - I've found solidarity in feminism, but I've also found outrage and impotence. Will my awakening change the world? Probably not, but it's made it more uncomfortable to live in the world, unchanged as it is.

But I don't see what difference changing the label of feminism will do, except to create a new name that far too many people don't identify with.

I need to look at that too, lord, thanks.

I don't think it's surprising about single childless women vs married men with children. There are two things (which I bet well all know). One is, many married men effectively have a live-in maid/PA in the form of their wife. The other is, single childless women are assumed to be pre-mothers, who might at any point mess up the employer's game by going off and getting pregnant and giving up work.

People (and I use people in namechange's sense here) only want to think it's babies that stop women being equal because it's much simpler than admitting it's misogyny.

I read this a while ago, def got the impression she is young and desperately trying to justify things to appease the patriarchy
FFS get a grip girl. You're letting us all down. I'm disappointed.

Oh, plus, women like fastidia print off lengthy feminist documents at work, thereby draining resources and productivity and prestige by an amount almost comparable to, say, Deepwater Horizon for BP ... naturally this accounts for why feminism sucks.

The author is about as much of a feminist as Louise Mensch is
ROFL

Yes.

I overthrow capitalism, cause lesbianism and kill children as well.

Apparently.

Oh and practice witchcraft.

I wish we practiced witchcraft. It'd be something to chat about at RTN, and nice and colourful too.

I'm not quite up to the overthrowing capitalism/causing lesbiansim bit myself, though - give me time and a thick book of Dworkin's writings ...

The gender schema thing is interesting. I haven't read it very carefully, but it articulates why certain things happen and why certain things make one uncomfortable. It's such a relief to know that one is not a nutter.

Fascinating and validating stuff LordCopper, thanks for the link. Perhaps it explains why I find watching woman comedians uncomfortable. I'm so disappointed when they aren't funny whereas I couldn't care less if a man wasn't funny.

LordCopper, I have been reading your links from your post last night at 8pm, really interesting, thank you.

What is the full reference for the second quote? The link gave me a pdf of a book chapter and I'm really interested in the whole book. I totally identify with some of the issues in the chapter and would like to read more.

Why So Slow? by Virginia Valian. I haven't read the book either, but first chapter is very interesting!

What does the word 'feminist' mean in a world of feminisms?

Thanks, LordCopper, I have just ordered it!!

Monkeytrewsers, there is a quote I like in a book by Ingrid Whelehan, which goes along the lines of:

"All feminist positions are founded upon the belief that women suffer from systematic social injustices because of their sex, and therefore any feminism is, at the very minimum, committed to some form of reappraisal of the position of women in society"

So, I would suggest, drawing on that, that a feminist is someone who is committed to reappraising the position of women in society, granted this can take many forms - although I would also suggest that some kind of action to improve the position of women in society is also desirable, that can take place at any level from the home to government.

that can take place at any level from the home to government<

also at an international level...