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I’ll begin this post by stating that I am a proud feminist. I love being a feminist, and ever since I first started learning about Feminism in undergrad, I’ve been hooked. But what’s going on with Feminism lately? It’s totally disorganized and it’s lost it’s edge. There is no forward movement anymore – it’s just a self-serving mess of half-ideas perpetuated by pseudo-feminists who’ve read some articles on Buzzfeed but have never heard of Kimberle Crenshaw. And you know what sucks the most about this “new wave” of Feminism? As a collective, it might actually be true that we are “those women” who conservative men love to bitch about. On social media – the only place that matters these days – we are dismissive, exclusive and intolerant. We bitch about everything, but don’t actually do anything. So what’s happening?
Here’s my two cents: The only people feminists are talking to these days are other feminists. And isn’t that defeating the purpose of a social movement? If I know what I’m talking about, and YOU know what I’m talking about, then why are we talking to each other? We should be out there talking to and educating people who don’t get it yet. Men who bitch about the word “Feminism”, like “It’s an exclusive word, it’s for man-haters, it doesn’t include me.” Well, what if they’re onto something? I’m going to say it: Maybe we should change the word “Feminism”. The obvious response is to say that people who think this are the people who need the word “Feminism” the most. I know that, and YOU know that. But we’re Feminists. What if the best way to get through to non-feminists is to approach it from a different angle? Feminism has evolved so much over the years that the word doesn’t really encapsulate all that it means anymore, anyway. And if our REAL goal is to change people’s minds and get people on board, then maybe we need to listen to the masses and make a risky move. Maybe it’s time for a fresh start. —Intersectional Feminist Humanist
This article appears in Apr 21-27, 2016.
“Why aren’t we doing anything to change things!!” She screamed anonymously onto an online message board.
tributetolisabonet – I didn’t see “screaming” anywhere in there. OB and The Coast, this is a great post. Thanks for the food for thought.
Approach the world as if you are an “ambassador” for a “movement” and you condemn yourself to either life in an echo chamber or perpetual conflict, depending upon who you interact with. Live your own life according to your principles and let your own decency be an example and you may be surprised at how many people who vociferously reject the rhetoric of the ideologues (and every movement has them) are actually in sympatico with much of what you seek. Individuals are far too complex to be forced into the narrow strictures of any ideology.
“conservative men love to bitch about” What about the Libertarians who complain about it, or are we just going to perpetuate the straw man.
TLDR.
If we all just address gender based discrimination as we encounter it we ARE educating and making changes. It’s an individual pursuit.
Yeah, the world is filled with women lawyers, doctors, entrepreneurs, home makers, truck drivers, electricians, crane operators, etc…and there is soon to be a woman president in the US. Tell me again how hard you have it!
Well with a name that intuitively excludes half of the population It’s not hard to see why it would cause conflict.
weird, I responded to the OB with a detailed explanation to her question. in no way being rude, or against any of the rules regarding posts on this forum. yet it was not posted….this is such a joke of a forum…censorship at its worst.
I will attempt again. I have forgotten all of my original content but I will try to cover it.
There are many problems associated with the modern feminist agenda/movement internally speaking. For one…there is no listening. There is only screaming. especially if the carefully cherry picked “empirical data” is challenged or disproven. this ranges from the amount of sexual assaults committed against women being exponentially more than against men. the reality of that is that after Center for Disease Control (CDC) study covering 1998-2015 was conducted, it was reported that 1.7 million cases of sexual assaults(including rapes) were committed against women (WORLDWIDE) and a further 1.675 million reported against men and boys during the same period of time. 46% of which were committed by women.
That’s just one example. There are others. but if you bring that to the table, you are shouted down. there is no debate, just horrible, ear splitting cacophony of garbage.
Other issues facing feminism: LONG standing feminists who were driving forces in the 80’s and early 90’s etc are now vilified by their own movement. Many have criticized the “new” blood as ineffective, counter productive, and not representing what ACTUAL feminist values are. when holding talks at universities, even the long respected feminists that challenge assumptions of things like the “the patriarchy”, the fact that we don’t live in a “rape culture” and that women’s studies courses shouldn’t be a masters degree etc (Prof. Fiermengo of the University of Ottawa for example) and they get people shouting them down instead of LISTENING to reason, wisdom etc.
the feminist movement as a whole is eating itself, much like a snake chewing on its own tail. This is because the ears are closed but the mouth is on full scream. the social media allows self proclaimed Subject matter experts to voice their opinions and believe them to be facts. anyone challenging that and its another scream down.
Feelings trump fact, statistics, reason, logic etc….”if my feelings are hurt by any of the aforementioned criteria, then I reserve the right to lose all control and scream and shout and berate, belittle, deride and choke out anyone who disagrees with my cherry picked “empirical data”
equality is for EVERYONE. no one deserves special treatment, parity etc based on the skin colour, gender identity etc etc. equality for all, or expect none for all.
STFU
STFU
OP, I looked at your 1000 word paragraph and decided not to read it. better luck next time.