Reply to Can we please retire the word "feminazi"?!?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]The thing that a lot of these "I'm not a feminist but..." women seem to not realize is that many of the things that they say after the "but" are feminist issues. Feminism is and has always been a collection of issues, with the unifying theme being "the empowerment of women." I agree that many aspects of the feminist movement seem out of place in the US in the 21st century (voting rights, for example, and not being legally barred from entering most professions or driving a car). I think it is also important to realize that feminism is not solely an American movement and that many of those issues are extremely relevant to women's lives in other countries. I think that most American woman would agree that women in Saudi Arabia should not be legally banned from driving a car. I think that most American women would agree that women should not be executed for adultery if they are raped. These are feminist issues. They are human rights issues too. Those two things are not mutually exclusive.

When the "I'm not a feminist but..." crowd starts making their statements, I try to make it less about "the movement" and more about the specific issues. There is room for disagreement and diversity of opinions on the legal right to have an abortion if you want to get one, on the availability of birth control, etc. There is room for disagreement and variety of options on how to birth, feed and raise children, in the same way that there is room for disagreement and variety of options on what shoes to wear and what career to pursue. The point, as far as I'm concerned, is a "freedom of choice" point - I, as an adult woman, have the right to choose for myself. I do not need my husband, father or brother to make these choices for me.

I think it is very important to remember that the socio-political climate in the US now, in 2011, is very different than the socio-political climate in 1960, 1910, 1790, etc.  It's different for women. It's different for men. It's different for people of color. It's different for non-heterosexual people. It's different for people with disabilities. Many of the issues that were very relevant in 1910 are irrelevant now - I'm 30 years old and I have never once been concerned that I would be denied the right to vote. I've never once been concerned that I would be denied the right to hold property in my own name. These were issues for generations past which have largely been solved for my generation in the culture where I live. Other issues, like things related to employment and things related to healthcare and reproductive rights, were not relevant in the past the way they are relevant now. If women are expected not to work outside the home, issues like equal pay for equal work and duration and compensation during maternity leave would not come up.

I agree that there are some individuals with very incindiary rhetoric on both sides. This is the nature of debating issues that people are passionate about. I do not see "feminism" as being a radical movement anymore, in the same way that Catholicism is not a radical movement anymore, despite its historic origins.

Basically, ladies who say "I'm not a feminist but...", you can identify yourselves however you want to. I support your choice to affiliate yourself or not affiliate yourselves with the feminist movement. What I cannot support is the perpetuation of misinformation like "feminists hate men" and "feminists hate bras" and "feminists have double standards" because that's just as inaccurate for you to say about me as it would be for me to say that you are hateful towards other women and doormats to your husbands. [/quote]
Brava! Very well written post. I hope the non feminists read it carefully. [/quote]

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