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This post is a continuation from last week and touches on the stereotypes of feminism and feminists. Angry.net (a website whose sole purpose is to offer a place for people to rant) provided many people’s (men and women’s) stereotypes of feminists.
There are many sub-movements of feminism that do fulfill some of the stereotypes listed below (stereotypes do come from somewhere). However, these are small sub-sections that consist of radicals who have changed a lot of the meanings and original intents of feminism.
After doing some reading on websites for men’s rights, it seems that some men and women think feminism is about destroying men because feminists think they are all evil. Some even go as far as to call feminism a hate group. That fact is that any group based on hate, is not a group one should want to be a part of. Feminism is about achieving equality so that men and women can better support each other.
2. Only for lesbians
While there is a sub-set of feminism that rejects heterosexuality, this is in no way represents the beliefs of the majority of feminists. Feminism is for everyone regardless of sex, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, class, etc.
Feminism is about choice. A woman choosing to be girly in no way keeps her from being a feminist. It is when young girls and women are forced into the traditional role of being feminine despite their own preferences about how they would like to look, that that woman has become a victim of the patriarchy.
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Getting married and becoming a stay at home mom is not a bad thing. Some women dream of the domestic life from a young age. This is not anti-feminist. Feminism is not about rejecting cooking, cleaning, knitting, or child rearing. Again, feminism is about a woman’s right to choose where her place is. It does not matter if she wants to be running an office or cleaning up after her kids as long as it is her decision and that is where she wants to be.
5. Only for women
This stereotype goes back to the first bullet point. Feminism is not about men vs. women; it is about men and women coming together for equality. And that is truly the root of feminism. When it comes down to it, a woman should be able to choose to cut her hair short, only wear pant suits, go out and break the glass ceiling, wear makeup, love pink, and stay home to raise her children. Feminism is choice and equality.
I appreciate this post because you highlight the inconsistencies in others' fear of feminism. At the heart of it, I think, is a concern that women's rights supplant traditional gender roles. And, I guess, for some that would be true. But as society changes, so to do the needs and desires of a population. And at the heart of this is still major disparities for women in our society. Which are those, do you think, that cause women to speak truth to power?
ReplyDeleteI'd love more on this topic...I think it's so intertwined with how women view and accept themselves and their bodies. A true understanding of our bodies lies in acceptance and evolution.
I wonder: in that chart you show, was the term "feminist"? And who do you think frequents a website called "Angry.com"? Poll the class. Do you think over 90% of your classmates view feminism in a negative light? Consider the source...