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Are you a feminist? (If so why, if not why not?) (lemmy.blahaj.zone)

submitted 1 week ago by dandelion@lemmy.blahaj.zone to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

293 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Might help also to describe what you think feminism is, since it's one of those terms that is overloaded.

I once had a physical therapist tell me she wasn't a feminist because she thought women couldn't be as physically capable as men when serving as soldiers, and seemed to believe feminism requires treating women exactly like men.

I told her I was a feminist because I believe in equal rights for men and women, an idea she did not seem so opposed to.

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[–] rbn@sopuli.xyz 16 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

I'm not OP, but many people associate feminism with strengthening women specifically. If you look up the definition it actually does focus gender equality, no matter what gender you have. So from my perspective the term isn't really intuitive.

Another thing I don't like about the definition (at least the one on Wikipedia) is...

Feminism holds the position that modern societies are patriarchal—they prioritize the male point of view—and that women are treated unjustly in these societies.

While I sure get what they mean, I personally don't like to classify one's point of view as 'male'. I agree that there are far more toxic men that seek more and more power. But i don't dislike such people because they are men. I'd dislike their behavior just as much if they were women, non-binaries or any other gender. Classifying a character trait male IMHO is similar to calling a skirt or dress 'women clothes'.

So yes, to me personally, anti-sexism / anti-discrimination or even better pro-equality are more appealing.

[–] dandelion@lemmy.blahaj.zone -1 points 1 week ago (3 children)

Do you think women face more inequality than men? What gender inequality is there to address, i.e. why does feminism as a movement of gender equality exist?

[–] rbn@sopuli.xyz 13 points 1 week ago

Yes, I think women face more inquality than men. And queer people face even more discrimination than women. But also cis-men that don't fit well into the traditional gender roles, can face discrimation. I do not object the ideology behind femism. I just don't like the term.

[–] DavidDoesLemmy@aussie.zone 10 points 1 week ago

I think women do experience more gender based adversities, but I worry framing it like that creates an "us and them" situation between genders. We should fight inequality wherever it exists.

It also misses intersectionality. Not all men are advantaged over all women. A man born in poverty, violence, with a disability, or of a marginalised race, isn't automatically better off than a rich white women born to a good supportive family.

[–] agamemnonymous@sh.itjust.works 8 points 1 week ago

Women face different inequality than men. Where women are treated as valuable property, men are treated as disposable tools or dangerous threats. Feminism has done much to elevate women above valuable property, but men are still treated as disposable or dangerous.