Recently in my academic writing class I am taking relentlessly in university because it is a requirement, my prof has been getting us to read a couple of essays by some feminists. My prof was making the argument that people are afraid to declare themselves as a feminist because of the negative image associated with feminists in the past. For example, being high strung, man-less and/or butch are associated with the declaration of feminism. She argued that because of this and a few other reasons that people are afraid to call themselves a feminist.
If you read my blog, you know I have a few negative words to say about feminism. You may also know I am skeptic.
So after hearing this information from my prof I started re-evaluating how I see feminism. She set up 3 views on feminism, one of which she called the "pop-culture view" which is that it is unnecessary and that these people with this view are constantly bitching about it. Well, I would associate myself with this view. Most definitely I would. But the problem is that I have had analytical thoughts about feminism. I have really thought deep down to what the meaning of feminism is to me, my life, the life of women around me, my society and globally.
Being completely honest, I know no women born from the 90s on that have been deeply affected by issues feminists deem still present, like unequal rates of pay, various societal pressures (For example, to be girly and a mother), etc. Therefore, I have never ever felt a need to argue with the feminists for equality. Although I do recognize there are individual cases of women who need feminism from my society, and especially globally in societies other than my own. (Perhaps. It is argued that we should leave other cultures alone because they have their own way of living)
At one point my prof made the argument that it makes no sense when people want gender equality but refuse to proclaim they are a feminist because that is what feminists fight for is gender equality. This is true. I agree with this to a point. Except I argue that feminism is there to help bring up women to become equal to men as they were beneath men at one point. Whether or not they still are unequal is irrelevant to my current point. Gender equality is about making men and women equal, feminism is about bringing women up to become equal to men. This is what I say. This is my understanding of the word based on what I have seen. Never have I seen a feminist argue for men's rights unless they also claim to be a MRA (Men's rights activist). Gender equality is a lot... a LOT more than feminism. It is a lot more than bringing women up. It is not about bringing men down. It is a whole society... a systematic problem. Just how everything is run based on gender. Literally everything in our society can be brought back to gender biases.
I have had enough of this train of thought at the moment and I am going to leave it published and unfinished.
According to my prof since I believe in gender equality I have to be a feminist, or I am a feminist without claiming so. But that is her opinion and mine is not as such.
So why I am I so called "Afraid" of the "F word" being "Feminism"? It's not a fear. I don't associate feminism with anything negative. I do associate it with pointlessness just because I feel that the term should be abandoned. "Femme" is a term for a type of lesbian in modern terms but arguably, when the term "feminism" was created it was based off of the latin "femme" meaning woman. So why would we use a word that directly translates to "women practice/idea/philosophy" to represent gender equality? It is a sexist word. It really is. I love what feminists have done in history but seriously? Pick a better word.
So it is not that I fear the "F word"... actually yes it is. I fear that this is another form sexism. When I hear the word feminism I can't help but say "What about the men?". It makes no sense to start "Andronism" which would be the word equivalent to feminism but for men. Although when googled, there are results and men fighting for rights. Just stick with fucking "gender equality". There is no need for sticking "andro" and "femme" in there. No fucking goddam need.
If you read my blog, you know I have a few negative words to say about feminism. You may also know I am skeptic.
So after hearing this information from my prof I started re-evaluating how I see feminism. She set up 3 views on feminism, one of which she called the "pop-culture view" which is that it is unnecessary and that these people with this view are constantly bitching about it. Well, I would associate myself with this view. Most definitely I would. But the problem is that I have had analytical thoughts about feminism. I have really thought deep down to what the meaning of feminism is to me, my life, the life of women around me, my society and globally.
Being completely honest, I know no women born from the 90s on that have been deeply affected by issues feminists deem still present, like unequal rates of pay, various societal pressures (For example, to be girly and a mother), etc. Therefore, I have never ever felt a need to argue with the feminists for equality. Although I do recognize there are individual cases of women who need feminism from my society, and especially globally in societies other than my own. (Perhaps. It is argued that we should leave other cultures alone because they have their own way of living)
At one point my prof made the argument that it makes no sense when people want gender equality but refuse to proclaim they are a feminist because that is what feminists fight for is gender equality. This is true. I agree with this to a point. Except I argue that feminism is there to help bring up women to become equal to men as they were beneath men at one point. Whether or not they still are unequal is irrelevant to my current point. Gender equality is about making men and women equal, feminism is about bringing women up to become equal to men. This is what I say. This is my understanding of the word based on what I have seen. Never have I seen a feminist argue for men's rights unless they also claim to be a MRA (Men's rights activist). Gender equality is a lot... a LOT more than feminism. It is a lot more than bringing women up. It is not about bringing men down. It is a whole society... a systematic problem. Just how everything is run based on gender. Literally everything in our society can be brought back to gender biases.
I have had enough of this train of thought at the moment and I am going to leave it published and unfinished.
According to my prof since I believe in gender equality I have to be a feminist, or I am a feminist without claiming so. But that is her opinion and mine is not as such.
So why I am I so called "Afraid" of the "F word" being "Feminism"? It's not a fear. I don't associate feminism with anything negative. I do associate it with pointlessness just because I feel that the term should be abandoned. "Femme" is a term for a type of lesbian in modern terms but arguably, when the term "feminism" was created it was based off of the latin "femme" meaning woman. So why would we use a word that directly translates to "women practice/idea/philosophy" to represent gender equality? It is a sexist word. It really is. I love what feminists have done in history but seriously? Pick a better word.
So it is not that I fear the "F word"... actually yes it is. I fear that this is another form sexism. When I hear the word feminism I can't help but say "What about the men?". It makes no sense to start "Andronism" which would be the word equivalent to feminism but for men. Although when googled, there are results and men fighting for rights. Just stick with fucking "gender equality". There is no need for sticking "andro" and "femme" in there. No fucking goddam need.
