Tuesday, January 31, 2012

"Feminism is the radical notion that women are people."

I recently got a question from a reader that interested me. He said he found my blog by pressing the "Next Blog" button. He was very complimentary, and then asked "Is this a feminist blog"?

And I thought "That is a really great question."

After some rumination, I've decided this. I am a feminist. This is my blog. So while feminism isn't its main purpose, it will probably make its way in to an entry here and there. Like right now.

AND FOR THE RECORD, I am a feminist. NOT A MAN-HATER. Not someone who thinks women are BETTER than men, who thinks men are the root of all evil/social problems, or who wants men to apologize for the worst qualities of their gender throughout history. These attitudes don't actually reflect feminism. Many people, Mormons in particular, seem to misunderstand the term "feminism." I think many Mormons would be shocked to realize that they actually ARE feminists. Or should be.

Do you think women should be able to vote?
Should women have the right to own property?
Should a woman have the option of holding a place in the workforce, regardless of what you believe about whether or not it's "her place"?

Then you're a feminist.

Feminism, Oxford English Dictionary definition:
Advocacy of the rights of women (based on the theory of equality of the sexes).

I'm just saying.

Although, Sojourner Truth had a good point, even way back in 1851...

"That little man in black there, he says women can't have as much rights as men, 'cause Christ wasn't a woman! Where did your Christ come from? Where did your Christ come from? From God and a woman! Man had nothing to do with Him. If the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down all alone, these women together ought to be able to turn it back, and get it right side up again! And now they is asking to do it, the men better let them."

Sorry, men. She didn't mention the fact that we need each other, men and women, but if you ever start feeling high and mighty about the superiority of your gender, boys, remember ole Sojourner. 

7 comments:

Mary Mennenga said...

Well said!

Beckah said...

Cheers. Women are awesome.

Brandilyn said...

awesome.

A said...

I, too, am a feminist. And there's no better way to recognize the feminism in you than by watching a movie like The Duchess or Made in Dagenham and seeing what it used to be like.

But I understand the negative stereotypes and the desire not to associate with feminism. While it may have started as a fight for women's rights and equality, it has developed into much more than that. What I dislike about today's feminism is what I see as a sort of masculinism--the idea that women need to be like men to be equal to them. It's as if some feminists think the only way to achieve equality and not be trapped in stereotypical roles is to reject those roles. And as a result, sometimes traditional female roles of being a housewife or a stay-at-home mom, and characteristics like being feminine or emotional or nurturing are degraded. How often do we see housewives portrayed nowadays as desperate, repressed, and unhappy, while career women are powerful and satisfied? It's ironic that feminism has brought us both more respect and choices in our lives, and more negative stereotypes of traditional female roles. So I don't know that it's always that people don't understand feminism (though sometimes they don't), as much as they don't know which feminism you're talking about.

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