(Courtesy of Evan Derkacz)
Nothing To It
by Amanda Marcotte
Pandagon
"The problem with feminism is not the word. The problem is that equality for women is a controversial idea. When I write about specific feminist issues, the bile comes out not at the word "feminist" but at the idea that women exist for our own reasons and not at the disposal of men. You could call it "suckacockism" and people would still hate it as long as you were calling for women's social, economic and political equality."
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4 comments:
interesting postings. My "problem" with feminism or at least some of the ways it is championed seems to be the way some women seem to want it both ways. True equality is demanded, and so is the man paying for a date and holding open a door.
If one says women are truly equal to men, then I say they are wrong. We are different, with strengths and weaknesses apiece. Sure, in areas where we can be treated truly equal, it should be so. But there are areas where it's just not. Fire stations test women on flexiblity rather than strength - why? Because they have to make it so women can compete with men to gain entrance. There are extremely strong women, but most aren't as strong as a man. That's biology, not sexism. I say fight for equality where it makes sense.
Feminism doesn't demand equality in the sense of Kurt Vonnegut's "Harrison Bergeron" (a classic story of PC mania)... rather it is a simple demand for equal opportunity and common respect.
I'm sorry but I really do not understand your argument here--there are varying abilities in all people and the fact that some men may be physically stronger than some women is no more important than the equally true fact that some women are stronger than some men.
Feminism is an important word and theory. It is just as valid today as it was in the past, as we are continuingly assaulted by the decisions of backward-looking theocrats like Dr. Hager; the discrimination of American corporations like Wal-Mart who think of women as servants not leaders; the continuing culture of physical intimidation at a local level and on a global scale; emphasis on body as sole factor in a women's value because she only needs to worry about one thing; or where women's history is generally ignored unless it supports a patriarchal view.
I'm a man, often rightly determined to be chauvinistic in my attitudes... I was raised in the 70s... but damn, how blind must a person be to not recognize a continuing system that grossly favors men overall
I'm not saying the "system" doesn't favor men overall. Absolutely it does. I'm saying that when one fights for "feminism", one should fight for equality in the areas where one can be equal. If we are doing the same job, of course we should be paid the same, etc. What I'm saying is that in the fight for feminism, there are stances that don't make sense to me and areas we fight for equality that don't make sense. Can a woman fly a jet as well as a man and vv - yes. Can a woman lift as many pounds as a man - most can't. If it is to be truly equal, as in my firefighting example, women should be required to hump the 75 pound hose up the stairs just like the men. If they can't, then they shouldn't be let in. We can't change the requirements to flexibility because women are more flexible then men and say that's the new entrance criteria. Do you see what I'm trying to say? If you want equality, then make it real equality. If a job requires heavy lifting, then do the heavy lifting. Don't say I have the right to do this job but I'm not strong enough so change the rules. If you are strong enough, woot. If not, do something else and don't endanger the public and fellow firefighters. And lastly, don't say you want change for equality but maintain some of the inequitable antiquated ways of sexism, like men paying always or holding open doors. Sure those are nice, but keep in mind what that stems from.
Where is feminism demanding that we forgo firefighting lifting requirements or that men continue to open doors for women? I haven't read that or heard feminist speakers ask for this? I have never heard any individual feminist demand these things?
The problem that I see--why we are talking past each other is that you are making assertions about the behavior of individual women who you have met who claimed to be feminists. While I am speaking about the claims of the larger project of feminism as a way of recognizing the systemic inequalities present in our society (and others) and the need to address these problems?
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