NationStates Jolt Archive

Seeing as how yesterday Simone de Beauvoir would have turned one hundred years old, I think it would be a good to stop and reflect on what feminism has accomplished in the past and what goals there are still to reach.
I open this thread not only to remember Simone, but also because I noticed that feminism is actually and, as it seems to me, increasingly used as a curseword, which is really quite frustrating, seeing how much energy has been used in the past to further the cause of equality and how it still seems like the work will never end.

What is the state of feminism in your country and what goals have been reached and which battles are still to be fought?

I think feminism only has two faults today; people's mistkaing it for misandry, and the subversion of it's name to promote "raunch culture", which I can never encompass into the "empowering" bracket of social movement. Women are frightened of saying they're feminist, without true understanding of the term, and I hate that.
But then when girls in this country have role modles like Victroia Beckham, who's often remarked that, for example, she doesn't read books, as well as the more general pattern of her "career" if it may be named as such, this is hardly a surprise.

Blame the feminist extremists for feminism becoming a curseword.

While feminism itself is still relevant, like many well-intentioned causes, it's been hijacked by radical extremists, in this case, butch lesbians who seem to think that if someone has a dick, they are automatically prepositioned to oppress the women. Like racism and other brands of bigotry, misogynist attitudes are taught. We are not born full of hatred; we are taught to hate.

Actually I think Marxist feminism has a far better track record than the liberal variety. Rather than seeking special preferential treatment for minorities, it's better to seek genuine equality.

If it's 100 years after her and she would have turned 100 recently........


Wut?

Actually I think Marxist feminism has a far better track record than the liberal variety. Rather than seeking special preferential treatment for minorities, it's better to seek genuine equality.

Very true. No barriers or exceptions.

While feminism itself is still relevant, like many well-intentioned causes, it's been hijacked by radical extremists, in this case, butch lesbians who seem to think that if someone has a dick, they are automatically prepositioned to oppress the women. Like racism and other brands of bigotry, misogynist attitudes are taught. We are not born full of hatred; we are taught to hate.

Sorry, but unless you happened to grow up in the fabled land Mysandropia, I have a little bit of trouble believing the whole 'hijacked by butch lesbians' thing and if you go further to say that the cause has been perverted, are you aware that feminism strives actually for the total equality of the sexes?

If it's 100 years after her and she would have turned 100 recently........


Wut?
um well...yes sorry, I sort of forgot the whole 'the birth of' thingy, but don't blame me, blame green the fairy seductress of the Jura ( for all of you non-alkies out there, I'm talking about Absinth ).

Or tell me how to fix it, pretty please?

Very true. No barriers or exceptions.
Well with the way affirmative action quotas have been done, it's almost like liberals wan to rectify the situation by turning in into the opposite. The problem is with grouping people into 'Blacks', 'Hispanics', 'Women' or whatever, that's divisive logic in itself and should not be used, how about we call everyone 'people' and treat them equally. Trying not to sound like a conservative or anything, but the 'Great Society' or great liberal dream envisaged in the post-War years really fell on it's head and crumpled into a pile of racial violence and divisive community hatred in the 60's.

Liberalism exacerbates division, while Marxism unites.

In my country (the US), feminism achieved a lot over the years, especially in the areas of work, equal protection under the law, reproductive rights, and exposing gender myths and stereotypes. However, its work is far from done, and currently I feel as if US feminism is backsliding. I see more and more media representations of women that are demeaning, more and more sexist attitudes in regards to work, rape, marriage, etc., and more and more public debates about issues that I grew up thinking had already been settled, like women's fitness for high leadership positions, women's abilities in higher education, casting judgmental doubts on the victims of sex crimes, even a few extremists who question female suffrage who would not have gotten any attention at all twenty years ago.

Meanwhile, US women still have it worlds better than women in developing nations. I personally think it is vital for women in affluent nations to reclaim the reputation of feminism and take up its work again, not only for their own sakes, but for the sake of women suffering in unequal societies.

Blame the feminist extremists for feminism becoming a curseword.

Um... which "feminist extremists"? What views do they advocate that you object to? And if they're really extremists--by which I assume you mean a tiny minority?--why should we accept that they be allowed to taint all feminism? Every social and political movement has stupid people who try to attach themselves to it.

in this case, butch lesbians who seem to think that if someone has a dick, they are automatically prepositioned to oppress the women.

So such "butch lesbians" have "hijacked" the movement? Surely, then, for a movement so large and with such influence, you can provide something about their positions, and how such positions meaningfully equate to men being "automatically predisposed to oppress the women"--even despite the fact that most feminists, including the most radical, have always tended to argue the precise opposite, rejecting the "nature" argument as an excuse for patriarchy?

Or do you just want to repeat a particularly disgusting homophobic lie? :rolleyes:

Liberalism exacerbates division, while Marxism unites.

Haha... you do realize that here you're making a very individualist liberal argument, and one that you should realize is very much wrong?

How about, "Instead of bothering with class analysis and class struggle, which just replicates class oppression on a different level, let's just forget about class and treat everyone equally?" (Because surely, then, exploitation will magically disappear all on its own?)

See? ;)

Sorry about the pedantry, but surely, technically, "one hundred years after Simone de Beauvoir" would be one hundred years after her death?

I think, right now, feminism is quite fragmented and it's really an exploration of relatively new-found freedom. I think there's good debate on whether feminism is something to be touted or something to be accepted.

That is, some feminists feel their rights should be assumed rather than fought for - there's a subtle difference but to fight requires a mindset that one is below, that there's something to be fought for whereas to assume entails a certain indignant response where equality is breached.

It's calling someone a loser rather than an oppressor.

That is, some feminists feel their rights should be assumed rather than fought for - there's a subtle difference but to fight requires a mindset that one is below, that there's something to be fought for whereas to assume entails a certain indignant response where equality is breached.


That's actually a pretty interesting take on it...

Be back later, pondering...