Do you call yourself a feminist?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Sarah on March 11, 2009 at 12:40pm

I think in part it depends on where you live. I might have been more worried about being mugged etc. when I was living in the city. Here, I've never heard of anyone being mugged, but rape is definitely an issue.

So, it's pretty much just the idea of being assaulted that has me gripping my keys and making a mad dash for my front door. Even when I was in the city though, rape was definitely my number one fear out of those three.

Permalink Reply by Lisa on March 11, 2009 at 1:05pm

Maxie- to your point on insecurity. Kat implied that sexism (or at least, the 7 things I thought of off the top of my head) exist DUE to insecurities. Also I don't think (though Kat, correct me if I'm interpreting wrongly) she was saying it's our insecurity in our inability to defend ourselves, but just our insecurities in ourselves in general. (Tangent: Although I do see your point- are rapists less likely to attack women who appear very physically fit and able to defend themselves? Probably. But that doesn't mean than a non-muscular woman shoulders any blame for her rape. )

Also, I don't think we should use dick/prick as an insult either, although I do admit to the occasional slip up. Using dick/prick as a way to counter the sexism of using cunt/pussy isn't really achieving anything though, you know? As Shakesville said, "It's a step forward only in a race to the bottom, and there is little to be gained by treating service to the lowest common denominator as a favorable equalizer."

Permalink Reply by Leanne Behrns on March 11, 2009 at 1:10pm

Kat,

I think if women were more secure, they'd be more willing to stand up for themselves. Not that it would automatically translate to solving body image issues or preventing stupid things from existing, but they'd be less willing to just accept it.

I also agree that women have plenty to do with body issues, and a lot of that comes from their own insecurities. Some women feel the need to criticize and rag on the appearance of other women so they feel better about themselves. We are way harder on our own gender than men are, I agree with you on that.

Permalink Reply by L.L. on March 10, 2009 at 8:43pm

Kat! I have been reading a lot of your comments on this thread and all I have to say is BRAVO. You are so entirely right! Good job and way to call a spade a spade!

Permalink Reply by Ben on March 8, 2009 at 8:39pm

I think the goals of feminism in most of the devloped world has been realised for quite a while, and now is pretty pointless

Permalink Reply by Sarah on March 8, 2009 at 9:45pm

Aw, I wish that were true. But even setting aside issues of pay inequity, domestic violence etc. in the developed world for a moment, we should still be concerned about equality in the developing world, shouldn't we?

Permalink Reply by Ben on March 8, 2009 at 11:35pm

Is pay inequity really going on? I never hear about it, and domestic violence works both ways, and we should be, but my point is, that they have equality, and in the courts in realtion to kids etc, get way more than a fair shake, when it comes to abortion, a women has 100% power in the decision regardless of what the man wants.

Permalink Reply by Sarah on March 9, 2009 at 12:03am

You may not be hearing about it, but it's certainly still going on right now all across North America. Domestic violence may work both ways, but women are still overwhelmingly the victims.

To be honest, I'm not that familiar with the ins and outs of family law, and I'm not sure if you're talking about Canada or the U.S. or both, but certainly, if men aren't getting a fair shake, that's an issue of equality that needs to be addressed.

I feel like the issue of abortion would need its own thread, and it's definitely far less cut and dried than issues like equal pay, since there's simply no way a man would ever be in the position of having to make that decision.

While I'll definitely acknowledge that due to the hard work of feminists before us, we're certainly doing better than many countries, but we've got a ways to go yet.

Permalink Reply by Renee on March 9, 2009 at 8:56pm

You really ought to read up on domestic violence statistics. In my home town, 337 rapes were reported but only 30 went to court in FOUR YEARS.
That's not a fair shake.

Permalink Reply by Ben on March 9, 2009 at 9:06pm

Because the women dropped the charges? what's the point here? you saying their cases where thrown out because they were women? maybe a lot of false rape claims where put in, it happens

Permalink Reply by Renee on March 9, 2009 at 9:13pm

No, not because women dropped charges, because their claims weren't taken seriously by the police. They're judged because they were under the influence, because they were wearing a short skirt, because the rape was "their fault," because crying rape is seemingly en vogue and there's no possible way this "nice guy" could have done such a thing, must have been HER FAULT ... Because we live in a culture where it's okay to rape a woman if she's intoxicated, high, acting/dressing suggestively.

Permalink Reply by Lisa on March 9, 2009 at 9:41pm

On an interesting note, did you know that it was our one and only female prime minister that brought rape shield law to Canada?
But still, in Canada, the US, and I'm sure most other countries, lots of victim blaming/shaming happens despite rape shield law. (Take a look at the Kobe Bryant case)

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• …
• 11
• Next ›
• Page