Where does sexuality fit into the Feminist Movement?

Answer 1

As a feminst who doesn't think that all men are rapists--(let's learn to distinguish mainstream feminism from radical femiminism, people [Not you, I just had to make that clear]) I think sexuality in the feminist movement has been reclaimed as belonging solely to the women. Less than a century ago, a woman's sexuality was not "hers" but property of her husband, because of the children that were the product of it. Even fifty years ago, sex was considered part of the package of marriage, and women were obligated to, well, "oblige" or be kicked to the curb (even if her health deemed it unsafe for her to have sex.) and her inability to have children was grounds for divorce as well. The whole deal when it came to sex was that women no longer wanted to be seen soley as baby making holes in the mattress, but valued as having more to contribute to the world.

Answer 2

I was under the impression that the Feminist Movement hit the dust a long time ago. The feminist movement as I understood it was when females wanted to be males, and also wanted equality for everything. They lost badly.

Answer 3

It doesn't.

And yeah, I admit to some bias here as a male living near a University campus where I've *seen* both the best and worst sides of academic feminism living together side-by-side and ignoring each other's flaws like *nothing was wrong*....

But yeah. It has no place. You can lay the blame for that squarely at the feet of Andrea Dworkin and her ilk, for starting up that whole "men are implicitly rapists, by virtue of having penises" line....really. You absolutely *cannot* say you are for equality out of one side of your mouth and then out the other *advocate* that kind of hatred towards *half* the human race--even if that half is the male half that has "historically been the oppressor class".

It just doesn't work, the hypocrisy is too much to swallow.

Not to mention, even the most sympathetic of men *will* at some point get a spine and realize they are being *abused* themselves by this line of "logic". It is inevitable.

(it just so happens that some few men among us, those who have grown up surviving being abused by their parents and family are a bit more *hair-trigger* on the issue than others)

Answer 4

I do not understand your question but to the person who said that the feminist movement ended long ago....WRONG. We are still out there fighting and are NOT losing badly. We are slowly making progress.

Answer 5

read a feminist text and you will see its all about sexuality - feminists dont think sexuality is bad thing. most of the answers here seem to assume feminists want to deny women their sexuality... its just ignorance.

Answer 6

It does not have a place in the feminist movement. There is too much denial of femininity, I wonder why they named it Feminist moverment in the first place.

Answer 7

The Feminist Movement went on, for the most part, in the late 60's and early 70's. It came and did make a difference for women to one degree or another.

It is possible for a man to be a feminist or for a woman who is feminine-appearing and acting to be a feminist. What that woman will see, though, is that as long as she appears very feminine looking she runs the risk of not being listened to because even today many people cannot possibly imagine that someone who looks feminine and pretty and graceful just may be more intelligent or stronger or have more wisdom or ability to be logical than a man or a more masculine woman.

There are men who need to think they are superior or who don't know any better. They may try to be the boss, the father-figure, or even the competitor. There are women who may be less feminine and who may actually also associate what is feminine and/or pretty with less than equal intelligence, wisdom, strength or toughness.

What many of the early feminists realized (as do some today, whether or not they are heterosexual or lesbian) is that if they were to be listened to they could not come across as feminine. They could not speak in the "smaller" voice that women often have because so many people only listen to the loudest voice. They had to come across as a little aggressive because so many people still respond best to who's the toughest and the loudest.

I decided when I was young that I would not give up my femininity in order for "the world" to take me seriously. I decided I would be feminine and make whoever came into my little, personal, world realize how capable and strong a woman like me can be. I figured that was the best way to do something on behalf of my gender - but you know what? It didn't work because - no matter how much people may like, respect, or love you - people have a really hard time overcoming the very feminine person's appearance and seeing who is inside.

People seem to have so much disdain for the stereotypical feminist, but they knew back then that the only way to get what was theirs was to get it on terms the world understood. Even today, woman lower their voices to be taken seriously in business. They wear suits rather than business-like dresses most of the time.

Whether its other women who think feminine women can't possibly be intelligent or touch or logical or men, the result is the same - as late as 2006 if a woman doesn't want people to get stuck on what she looks like she has to play down her femininity if she's to be taken seriously a good part of the time.

The woman who looks like the stereotypical femininst is disdained because she's not feminine, and the feminine woman is disdained because she has the nerve to expect to be seen for the intelligent, capable, strong person she is. In other words, women still can't win.

A woman who has a good job can get respect by doing that job well. The woman without a good job and with only what she is as her way of attempting to be taken seriously has real problems overcoming her femininity and being seen for how capable she is.

Young women still have to decide whether they want to be seen as feminine or seen as someone to be truly listened to and taken seriously a good part of the time or when dealing with a good chunk of the population. The job of feminists - feminine or otherwise - is to get it so that women don't have to decide between being feminine or being respected equally to men or even to women who look or act in a way that is more like what is seen as masculine.

The job is far from done, and in the meantime I guess feminists remain under attack. Some day some sweet-faced and petite women who wear dainty shoes and just the right shade of lipstick won't have to live secret, isolated, lives in a world that doesn't know the strong, intelligent, logical, person who lives behind that appearance - but that isn't today. Some day women like this won't be seen as expecting what they don't deserve when they expect a certain level of equality and respect - but that isn't today either. Some day women like this won't automatically be assumed to be fluff-heads or otherwise less than equal to men and women who look like men - but that's not today either.

Some women may try it my way and think there's the chance they'll make the world really understand women. Some took the other approach because they wisely knew it was more effective or even sometimes because they had grown to hate femininity because of what it has often meant for women.

Maybe there's some kind of natural disdain for women who don't just go with their own femininity, but nobody listens to dainty little ladies who speak softly.

One final thought: Sometimes when women have come to hate their own femininity it is because they learned that femininity can invite abuse. They shouldn't be attacked for choosing not to invite abuse in their own lives. Maybe they had enough of it at some other time.

Answer 8

I don't believe that is an important component of it. Power and influence is the most important part of the equation.

Answer 9

Wherever she likes. That's the point!

Answer 10

I thought Femi-nazis considered all men rapist? That would make sex a crime wouldn't it?