Why do some people try to use the word "feminist" as an epithet?

Question

Since when did "feminist" become a dirty word? I'm proud to be a feminist. I believe that women should have the same opportunities and legal rights as men and they should have autonomy over their own bodies. What's more American than that?

Adam: Actually, I have gone Dutch before and I also hold doors for other people (both male and female). And again, you're wrong about the abortion issue.

Answer 1

Because the term has come to mean a focus on women not for equality but for preferences, and has also taken on anti-family meaning. That is why it is an epithet.

Answer 2

It's an interesting question; to some, the word may be short-hand for a type of naive understanding of human nature, that gender differences are socially constructed rather than grounded in genuine biological differences. But what's so bad about the possibility of genuine psychological and biological differences between the sexes? There's no moralistic judgment implicit in human biology: difference is difference, that's all. Of course, neither the 'nature' or 'nurture' extreme is an accurate perspective, but feminist is a loaded term that, at least on the surface, it connotes anger and irrationality. It may be a justified anger, but anger warps reason and is off-putting to those without a vested stake in discussion. By the way, pardon my ignorance, but what legal rights are American women deprived of, exactly? There may be existing challenges in the way the law is applied to men and women, and these may be applied erroneously, but there are not many fundamental deprivations of rights to women of which I'm aware. Armed combat may be one of these, is that the type of opportunity you're interested in?

Answer 3

The problem is that, if you are a typical feminist you also believe that your gender affords you special privileges that men are not entitled to.

You phrase the abortion issues as a matter of "autonomy over their own bodies" but effectively, you have the right to NOT be a parent, if you so choose, but then you'll require the father to pay child support.

In order to determine child support, the fathers finances are combed over and examined with a microscope, yet when you receive the child support, you don't even have to produce a loose accounting as to hos the child support was spent. You could take that money and take a vacation to Bali, while your parents watch the kids, etc.

Anyway, I could go on and on with examples, but what irks me to no end is that feminists bemoan the inequalities that adversely affect them, yet still expect special treatment because you're a woman.

In other words, feminism is blind advocacy, and i can't stand blind advocacy.

Answer 4

Unfortunately, it seems a lot of men feel threatened by strong, intelligent and capable women.

Downgrading the word "feminist" is just a sick attempt to bring women down.

Answer 5

Because today "feminists" are taking it a bit far.

They want to be treated like a man when it comes to pay, but they want to be treated like a woman when it comes to work environment. You cant have it both ways, if you want to get paid like the big dogs you gotta play like the big dogs.

Answer 6

"Feminist" isn't, "Feminazi" is. The women that think all men are the rot of evil and down us for being born with a penis are feminazis. There is nothing wrong with feminism, but all extremes of any ideal are frowned upon.

Answer 7

so you will do everything that a man will do, youll open doors for yourself, you will pay your own bill on a date. you wont take sick leave because you feel "icky" I sincerly doubt this. you have the right to your body, but the child has a right to exist and that comes first.


my congrates to you on holding your own. but a babys right to exist exceeds your comfort, if you dont want the baby dont do the deed.

Answer 8

Because women aren't as smart as men?

Answer 9

Right on, sister.