Women are you a feminist? Or do discriminate against other women like men do?

Question

Unfortunately, sexism is still alive and well throughout the world including the USA. For example, it is rampant in healthcare where many doctors don't even know that the biggest cause of death of women over age 25 is heart disease. Women and girls are still raped and beaten and various victims of crimes hugely more so than men are. Women still make less money, etc etc. Another problem besides men doing the discrimination is other women who discriminate against women. aRe you one of those? Why do you do it? Do you consider yourself somehow different that other women (that you seemingly hate)? Or do you just think all women, including yourself, deserves less than men?

sci55: Yes I agree. And as a curent feminist and past feminist activist, resoundly NO feminists do not hate men. It is a reaction against feminism, which merely means equal rights for women, which defines it that way. Betty Friedan, the mother of modern feminist movement made it clear this had absolutely nothing to do with hating men. Me, I love men! But I don't like getting the short stick nor sticking that to others either.

Yes, Hurrah for consciousness raising. It is essential but so neglected today. Some women don't realize how much they are being victimized and limited by sexism until they undergo consciousness raising. It was so popular back in the day...we did a lot of it. Time for its return!

luvabled: There are many men who are equipped to be in front line combat. How dare you judge the capacities of women you don't know? Just because you can't do doesn't mean other women can't. I too am very proud of being a woman. but I beleive in the strong feminism not so weak brain that can do so much. Everyone should be given chance and they themselves are often the best judge of their abilities. You don't want to limit people based on the color of your skin do you? Why do it based on their gender preference.

CORRECTIION: Actually I meant to say there are many men that are NOT qualified to be in combat above.

fisherman: you are talking out of your a-- in every way. You can't speak for "all feminist" In fact you can't even speak for any. Sounds like you know nothing about science. I am a very strong feminist and I believe in the strong feminine. Namely things like cooking, gardening, caring for children should be held up as Sacred ..and they are all things I love. I also love being a physician...something I am currently training for...so have an excellent knowledge of science unlike you. I think you are the one who is compensating. and what small thing do you feel the need to compensate for?

SuperChar: Not everyone in society sees feminist as feminazis. That term was invented by Rush Limbaugh an extreme right winger...not a regular member of society.

Fisherman: Those so called "real women" you are talking about in foreign countries are just the young subservient women. When they "grow up" and/or when you bring them back here in the USA and see that they too can be a real person, they will divorce you for a real man..maybe like the one I have who knows who to respect women!

Answer 1

This question is not directed at men, but I will provide a comment. I think you are right in your assesment that "sexism is still alive and well. . ."
It has changed its face though, and because of this, some people assume it is no longer there.
This is a mistake. This is one of the problems
that contemporary feminisims (from eco to liberal to Marxist to radical) have to address, . How do feminists and pro-feminists shed light on this HUGE mistaken assumption?
Unfortunately, some will aggravate the assumption by arguing that this point is tantamount to "ressurecting sexism."
I guess what I'm saying is that consciousness raising is the most crucial aspect of any feminism today.

Answer 2

Nope. I try and give both men and women a chance. And I'm aware women discriminate against each other so it's a conscious decision.

As for "feminist", that depends on the definition. I agree women should have equal opportunities and women who face discrimination and bias should fight back. Some people define feminists as women who hate men. I don't agree with that definition.

Answer 3

I see myself as a feminist because i support laws and actions aimed at helping women earn respect and mostly in this day and age- safety.
I just have to be careful with how I open up people because some people have this image burned in thier heads that feminists are out to get men, make radical laws or somehow up set the "balance" we have in our system. rubish. I just want to know that young
girls and women can be safe at night, not think twice about wheter gender means they'll be comforatble in thier job or have to settle for something other than what they want. Believe me, traveling the less walked path is diffrent in terms of gender. Thats why I will always support women who challenge gender norms or do things other than what's concidered womanly.
LOL...gosh its a thing with me...we shall see how it turns out, eh?

Answer 4

Oh sure, you can call them what you like, so long as they're a femininst. You can say they're a man-hating, chilren-abusing nazi, if they're a feminist - but you can't even say the words anti-feminist without them screaming about labelling. Labelling is wrong, unless you're a feminist, if which case all the labels are right :-)

Answer 5

I take pride in being a woman, but even so, there are some thing I know most women just aren't cut out to do. There is NOTHING wrong w/ saying "I'm not a man, I'm not *built* to serve in the front lines of combat." I'm not saying women are only made to be barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen, but seriously...we're not men!

Neither gender was designed to trump the other, we were built to *complement* each other! Society hasn't demanded that women be nurturers, it's what we're made to do! Society doesn't DEMAND that men treat women gently, it's what they're programmed to do!

That said, do I believe women and men deserve equal pay for equal work? Of course! Do I think they deserve an equal shot at high-powered positions? Certainly! In most career fields, women and men deserve an equal chance.

However, there are just some instances where you can't be equal. Women demand hard time for men who abuse their wives. That's showing preference. When a woman wants to abort a pregnancy, does the father have any legal right to that baby? Nope, the choice is left solely to the woman. And you can't expect a man to treat you like an equal yet always shell out the money for dinner, can you? You either want to be treated totally equal or not. You aren't equal if special exceptions are made.

By the way, it takes more than brains to survive on the battlefield. Not that your statement to me in particular made a whole ton of sense, but there's a HUGE difference in discriminating against someone for their skin color than there is for their gender: it's call physiology! Black men and white men are built the same, as are Chinese women and European women. Our brain chemistries are also VERY different, as many studies have proven. Every person has traits that would make them useful in combat, that doesn't mean that men & women ought to be there together. I do also realize that there are men that aren't fit for combat, I didn't say hand every man a gun and send him to the front lines!

I personally think you need to chill the hell out and instead of spitting in a man's face b/c he wants to hold your door open for you, to embrace the fact that there's still a man who is willing to do that for you despite the fact that you're a total feminazi! Quit feeling so freaking VICTIMIZED and move on w/ your life!! Didn't your mother ever tell you growing up that life isn't fair?? LEARN TO COPE!

Answer 6

Unfortunately society sees feminists as "feminazis"..as androgynous, unattractive, lesbian man-haters. This rediculous stereotypes make women reluctant or even embarrassed to admit they are feminists.

Answer 7

I agree...sexism IS alive today. It's new name is FEMINISM. Feminism is about women mistakenly believing that there is no cognative difference between men and women, which flies in the face of scientific facts. As a result, men (and women) are not allowed to ackowledge the truth that there are some things men are superior at (which is part of what defines a man)...nor are they allowed to acknowledge those things that women are superior at (which is part of what defines a woman). HOWEVER, only roles/traits of men are held up by feminists as goals for the woman to acheive. Hmmm...seems as if they think they have something to prove (in other words something that is NOT self-evident). Unfortunately, part of the fallout is that truly feminine traits are held in low regard by these same feminists. The house-wife role is looked upon with disdain. Feminists play down that which is truly feminine and attempt to replace men in what are traditionally masculine roles...which makes them decidedly anti-male as well as anti-feminine. You can't get much more sexist than that.

Edit - LOL Greanwitch! OK...when you get to the part where they teach you (if that's still possible) how the first wash of hormones supplied by the mother determines physical sex and how the second wash of hormones, later in pregnancy, determines how the brain functions (the mental sex of the child), give me a call.

PS - It's just like a feminist to attempt personal slander when confronted with scientific facts that oppose her fantasy-world.

Edit 2 - wendy g - For the record, I can't stand Rush Limbaugh. As for feminism, it's everywhere...a part of our culture here in America, to a large extent. When I ventured beyond our borders into territory where feminism is relatively unknown, I was absolutely shocked to see what real women were like. Once a man finds what a real woman is like he will seldom settle for a feminist as a substitute. So do I know feminists? When compared with a real woman, it may be seen that feminists comprise the majority of the female population in this country.

Edit3 - wendy g - You talk of me stereotyping feminists, then you go and stereotype all foreign women. Charming. But not very surprising of you considering what I said about them as compared to the average woman in this country is true. You certainly wouldn't want anybody to learn about that truth, would you.

Edit 4 - wendy g - There are some cultures where what you said is true, and there are some cultures where what you said is untrue. But regardless of which culture you choose, what I said concerning them still holds true. There is no such thing as an ideal woman, just as there is no such thing as an idea man. But what I've found is that with regard to women's attitudes towards men, the US is a unique country. You and those like you bring this attitude, poisonous to healthy relationships between men and women, into the lives of your children...many of which are now without fathers, thanks in part to feminist attitudes towards the sanctity of marriage. You and those like you poison our future as a country. That's the legacy you will leave behind when feminism bites the dust.

Edit 5 - wendy g - You may not be the source of the attitude I speak of...but as a feminist, you are a carrier of it. The kind of feminism I speak of can be seen on any sitcom on TV and in most movies these days. The misandrist section of feminism is growing, and along with it grows the number of feminists that chastize other women for not trying to rule over their husbands and run men down. You are a part of this, willing or not, because you call yourself a feminist. Others see you a certain way because of the title you give yourself. I assure you that you are in an ever-shrinking minority. If you truly stand for what you claim to, and are not as blind as a bat to what is going on around you and how it effects your cause, you'll think again about labelling yourself as a feminist.

Answer 8

I am a feminist, and I have to say I thought that sexism was a lot less prevalent before I started visiting the Yahoo! "Women's Studies" page--it is completely overrun by misogynists and sexists (male) who want to bait women with their sexist attitudes, so that they can feel all superior when they get the reaction they
are looking for. I try to address these attempts in a calm and rational way (perhaps not ALWAYS succeeding, I'm not made of stone!) not so much to try to change the attitude of the person who wrote the question, but to address their biases so that other (perhaps more sensible) people will read and know that not all feminists (not even a significant minority) are man-hating, androgynous radicals who seek to deny our inherent biology (although many take it to an extreme, and seem to assume that "cooking" is encoded in female DNA), steal all of the men's children, and subjugate men to an inferior status. "Fisherman" is an excellent example of this attitude. I doubt he even knows any feminists, he just bases his beliefs on popular anti-feminist propaganda (Rush Limbaugh?) and, perhaps, his own anti-female biases...interesting that he didn't really address your rebuttal to his statement, only attempted to demonstrate how much he "knows" about science. His "reply" had nothing to do with your statement, at all, in fact, it was rather redundant to your OWN statement (to a degree).
EDIT--
Again, Fishman, you fail to address the statement. Do you KNOW any feminists? Not women who you "believe" must be feminists, based on your biased assumptions, but have you ever really talked to a feminist to find out what she (or the movement) is all about, or are you just going to continue to stereotype and objectify feminists (and I would venture ALL women) with your biased assumptions? And while you may very well detest Rush Limbaugh, it is HIS (and a few others like him) opinions and anti-feminist propaganda that has painted feminism with some of the popular attitudes that currently hold sway among many such as yourself ("feminazis," man-haters, "unfeminine," etc.). As for these "real" women outside of America, who have never been "influenced" by feminism...I can only assume you mean women from other cultures who have been taught to be subservient to men, never voice an opinion, and wait on a man hand and foot...that's not the "ideal woman" for all men, and real men don't need that kind validation.

EDIT(again)--
Fishman, it's not stereotyping to say that there ARE women in other cultures who are TAUGHT to be subservient to men, not voice opinions, and wait on men hand and foot. That is a FACT, it would be a stereotype to then go on to say that these women are ideal, or are "naturally" subservient...do you see the difference? (and of course, I was NOT speaking of ALL "foreign" women, surely you realize this?). These cultures certainly exist (would you deny it?) and GENERALLY the women in theses cultures have no choice in following the cultural strictures. I was not "stereotyping" these women, but condemning the culture that oppresses them. Either way, tell me how my "stereotype" was wrong, then? You yourself (in another question), said that stereotypes are generalizations that are generally true...(and while I disagree with this), CAN you tell me how I'm wrong? In other words, what are your thoughts on these "foreign" women YOU mentioned, how are they ideal in your mind?

EDIT 3--WHOA, Fishman! There you go again, stereotyping! Since you decided to drag me PERSONALLY into this, let me tell you that I have NEVER been divorced, and have been with the same man for 11 years now, whom I met my freshman year of college. We've been married for eight years. I LOVE my husband with all my heart, trust him, RESPECT him, and couldn't imagine spending my life with anyone else. He is a wonderful man and I am a lucky woman to have him. My "attitude toward marriage" is that it can work where there is love, respect, and reciprocity...and I believe it because I live it, and because I've seen my parents live it, as well. I'm much closer to my Dad than my Mom, I've always been a "Daddy's girl" and it was HE who taught me that I am equal to any man, and to never feel like I am "less than", and it's from this that my feminist sensibilities stem. As for my "attitude" towards men...I think men are great (something else I learned from my Dad). It's the chauvinists and misogynists I have a problem with, and even then I don't "hate" them, just their hateful attitudes. Time and again you have made assumptions based on your negative views of feminists, and what you need to realize is that not all, not even most of them, are the "man-hating, marriage-destroying hags" you seem to believe they are. Your attitudes are biased toward feminists,(and I would argue, all women) and you should try to open your mind and get to know at least SOME of them before you stereotype them. You seem to have very "personal" reasons for believing as you do, but I would urge you to remember that not all Feminists (or "American" women) are like the one(s) you've had experience with. As for any "legacy," I am a teacher who teaches children that it is just as wrong for girls to hit boys as vice-versa, to respect the differences that each gender brings, and that we are equal in all ways that matter. MY legacy will be one of tolerance, acceptance, and mutual respect. From the hatred that was so evident in your personal attack, I wonder if you can say the same. What will YOUR legacy be?

EDIT--(sigh) No Fishman, I'm sorry, but you are wrong. Again, blaming ALL feminists for the attitudes/sins of a few is like blaming ALL Christians for the Inquisition and witch burnings. It is just as wrong as the "feminists" (if they can call themselves that) who use the title to promote misandry and and paint all men with the same ugly brush. Let me continue with this analogy. "Feminism" like Christianity, is a big "umbrella term," under which are several different "branches" with different beliefs and goals, and these disparate groups disagree about the fundamental "principles" of Feminism. There is not much "dialogue" occuring between these groups...it's that whole "you're wrong, no, you're wrong" dichotomy. MAINSTREAM feminism DOES NOT seek "superiority" over men, nor does it attempt to "masculize" women, it celebrates our differences, but doesn't seek to suggest these differences make one or the other "better." (I, for one, am one of the most feminine women I know...I am ALL GIRL, and anybody who knows me will tell you this.) Maintream feminism seeks to support women's equal rights under the law, (NOT "extra" rights) we support women's causes, and seek to dispell the sterotypes that would suggest we are inferior...that's basically IT. Just because we are "pro-woman", it DOESN'T mean we are "anti-man." Just because we promote awareness about women suffering from domestic abuse, DOES NOT mean that we would imply that ALL men are abusers, or even potential abusers, nor does it mean that we negate the thought that men can suffer from abuse, too. And the legislation feminists work to promote against domestic violence includes EVERYONE who may be a victim, men, women, and children. A lot of what you see as being the work of "feminists," I would argue, is simply a cultural phenomenon, and is NOT a part of feminist ideology (such as the belittlement you see on T.V. and commercials). Perhaps this stems from POPULAR MISCONCEPTIONS about feminism, but is NOT part of the ideology. I think feminism has been given a "bad rap" by the FEW misandrists, and the anti-feminists, such as Rush Limbaugh, who stand to gain something (more listeners?) by demonizing feminists and painting us all with the same hideous brush. I cannot abandon my feminist ideals just because "popular perception" has misconstrued them, to do so would be cowardly, and wrong. I can only attempt to dispel those perceptions, one person at a time, if need be, and know in my heart that my intentions and ideals are right and morally sound.

Answer 9

You are a crazy ho.