What does feminism mean?

Question

American Heritage® Dictionary:

fem·i·nism (fm-nzm) KEY

NOUN:

1. Belief in the social, political, and economic equality of the sexes.
2. The movement organized around this belief.

Other similar definitions: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/feminism

You people need to stop slandering the word "feminism." It does not mean women who hate men, want to oppress men, want special treatment, etc. It simply means believing in the equality of the sexes.

If you are speaking about women (or men) who hate men, please use the appropriate vocabulary = misandry, man-haters, or if you really have to feminazi.

This many be more of a rant than a question, but I think it needed to be said.

Answer 1

I agree with you both males and females who are here to push their own agendas such as alternative lifestyles and sexual fetishes. I find this tiresome, these people are simply trolls and cranks and want the posters here to validate their distorted belief systems. There are some very sick men and women who come here looking for other to prove to themselves the abberent lifestyles they lead are normal.

Answer 2

What Does Feminism Mean

Answer 3

English is a strange language. The meaning of words to each person is almost always in transition.

To those who see feminism as the the quest for equality, that is exactly what it is. For those who it as a quest for special treatment and supremacy, that is exactly what it is. And you can find feminists who can be used to support either definition by what they say.

Dictionary definitions are fine but we do not have an Office Orthodox English. At times small groups of people or organization can shift the meanings of words. At other times meanings are just morphed by teenagers.

A few examples:
Is gun control confiscating all firearms and having the military the only ones with guns or is it keeping your sights on target while you squeeze the trigger?

Gay once meant happy (don we now our gay apparel anyone?) Then it was homosexual. Judging by the way my kids use it now. it also means weird or odd - and they use for just about anything!

Well I guess I am just ranting too.

Answer 4

Dictionary definitions aren't always the most accurates and can vary from dictionaries to dictionaries. I can use your exact same source and find a new meaning for it. Feminism is the a movement promoting the rights of women. Look:

em·i·nism /ˈfɛməˌnɪzəm/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[fem-uh-niz-uhm] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun
1. (sometimes initial capital letter) an organized movement for the attainment of such rights for women.
3. feminine character.

WordNet - Cite This Source
feminism

noun
1. a doctrine that advocates the rights of women
2. the movement aimed at rights for women [syn: feminist movement]

http://www.encyclopedia.references.com/dictionary/browse/feminism

Answer 5

It means even though I am a woman and want to be treated as an equal to men, I still want you to pay for my meal movie and the condoms (that you'll never use on me you sexist pig)! There ya go

Answer 6

What Does Feminist Mean

Answer 7

Demanding the same as a man - not more, not less, just equal. So if I go to the same college, get the same grades and score the same job, I expect the same pay, and I expect equal respect. Female, 13, student.

Answer 8

For me feminism means exactually whta you said. Its not about putting men down or demanding special or preferential treatment. Its the Social, Political and Economic equality of the sexes. And that is what I have been saying all along on this forum and outside - treat me socially like you would a man, Treat me with the economics in mind as you would a man and the same politics. simple really and yet we have all these men carrying on about feminism is about hatting men or treating them as inferior.

Answer 9

FEMINISM: An idealogy stating that people born with a vagina are entitled to special rights simply because they were born with a vagina. "Equality" through hating men and boys.

Answer 10

You are correct, it was a rant but to answer your question, "feminism" today means advancement and special treatment for women at the cost to men and children; to civilization as a whole.
Using feminism's history and current events, feminism does not need people "slandering" the word. The actuality is more than enough to properly show that in the case of feminism, the patient died but the operation was a success.
VAWA, "family law" and courts, affirmative action, "false rape" claims, paternity fraud and on and on, are primary proof that feminism is NOT about equality but superiority.
Until feminists demand that women be treated equally to men in real life, feminism will be considered a sexist group whose main activities are advancing choices and eliminating responsibility for women and only women.

Answer 11

babs: if this wasn't the internet, i'd give you a kiss.

lol, happy bullet, are you actually saying the dictionary is WRONG? lmao!

steve: feminism has never been just one thing - it is a wide umbrella philosophy with many splinters underneath. the point is they all address the same problem of the inequality between the sexes, and even if some people want to claim we don't have that anymore, they can't claim that sexism wasn't rampant when feminism was born, 1st or 2nd wave.