Feminist philosophy contradicting itself?

Question

The feminist philosophy: "...much of feminist theory also focuses on analyzing gender inequalities and the promotion of women's rights, interests, and issues. Themes explored in feminism include discrimination, stereotyping, objectification (especially sexual objectification), oppression, and patriarchy."

So it promotes females to have equal rights as the males; free to do less/as much/more than their male equibalvents. They're also against objectifying women. But what if a female chooses to become.. say a pole dancer on her own will (http://www.wikiality.com/Johnna_Mink), she's just excerising her freedom to do whatever she wises, but she is objectifying herself at the same time. So isn't there a "loop-hole" in the feminist philosophy?

Don't get my wrong, I support the philosophy but this is the part I don't quite fully grasp.

Answer 1

Not really a loop hole. It is the woman who is choosing her profession, it is not being forced upon her. At the same time she is also free to not dance or quit when ever the spirit strikes her. That is the core issue, that we are free to choose, just as men are free to choose, & yes, some men choose to dance in male strip clubs also. In America, women fought long & hard to have the right to not be the possession of their husband & have the ability to choose for themselves. & yet there still are some double standards. A teenage boy who has sex at 16 is just being a guy, but if a 16 yo girl does the same she is a ...... well you know. Many women are still paid less than their male counterparts, doing the exact same job. I was working for a company not too long ago when I was told that it was a male dominated company, & even though I was his best manger I would never advance any further because they did not promote women above the level I was at. Then he said if I tried to do any thing about it he would call me a liar. There will always be differences in the genders, but on a human level we just want the right to control our own future, be seen as something that has more use to humanity than being chattel & have a fair shake at the pay scale. Not all feminist are radicals either, many of us are mothers & in this day & age we also work, & then come home & cook dinner. We bring home the bacon, cook it in a pan, clean the house & put the kids in bed after bathing them & helping them say their prayers. We may be weaker in physical strength, but never in intelligence, drive, dedication, or ability. We will never again be chattel, but we are excellent partners. And many men are have also risen to the challenge with changed attitudes & helping their working mates in ways that are not traditional roles for men. Yea baby, we have come a long way, & equal rights mean equal responsibilty, but we are up for it.

Answer 2

What a very interesting question. You're right, there is sort of a loop-hole. The thing is, there is no such thing as a perfect philosophy and there are varying degrees of feminism. An extreme feminist will indeed think that a women who chooses to pole dance is making an object of herself. Those same feminists probably also think wearing make-up is wrong too but if I stopped doing that I'd scare a lot of people. I think it's a question of choice but people make bad choices like smoking, doing drugs, drinking and driving. Above all, I believe in equal pay for equal work, an equal chance to succeed, and the right to choose for oneself. Anything else is pretty much shades of grey.

Answer 3

When faced with a question like this, I always ask myself if a member of the privileged class would worry about it.

Let's say a man wants to go be a Chippendale dancer. Would other men obsess about whether he was a traitor to masculinity? I think not.

It's the same thing as the women or minorities who say "I don't want affirmative action; I want to make it on my own merits." Let me assure you that the men who head Fortune 500 companies (all but 3 or 4 of them) are NOT losing any sleep over whether being male gave them an unfair advantage--the wise person takes whatever advantage can be had.

Now, the question might be complicated by the fact that the adult entertainment industry does exploit women rather brutally in some cases--but in my mind, the exploitation is a separate issue from the nature of the industry itself.

Answer 4

Actually, there are many "feminists" who support a woman's right to be a pole dancer if she so chooses.

This doesn't mean they support the act, only the right to the act. Just like one who supports free speech may disagree with the content of a speech made with that freedom, but will support their right to say it.

I would suspect that those who do oppose female pole dancing also oppose male pole dancing. Their opposition is not from the sex involved, but from the general act regardless of which sex performs it. In that case, "feminism" wouldn't be the source for that viewpoint.

Answer 5

On what planet do you think of that technology has a diverse and finished answer? study Nietzsche - he ability that technology is often on the element of coming up with the 'answer' until eventually it is supplanted via the subsequent absolute 'answer'. This has been the case through fact the Greeks and has by no ability ceased. Why could we believe it is going to end now - it is undemanding induction. as quickly as back - according to my stable chum Prof N. - despite if there became an 'definitely applicable' answer to something - do you think of we'd know it as such? in case you compromise with him - as I do - you're then asking the incorrect question - the extra effective question is why you believe what you believe.

Answer 6

The "real" victim in the pole dancer scenario are men. The are trowing money at a fantasy that will never be. The pole helps keep the dancer from getting sucked in the his fantasy.

Answer 7

The problem is not the pole dancer but the people who think all women are better at pole dancing then in the boardroom.

Answer 8

Some bits for the constitution need a little rewriting. Objectification is a duty of both sexes in respect to each other. I think what is meant in the use for that word is use outside of social relation, market value or means to an others end or profit or satisfaction rather than humans as ends in themselves. Our objective consciousness is equally valuable as our subjective consciousness. To say that I am unable to objectively realize the difference for 'a means to an end' and and 'end in self', is futility. Reducing social relations to monetary issues is degradation.

The Will is positive, the Judgment is negative.

Answer 9

The woman who has to be a pole dancer to survives in the world is exactly the reason feminism exist. Nuff sed.

Answer 10

Free and equal people have the right to choose foolishly.