How Did You Get Interested in Feminism?

Question

I'm starting to learn about feminism and I got interested from talking online this summer to a professor in computer science about politics and goddess worship. She is very intelligent and is interested in a lot of things and than I got it that So much that I believe are right are also feminist issues.

What was your experience like? :)

Carl I don't hate men and I'm straight.

Any more wisdom you can offer?

Wow! I just got back from school and I reading some of your teriffic responses! :)

Answer 1

Man-hating women find a home in feminism.

Edit: Get out before they turn you.

Answer 2

GUN FANATIC so a woman isn’t allowed to be mad she has to automatically be pmsing to be angry at something?? This is why I became interested in feminism because of all the double standards! I am not a man hater by any means but these jerks here just proved the theory that so many of them in this day and age are still so narrow minded.

Why is it that if a woman likes sex she is a nympho? Or if she chooses not to she is frigid?
If we stand up for our rights we're aggressive and "unfeminine" and if we don't we're typical weak females and if we want to get married we're out to trap a man and if we don't we're unnatural, if we raise our we are nagging bitches yet when a man does it it’s because we provoked him. I hate the double standards that are still present but I don’t hate men. I never, ever thought I was better than anyone else I just want to be respected that’s it.

Answer 3

I have always been interested in feminism ever since I learnt as a girl that women only got the vote in the UK less than 100 years ago and still do not have it in many countries today. I think the stories we read about how women are treated in some cultures are enough to make any woman want to ask why that should be the case and want to do something to make men realise that by debarring women from making decisions, or in some countries even being educated, they are missing a big trick. Effectively only using half of the country's thinking power.
And before there are any snide comments from bigoted male answerers I have never had any inclination to burn my bra, I am not gay, though I would not have a problem with that if I was, I am educated and I have nothing against other people's religions or cultures per se.

Answer 4

I became interested in feminism in the late 60's when it became apparent it was not about equality at all but rather special rights and privileges for women that are denied men who are expected to accept responsibility for women's choices.

Answer 5

I like strong women who want EQUAL rights and all the responsibilities that follow. I cant stand even being friends with those weak willed people who want you to be "the man" for them.

The extremists are a problem, but true feminism is out there too.

Answer 6

I grew up with it, sort of. I always had a really strong sense of right and wrong, and man, can I argue. This was only reinforced by my mother, who raised me and my brother by herself, pulling herself out of welfare to get us a pretty nice suburban life. She's also very strongly pro-union. Then, in middle school, I got a scholarship to an all-girls private school. The school was really, really liberal and of course you were a feminist there, my class especially. Heh, we even went too far in the wrong direction, sadly, because my best friend was met with blank stares and "why do you want to do that?" when she said in seventh grade that she just wanted to be a mommy. But we got more inclusive as we got older, and I got a good basic feminist education, and the US's only decent sex education.

Then I got to college, and I got the practical education. In an all girls school, you don't really _live_ the sexism. Frankly, it just didn't affect me that much then. But in the real world, I finally knew what everyone was talking about. I was challenged on my beliefs and I had to deal with people judging me based on what was between my legs. I've only gotten more lefty since leaving high school. That seems to be a common experience. A friend of mine who was similarly sheltered, but without the feminist education, used to have absolutely no idea what I was talking about. Her feminist awakening happened when she graduated college. Now she's worse than me!

But you can see, my feminism is strongly mixed in with morality and economic justice. I'm a firm populist, and I think any situation that hamstrings people is wrong. Everyone is equal, and everyone should get an equal shot. What they do with that is up to them.

I also wanted to add, that I work as an archaeologist in the US. This means I've taken anthropology classes, and I do a lot of anthropology reading in my spare time. Nothing I've learned from that has contradicted any of my feminist or populist views. If you read the reputable scientists, they show you that men and women aren't that different, and that today's gender roles are holdovers from the days before effective contraception.

Answer 7

I was brainwashed that feminism was good and was for equality between the sexes, but they only want rights for women as well as special privileges. Feminists do a great job at brainwashing, young, innocent, naive women as well as women who've had bad experiences with men.

I now know very few feminists are 'true' feminists.

Answer 8

When I first heard about feminism, I thought it was ridiculous. But as I started reading more and more about what it intended to accomplish, and what feminists were opposed to, it made sense. This was many years ago when it first came onto the scene. I grew up as a feminist. It made sense, because it coincided with my perceptions of myself and society.

As you know, it's not about hating and blaming men or elitism or lesbianism. It has nothing to do with who opens the door for whom, or who picks up the check, or what kind of girly clothes you like to wear. The whiners are wrong. You can see that it cuts across politics, psychology, culture and almosy anything else you can name, in a positive way.

And it's not just about women. Feminism lifts up all individuals, regardless of gender, or race, or creed, or ability. It takes a stand agains the negative stereotypes that can undermine a life. It demands equality under the law. It doesn't say men and women are the same - we're not; Nature made us with complementary abilities to work together to make strong communities, strong families and strong individuals. Feminism says the different way women do things, perceive things, approach and solve problems is just as valuable as what men do.

Answers like this will make the whiners here go ballistic. Feminism isn't the fringe element, as you know, but a mainstream social movement that cannot be ended because it has become part of our thinking and culture. It doesn't exclude men, but seeks to balance past injustices.

I love your involvement with female spirituality. That was the best thing I ever did. I grew up as the ultimate Catholic princess and I always knew something was obviously missing in this faith: leaders like me.

You will always run into women who say "I'mnotafeministBUT" who will then spout some feminist philosophy. It's not SAHM's vs. career women, or who does the cooking and cleaning. It's about living your life according to what works for you. VERY threatening indeed.

I have the perspective of age and experience. Feminism works. It hasn't destroyed the world. It has so much more to do. Welcome!

Answer 9

Wonder Woman.

Seriously!

Answer 10

It must have been all those cute females in my history and political science classes that got me interested in feminism.

Answer 11

I don't hate men either and happen to be heterosexual as well. I became interested in feminism in the early seventies. The choices that women were given were very limited to what society deemed appropriate. You were given the choice of three careers which were teaching, nursing or secretarial. Those who could not afford post secondary were given the job of hairdressers or waitresses. When you married you were automatically expected to stay home. There were jobs listed in the paper under Women and Men. You wouldn't dare to apply for one outside of your sex. I was not allowed to wear pants to school or I would be sent home.
Women had very few role models and were never told that some day they could be world leaders. Sex was completely taboo and if you ever expressed any interest in it you were labelled loose and shunned. Abortion was illegal and men could not be convicted of raping a woman if she was his wife. Domestic and child abuse were not spoken of and rarely was anyone charged with such acts. Civil rights activists were marching and their was no access to birthcontrol.
Feminism gave women choices and I have been a proud member for a very long time. I have also experienced the backlash that you experienced just by daring to ask such a question. This link is an excellent indicator of why feminism is being attacked in such a manner. Those with the priveledge in our society do not want to share it with those who have little or nothing. Feminism is about changing the power imbalance so minorities, poor, disabled, elderly are all given equal access to resources and thus recognized as important.
http://www.feminista.com/archives/v1n9/fword.html