Why don't true feminists out there change their stance to equalist?

Question

That is the women out their who want true equality. You would think that since they want equality they would want equality for all.
http://www.glennsacks.com/equal_rights_amendment.htm

Answer 1

Equalism cannot be built on the back of feminism, feminism has too much bad baggage.

Equalism is being built, by myself and others, as a movement in its own right. A movement which cares about men AND women. See the Equalism home page:- http://wiki.gosurf.tk/

@Tia Madeira, Spuddy, and others - it is good to see such enlightened comments

Answer 2

Well, the fact is, most (with a few exceptions) so-called feminists are not truly equalists. They are interested in furthering women's interests, as many have already mentioned.

Therefore, the word equality is often a misnomer as applied to modern day feminism; but using "equality" placates the conscience and adds an heir of legitimacy to the platform.

Answer 3

We do want equality for all. In fact, equality between the genders is the defining belief of feminists. Women probably tend to focus more on women's issues because 1) we're women, and we understand women's issues, 2) throughout history women have had more issues related to oppression, discrimination and prejudice than men have, 3) we've come to realize that no one else is going to take up the cause for us, we have to do it ourselves.

I think that feminists need to make an effort to understand the issues of men, and the brightest and best of us really do.

Would anti-feminists do the same for us? Would they fight for women's equality? Would they make an effort to really understand our issues? Would they fight for our causes? I kind of doubt it. But that doesn't mean that feminists are as close-minded as the anti-feminists seem to be. A lot of us care very deeply about equality for everyone.

Answer 4

The more I read on G&WS the more convinced I am that the only women who still call themselves feminists are the ones who have one or more of the following features: 1/ Have serious problems with men, 2/ A career that relies on keeping the feminist movement alive, 3/ Are seeing injustice against women in other parts of the world and somehow think this means the same injustice exists in the West today, or 4/ Are going through a teen feminist phase. How we let such a bunch of obvious cranks and hate-mongers have so much influence on our lives is incredible and tragic. Their hatred of men is undeniable, so anyone calling themselves a feminist and then claiming to want equality is totally contradicting themselves.

Answer 5

I think this is something that keeps coming up on here often but is often dismissed. If people want equality then they are going to have to work on both sides of the gender equation. That means helping both men and women not just exclusively one or the other. I've likened this before to fighting crime. Let's just say that we only arrest male robbers and ignore females. This sends the message to all female robbers/potential female robbers that it is okay for them to rob but it isn't okay for men. See the double standard? This is how some double standards begin. You focus on only one sex and the other sex's rights lag behind. So if we want an equal society then we must help one another regardless of sex/race/creed/color/etc. I know that is ideal but it is the only way we can maximize equality. Otherwise one will always be lagging behind the other and there will always be a catch-up game to be played.

Feminists say that their focus is solely on women's rights. That's fine by me, but if you stand for equality then you must also stand for equality of men. It is logically absurd to stand for equality of only one sex. That defies the definition of equality. I think that perhaps feminists need to change their name to equalist or humanist or something else. That way we can focus on problems that plague our fellow human beings and not just our fellow men or women. Once we start focusing on problems, no matter where they are in the world or who is plagued by t hem, then the world just might start turning out to be a better place.

Answer 6

Because feminism is more than just about 'equal rights', it's a philosophy about how the world works which incorporates equal rights as one of its platforms.

Other things feminism examines which is rarely mentioned here is the way men are used up and spat out by the state and by corporations, especially in times of war; or the way children are enculturated into gender divisiveness through marketting in order to enhance profits without direct benefit to human lives.

Being an 'equalist' is not the same as being a 'liberationist'.

I think I might be happy to call myself that, but why bother when there's a perfectly good word which encompasses the wide ranging and diverse set of philosophical opinions and views which I see as sitting most comfortably with my view of the world ~ 'feminism'.

Cheers :-)

Answer 7

I don't really consider myself a feminist. I consider myself a humanist who specializes in women's issues because, well, I'm a women, if that makes any sense. Let me stress that I don't think women's issues are better or are worthy of more attention than other sort of gender, race, etc... based discrimination, though.

Answer 8

Because they would lose their special status and start to fade into just another woman rather than a goddess.

Feminists have nothing to fight for in the equality stakes in the western world, so have continually faught for special treatment or domestic violence laws bordering on totalitarianism.

And because they have a victim mentality

Answer 9

I believe feminists are more focused on women's rights, just like the NAACP is more focused on Blacks and doesn't rally for the rights of white men. This doesn't mean they are racist or sexist, but simply that their focus is on one specific group. I'm a feminist and I'm mostly focused on helping women, but you know I also would speak up against any inequalities men have to experience, because I'm a human rights believer.

Answer 10

I equally applaud your sentiment