What constitutes a feminist choice? or: Jay's Thoughts on Girl Power

[bewarethespork]

One of the things I've been thinking about a lot lately is what constitutes a "feminist choice".

Comments

[goldy_dollar]

Because as I understand it, feminism, as much as it is a movement concerned with social justice for women, is also, on a very fundamental level, about giving women the power to make choices for themselves in the knowledge that whatever those choices are, they will not be mocked or reviled or shamed for them.IA. And everything else in this post

[bewarethespork]

No, you're absolutely right. And I'm not going to lie - sometimes I put on nice clothes and think, "Am I really doing this just for me and for Andy, or am I doing it because people expect me to look nice and I don't want to disappoint them?" I don't think there's an easy answer to questions like that. I guess all we can do is keep working towards a society in which the answer will always, unequivocably be, "Yes, I'm doing this because it's what I want to do, not because anyone else is pressuring me into it."

[goldy_dollar]

I guess all we can do is keep working towards a society in which the answer will always, unequivocably be, "Yes, I'm doing this because it's what I want to do, not because anyone else is pressuring me into it."

Absolutely. It's why I hate the so-called "feminist" arguments for why Muslim women need to remove their head scarves or face coverings. It's about as far down the path of interfering with another person's autonomy and choices as you can possibly get.

[bewarethespork]

YES. My mum likes wearing her hijab, and it would really hurt her to have to stop wearing it. I'm sure she'd go out less if she were forced not to wear her hijab, because she just wouldn't feel comfortable letting strangers see a part of her that she prefers to keep covered in public - even if that part is just her hair.

[soleta_nf]

Perhaps it's time for those of us who embrace the ideals of so-called third wave feminism to stand up and say, yes, I believe in equality for women no matter what they choose

Totally, totally agree. <3

[bewarethespork]

Thanks. :)

[clocketpatch]

I've preferred to call myself a genderist since there was a nasty incident with some apparently feminist porn in the university newspaper a few years ago (I don't care WHAT standard of feminism you're using, scissors in orifices in a community distributed paper is NOT empowering or okay. At all. YECH.)

Also, because I've always understood feminism to be the fight for equality between genders. So semantically the term just never worked for me, not just because it excludes men, but because it excludes everything in between -

that said, I agree with EVERYTHING in your post. Women get screwed both ways because going for a career makes you a souless bitch while staying home to parent somehow makes you lazy and un-feminist. wtf?

The empowering choice is the ability TO HAVE THE CHOICE IN THE FIRST PLACE and not get judgment for taking it - whatever your dream career, dress sense, or religion.

[bewarethespork]

So semantically the term just never worked for me, not just because it excludes men, but because it excludes everything in between -

That's a really, really good point.

The empowering choice is the ability TO HAVE THE CHOICE IN THE FIRST PLACE and not get judgment for taking it - whatever your dream career, dress sense, or religion.

Couldn't have said it any better myself. :)

[bewarethespork]

The Dreamwidth crosspost should be unlocked; let me know if you can't access that and I'll unlock it for you. :)

[bewarethespork]

You're welcome. :)