Love, Hate and Feminism vs. Misogyny

[kimberly_t]

After due consideration, I am convinced that the two most overused, misused and abused words in the entire English language are: Love and Hate.

Comments

[ussentinel]

Great topic, great post! I hope this gets revisited again.

[kimberly_t]

Thanks for the compliment! And I'm sure I'll have occasion to talk about it again. Feminism and the misogyny that we feminists struggle against aren't exactly temporary phenomena.

[candika]

Well thought through, Kimberly!

[kimberly_t]

Thank you!

[doppleganger55]

Wow...that's just...um very sensible and well thought out. It really made me think.

As a guy, I not only think you are an equal to men but superior to a lot. :P

[kimberly_t]

*blushes* aw, thanks for the compliment!

The more we can make people really THINK about the culture they live in and all the culture traits they take for granted, the more we can effect change for the better.

[northsider]

I'm finally getting caught up on my LJ-pal comments, and I've been meaning to leave a general comment on your feministic ruminations for quite a while

[mediumdave]

Hello Kimberly, I'm here via ginmar's LJ... yours is an interesting argument, and I agree that more precise language when we're discussing sociopolitical ideas would be useful.

But in reference to that post at "Not a Feminist", I believe that Laura was using the word "hate" for the sake of symmetry, and if she'd used "despise" instead, it would've made for a weaker post because the effect of turning the word "hate" back on the real haters would have been lost.

Plus, if she'd used the word "despise" it would have reminded the MRA trolls of the very truth that they're trying desperately to deny. The whole basis of the MRA movement is the pretense that men and women are already equal, so feminism is unnecessary. A reminder that men, in general, look down on women would've made them howl even more loudly. If that's possible.

[kimberly_t]

Greetings, Dave! Feel free to take a look around and comment on other issues.
I agree, Laura appeared to be using the word "hate" for the sake of symmetry. But "hate" almost implies a symmetrical relationship, detesting someone even while recognizing them as an equal or a serious threat... and the patriarchal society is anything but symmetrical in terms of power between the genders. When most people define "hate" as actively detesting someone, with the implication that the other is an equal or a serious threat, the word just does not fit most of the examples she gave in that essay.

I honestly think that this is one reason why so many modern women now denounce feminism as being outdated, past its usefulness; they hear "men hate women", think of the word "hate" as it's commonly used and just don't see it happening in the world around them. Oh, they see women being treated as sex objects, but that's not hate, that's just guys being insensitive! And so they agree with the MRA's who describe the active feminist as "man-haters,"

[mediumdave]

It occurs to me that there's a way to test your idea... if you write a condensed version of your post, using the terms you feel are appropriate, and insert it into a comments thread at a high-traffic blog (at an oppportune moment), you could see how people react.

[kimberly_t]

Well, I suppose I could trim down the section on "Love" a little...
Any particular high-traffic blog you'd recommend? The most high-traffic site I ever go to is ginmar's LJ, and I'm not about to hijack that even if I knew how.