A Rantlet

[rochefort]

Escape while you still have the chance.

Few things can disturb my hard-won tranquillity online these days (extreme good and bad fic -- and canon yes, that means you, JKR -- aside). Having indulged myself in various fandom dramas in the past, my current state of nirvana is maintained by a sophisticated combination of shrugging and back-button-

Comments

[ex_seviet]

Word.

I saw some of this 'I am not a feminist, but...' crap recently and I had to sit on my hands. I can understand that there is a stereotype some of those women don't want to be associated with, but they aren't doing any favours to feminism and women in general.

Really, next person to say they aren't a feminist should just hand back their right to vote, birth control, college education... maybe that would be an eye-opener.

[lexin]

Really, next person to say they aren't a feminist should just hand back their right to vote, birth control, college education... maybe that would be an eye-opener.

Word. There are a couple of people I know who pull this one and it annoys me every time. I bet if some government or organisation (or whatever) tried to take back those rights they'd become feminists pretty damn quick.

[rochefort]

There are a couple of people I know who pull this one and it annoys me every time.

It's the dishonesty of these statements that angers me as much as anything else.

[rochefort]

next person to say they aren't a feminist should just hand back their right to vote, birth control, college education

I think I will pleasantly suggest this to the next woman who disparages feminism when I'm there.

[mrsronweasley]

I always know I love you, but sometimes, you like to remind me, don't you?

I'll add another 'word!' I think these women are just afraid of being perceived as man-hating, or whatnot, when - irony of ironies - it's the men that have come up with that particular definition of 'feminist' and it kind of makes me crazy. Really, really crazy, in fact. ARGH kind of crazy.

So, have people really been saying stuff like 'I'm not a feminist, but?..' Hmm.

[rochefort]

So, have people really been saying stuff like 'I'm not a feminist, but?..'

I see this on lj every few weeks, and it's really not good for my blood pressure. Maybe ranting will help. Maybe.

I think these women are just afraid of being perceived as man-hating, or whatnot, when - irony of ironies - it's the men that have come up with that particular definition of 'feminist'

Because in this scenario anything that upsets the status quo *has* to be anti-man, of course.

I love you toooooo and you bring me a moving CKR in your icon!

*Mwahhh!*

[mrsronweasley]

I see this on lj every few weeks, and it's really not good for my blood pressure.

Wow, my eyes must glaze right over that, or maybe it's different people. But I can definitely see how that would not be good for your blood pressure. BAH.

Because in this scenario anything that upsets the status quo *has* to be anti-man, of course.

Oh, of course! Sheesh! It's all about evil women wanting to take over the world by wanting equal opportunities and rights, duh! I actually heard the Heinous Bitch From Hell say that she doesn't think a woman should be president once, and, well, I had to take a walk. A really long walk. I kind of wished I'd be suddenly abducted by aliens and never have to hear her again.

I love you toooooo and you bring me a moving CKR in your icon! I have a HUUUUGE grin on my face right now. Really really big one. You like him? Isn't he precious? Mmmm, so lovely. Have you seen anything with him, like...well, he's been in 'Highlander' twice. Mmmm. With swords... mmmm... (I really really want to show you 'Due South'. So

[rochefort]

*hugs* you back. You partly inspired this little rant!

[louve_mae]

Exactly. Being a feminist isn't a stigma to shy away from, it's something to be proud of. There was a time when I was younger when I thought that the feminists before us had won the battle and there wasn't issues left, that it was all right now. I was thankful to the feminists before us but didn't think it was necessary anymore. Then I grew up, faced the world, and found out it wasn't so. December 6, 1989 was one of those turning points. Feminism is still important, always will be.

[rochefort]

I think we went through exactly the same processes. For me, I suspect it was part innocence, part wishful thinking that the battles were won. Maybe the women who disown feminism are going through this, too; but if that's so, I wonder why they also treat it as though it's a bad word.

[louve_mae]

I see growing up not as getting older but as losing your illusions on such subjects. I went through the same process with syndicalism: I thought the syndicalism battle was won, that there was no reason for a corporation to feel threatened unless it had anything to hide... then the department I was working in was out-contracted in order to get rid of the newly implanted union. It was such a shock to my naive self.

I drifted away from the point, sorry. I truly hope those women are simply going through this process.

[aneli8]

...

There's actually people like this out there?

I mean. I know I'm young and all, but.

...

I'm rather confused as to why women wouldn't think that the right to vote/equal right/all of it is a good thing. What am I missing?

[rochefort]

mean. I know I'm young and all, but.

Ah, but you're an old soul, which is partly why you're wonderful.

I simply can't understand the 'equal rights = bad' argument, either. Is it an unwillingness to take the responsibilities that full humanity brings? Because then you don't get to be a 'girl' any more? Maybe that's it. But mostly, I'm baffled.