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

[melengro]

Would you have a problem if I said that, while I agree with the bulk of this, my idea of feminism and rights is not quite the same as yours, because of my different (male but non-cisgendered, American, white, Christian, politically leftist) experience and background? It's...hard for me to ignore the inherent imbalances in a lot of feminist rhetoric (yes, even the third wave; in some ways especially the third wave). Like you, I don't fit into the 'conventional' narrative of 'traditional' feminism; but I don't fit into it in different ways.

Is my choice (and keep in mind that I'm not cisgendered as I ask this) to hold different opinions on the nature of choice and the nature of consequence and the nature of fate a feminist choice? I certainly hope it is, because otherwise I and a lot of my loved ones have been fooling ourselves for a very long time.

(I apologise if this seems incoherent or bellicose. I am very tired.)

[bewarethespork]

If I believe that we all have the right to make our own choices, then I must necessarily believe that people whose opinions differ from mine have the right to hold those opinions, mustn't I?

[melengro]

So one would hope--so I specifically, knowing you specifically, assumed, but one can never be too careful, as people have a remarkable capacity for turning a belief in choice against itself. I think Ariel Levy wrote a series of articles about this once.

It's just that sometimes you (or I, I'll admit) get highly strident and it's easy for me (or you, or somebody else, I'll admit) to fear that you (or I) is being extreme about non-extremism.

I'm sorry for how paranoid I sound. I've had...unpleasant experiences.

[bewarethespork]

To misquote Voltaire, I may disagree with some of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.

The whole point of my post was that my feminism doesn't have to be the same as anyone else's feminism. As long as nobody's trying to harm anyone else and we're all committed to allowing each other to hold different opinions, what matters the most is that each of us is allowed to choose and is not judged by society for doing so. Basically: I couldn't care less whether or not you agree with my ideas about what a feminist choice is, as long as you don't try and stop me from making those choices, or tell me that I'm wrong for making them.

[melengro]

Have I mentioned lately that you are awesome?

*hug*

[bewarethespork]

You have no idea how much I really, really needed to hear that. ♥

[melengro]

♥ ♥ ♥