Leg shaving time
I've met a number of women recently, all strong, clever, successful, some in powerful positions, who have started sentences with some version of "I'm not a feminist, but . . ." My former partner used to see this frequently in the Uni classes she taught. What's going on here? Has Andrea Dworkin convinced everybody that her version of feminism is the only one? Does no-one think that feminism has evolved since the 1970s?
And there is an inherent dismissal of 70s feminism in this attitude too. Like "yeah, they did good stuff, but we don't want that sort of hairy legged, bra burning attitude now". I mean, who doesn't think this is still a man's world? Sure, the tools are now available for (western) women to challenge the patriarchy, but "women's work" (ie teaching, nursing, homemaking, receptionist, etc) is still clearly undervalued. Just watch a selection of TV ads for a while and the old stereotypes are still rife. I'm a sole parent father, but my kid's school still, as a matter of course, sends all it's letters to Mrs B (just wait till your father gets home and sees this report).
I know that feminism is far too complex a subject to explore in depth on LJ, but I'm interested in your response.
I consider myself a feminist. I can't see a problem with any sex or gender claiming to be a feminist. And there are a multiplicity of views. There are some Dom/mes and subs in the BDSM community who clearly are feminists. I don't think being sex-positive hetero, or a gay man or a lesbian or having any other mode of sexual expression should necessarily preclude you from being a feminist.
So what does feminism mean to you? What are the basic precepts of feminism in the noughties? Tell me all. Disagree by all means. I'm happy to argue it out.
And there is an inherent dismissal of 70s feminism in this attitude too. Like "yeah, they did good stuff, but we don't want that sort of hairy legged, bra burning attitude now". I mean, who doesn't think this is still a man's world? Sure, the tools are now available for (western) women to challenge the patriarchy, but "women's work" (ie teaching, nursing, homemaking, receptionist, etc) is still clearly undervalued. Just watch a selection of TV ads for a while and the old stereotypes are still rife. I'm a sole parent father, but my kid's school still, as a matter of course, sends all it's letters to Mrs B (just wait till your father gets home and sees this report).
I know that feminism is far too complex a subject to explore in depth on LJ, but I'm interested in your response.
I consider myself a feminist. I can't see a problem with any sex or gender claiming to be a feminist. And there are a multiplicity of views. There are some Dom/mes and subs in the BDSM community who clearly are feminists. I don't think being sex-positive hetero, or a gay man or a lesbian or having any other mode of sexual expression should necessarily preclude you from being a feminist.
So what does feminism mean to you? What are the basic precepts of feminism in the noughties? Tell me all. Disagree by all means. I'm happy to argue it out.