Are we feminists?

[Stephanie Julianna]

If being a feminist is to allow women to just be themselves without judgement than I am One. If being a feminist is to support a woman's right to choose and equal pay for equal work than it's ditto again. I have 2 daughters and 3 granddaughters who I always tell that there is nothing that they can't do if they want it bad enough. They should never think that they can not do something because of their gender.

[Tracii G]

Stephanie sadly that is not what feminism is these days.

[XemmaX]

yes of course and there seems to be some interesting stereotypes floating about here. feminism like many things is a broad church and has many different currents some great some terrible. what im saying is it's not one hamogenous thing.

[Tina_gm]

What really is a feminist? I guess,anyone that believes in equality.... which I also believe for all people. Equality being rights and laws. I don't personally view this as liberal or feminist, but most others tend to see it that way.

[Eva Bella]

I define feminism as not only equality between the sexes, but also the ability for women to choose their own lives outside of male dependence and approval.

A woman who is a housewife or a stripper can absolutely be a feminist if that's the life that she freely chooses for herself. Being a true feminist does not imply that you're anti-male at all, it just means that you want and expect the same freedom of self-determination that men do.

So yeah, I'm very much a feminist.. all the way.

[Tracii G]

Eva I agree.
But what is passing for feminism these days is of a radical mindset and very anti male.
When you say you are a feminist these days the image you are projecting is this radical anti male, pussy hat wearing hot pink haired I am a nasty woman crowd.
Women like what I have seen on TV back in Jan are not feminists at all.

[Eva Bella]

Yes, but you're talking about extreme viewpoints, and most importantly, you're quoting what you see on TV. And I agree, those people are not true feminists.

With media so incredibly fragmented, most mass communication is polarized to a ridiculous degree. Right wing media frames feminism as man-hating extremists. Left wing media declares "the future is female" and celebrates the downfall of the patriarchy. Neither viewpoint is true or even accurate. Although I'm sadly way out of my 20s, I work with a lot of people in that age group, and it's wonderful: they're growing up all on their own without all of the baggage and petty hatred that my generation and the ones before me did. They're sure as hell not getting their viewpoints from TV or the likes of Fox, MSNBC, or CNN. Those places have to maintain eyes on their advertisements, and the best way to do that is fear and outrage. It's literally their business. You can be a proud feminist without harboring any disdain for men. I'm proud of my Italian heritage.. that doesn't mean I look down on people of other ethnicities.

Modern feminist thought is simply granting women the same freedom for self-determination as men have. And elevating feminine viewpoints to the same level as masculine ones. I think that anyone on this site can agree with that.