That was the hot topic of discussion in today's class.
It really got my back up, too.
You see, I believe that everyone - not men, not women - yes, everyone is entitled to equal rights and opportunities. Sadly, 'feminism' has come to be represented by, often, the "get even" crowd... the "I want more than my fair share to make up for it" crowd.
Tonight's discussion made me want to leave the room. I mean, what have we been arguing for for centuries? Whether women are human beings? It seems that forever and a day, women have typically been handed the "less than" role. "Here is your 'place', and if you step a toe over the line, we'll be sure to put you back.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not jumping on the way-out-there bandwagon. I equally detest the manner in which some feminists take on a defensive role when it comes to standing up for equal rights across the two genders.
Enough, already. If you qualify for human, in this blogger's eyes you have every right to be treated equally, given equal opportunity and equal compensation for equal effort. But the whole premise of 'equal' implies that EVERYBODY deserves the same accommodation. Sure, everyone is going to differ in skill level, but to be treated as less-than, paid less-than or discriminated against because of your gender strikes me as ethically wrong. It also makes my stomach queezy.
My recommended read? Try Ana Historic by Daphne Marlatt.
What's your definition of Feminism?
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About Me
- Turtle Guy
- Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- English student, Pottery enthusiast, Yoga novice and lover of all people. I make friends over a warm handshake and a beverage. I discover, every day, someone willing to help me along my path.
6 comments:
I guess these things are hard to debate because everybody's got a different definition. It's a little sad that it's still up for debate though. You're right a person is a person is a person.
all I know is that my nineteen year old daughter isn't keen on them, and she's a rather well rounded person with great respect for all people, even ones that aren't terribly fond of each other...
Baa! she would say... :)))
Hi Dave,
My sister is a dyed in the wool feminest, but she said it's changed a bit. You don't have to be slugging it out with a 9 to 5 job and upset that you don't have the same wage as a man to qualify.
And a man can be a feminest too. It dosen't mean your female just that you think everyone should have the same rights.
Janice~
You know what I think of feminism? Fuck feminism. Lets be realistic. Lets look at physiology and biology, women and men are physically different and they always will be. Unless they evolve into morphadites.
The real issue is not what is being discussed. The real issue is treating everyone like you want to be treated. We can't be treated equally when it comes to jobs such as firefighting, steel mill working etc, you get the picture. Of course there are those women who can swing that way but for the most part we don't have the physical makeup or endurance to handle it.
As for brain work? we can sooo totally compete with that, so in that realm we need equality.
and now for the clincher..the butt clincher...I want to ask, why is it that in the role of husband and wife, (or whatever) that both people can work full time but when they get home the husband feels entitled to plop his ass down in front of the TV while the wife cleans, makes dinner and puts the kids to bed? WHY!!!!! is this ever GOING TO CHANGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I never did like any of these ‘isms’. All I ask for is equal treatment, I do agree with doozie that we are not the same, but though we are different that does not mean that we are in any way inferior.
In my field of engineering I come across many who think that we (women) are ‘guilty until proven innocent’. That we try to leave early do less work and expect the same treatment (I don’t deny that there are some women like that), which in turn means that it is much more difficult for a female to get a job as an engineer and those of us who do work hard have to work double hard to prove that we are not some bimbos.
My opinion on feminist is the same as Blanche's from the Golden Girls--
"I don't want to be your equal. I want to be treated much better than you!"
Sorry, just thought I'd add a spice of humor to the situation. It's 1:27am, and I'm insane!
Hope you've been doing ok *Hugs*
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