"I'm not a feminist, but..."

[owlmoose]

So there's this discussion of women characters in video games going on today, and for the most part it's respectful and interesting and thought provoking, but one of my buttons has been pushed, and so I feel compelled to post a link to one of my favorite essays ever. It should be required reading. Seriously. Take a few minutes. It's a fast read, I promise.

Yes, You Are

Comments

I

[kunstarniki.livejournal.com]

You are perfectly correct. It is well worth the few minutes it takes to read this and it is a charmingly written reminder that words have exact meanings and that they are not always what we think they are. Thank you for the link. :)

Re: I

[owlmoose.livejournal.com]

This word, in particular, which has been loaded with so many connotations from so many sources that it really shouldn't have to bear. Like "liberal", another sadly-maligned term.

Thanks for reading! Glad you liked it.

[ovo-lexa.livejournal.com]

\o/

[owlmoose.livejournal.com]

:D

(Is that emoticon a person with their arms up in the air?)

[oswulf.livejournal.com]

I think that's a field goal thing. Said the man with no interest in sports. But that's another can of worms.

[ovo-lexa.livejournal.com]

^_^\/

(Indeed! I have seen it used in various forms, but I use it for cheering purposes.)

[mneme-forgets.livejournal.com]

I think when people say that they aren't feminists they aren't really trying to discredit equality, they just don't like the stigma that's been attached to the name. ie. frigid, man-hating women. I do take great pleasure in telling men they are feminists though, listening to them shriek for a bit and giving them a sort of definition something like that essay to which they cannot disagree.

[delladella.livejournal.com]

You’re right about the stigma. Hello, Rush Limbaugh and “feminazis”; I still shudder when I hear otherwise sensible people use that term. It’s all about branding, pretty much, and the words “liberal” and “feminist” have lost track of their ideological meanings and been obscured by some nasty connotations: man-haters, appeasers, etc.

Till I took a Womens’ Studies class in junior college, I would’ve never identified myself as a feminist. I didn’t want to risk attaching myself to what’s unfortunately become a really loaded word.

[owlmoose.livejournal.com]

I *loathe* the word "feminazis" and have no qualms about taking people to task for using it. Rush Limbaugh has a lot to answer for.

I guess it just makes me sad that so many people who believe in the cause feel that they have to disavow it. Why should people hostile to the word get to define what it means? I can actually get pretty angry about that if I think about it too deeply.

[owlmoose.livejournal.com]

I think when people say that they aren't feminists they aren't really trying to discredit equality, they just don't like the stigma that's been attached to the name. ie. frigid, man-hating women.

I agree, that does seem to be the case. But I don't think the answer is to disavow a perfectly good term, but rather to reclaim it. I prefer to make a point of describing myself as a feminist, no disclaimers or caveats, and then show people by word and deed what that really means. If I can even put a drop in that bucket, I think it's worth it.

I

[kunstarniki.livejournal.com]

Reclaiming a word once besmirched or altered by the efforts of an organized group is a Sisiphyean task. I have been trying to rescue 'vulgar' for longer than I care to remember. I think that is the reason many liberals now call themselves 'progressives'. It is a pity that good, useful words must fall victim to framing but that seems to be the way of the world these days.

Re: I

[owlmoose.livejournal.com]

It's an admirable goal, but I think it's nearly impossible to do alone. You need a critical mass of people to make it work. And I know I'm not the only person out there who makes a point of calling herself feminist.

I accept that the meanings of words will drift over time, but I wish people aligned with progressive causes were better at holding their ground over the names they wish to call themselves.

[mneme-forgets.livejournal.com]

I guess what I really meant was does it matter that people don't use that label if they espouse the same beliefs as those that would apply to the ideal definition of a "feminist"?

[owlmoose.livejournal.com]

Because labels are useful. It's much easier to connect with people if you have a simple word to describe yourself, one that everyone can understand. If I can say "I am a feminist" without then having to spend fifteen minutes explaning exactly what I mean by that, conversation can move forward more quickly. It's a useful shorthand, and we should feel comfortable using it.