"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]

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.