Reform Feminism!

[Sunstone]

If you could do two things to improve the feminist movement, what would those things be?

 

[Question_love_act]

Very interesting question!

I would say...

-Viewing the feminist movement as solidary with other liberation movements, make more alliances.
-Try to educate the population by acknowledging that they will have preconceived idea and try not to confront them too hard. It's normal for organized groups to do confrontative action, but we can also work more to educate people step by step

 

[Question_love_act]

I don't know why your thread didn't get the attention it deserved

A social movement needs constant redefinition IMO... Anyway, hope there will be another opportunity!

 

[Sunstone]

I don't know why your thread didn't get the attention it deserved

Thanks! I've no idea, either. :help:

A social movement needs constant redefinition IMO... Anyway, hope there will be another opportunity!

Indeed. Someone once said that every worthy cause begins as a movement, turns into a business, and ends as a racket. I think that is substantially true. Without reform, even feminism will become unbearably corrupt.

 

[Galen.Iksnudnard]

I should probably just put out there that I am a straight male. Despite this, I do consider myself a Feminist.

I agree with the idea that we need to have a better understanding of intersectionality. We should have a natural empathy with other historically disenfranchised groups. Women make up 1/2 of the population and can be a very powerful force in overcoming privilege.

One other thing is that we need to begin to think of feminism as a worldwide movement. Of course women in different countries may face specific issues, but the overall problem - which is the oppressive dominance of the patriarchy - is generally the same wherever women do face trouble.

 

[Ablaze]

De-emphasize the stereotypes and correct misunderstandings, such as "feminists are united by their hatred for men."

Re-emphasize the actual goal and diversify the movement through the common aim for true equality, regardless of gender, sex, etc.

 

[ohhcuppycakee]

I would want Western feminists to be less ethnocentric. There is a lot of tension over this. Feminism is needed all over the world, but it MUST be a grass roots movement. Women need to create their own feminist movements grown out of their problems specific to their region's circumstances.

 

[Riverwolf]

Take the term back from the few man-haters who have given it its bad name. Spread the real definition through the internet, and focus on issues that help support that.

To help in this matter, I believe that self-identified feminists should actively take part in men's issues, to prove the matter.

A funny "you might be a feminist if... " list might be good. It will be countered by a more hateful version, because internet, but, well, if it's funny, it might still help.

I'm not so sure the movement is really present throughout internet culture, and certainly not within geek culture. It needs to spread its reach there, as well. Prove that the "There are NO girls on the internet" rule is tongue-and-cheek, and not true at all.

 

[Monk Of Reason]

Feminist movment should broaden its reach to be more incuslive. They should fight for men's rights as well. In fact it could even change the name from Feminist to equalist.

 

[DallasApple]

To help in this matter, I believe that self-identified feminists should actively take part in men's issues, to prove the matter.

I completely disagree with this..I to let you know from what I "know" of you I have complete respect for you .And I have no issue with addressing mens issues SEPARATE...I do not believe being "active " in women's specific issues I should have to include "mens issues' in order to prove I'm not a 'man hater" ..that doesn't make any sense to me..it sounds like appeasing someone else's paranoia...some sort of co-dependancy or something..

Its like saying if I'm a child's rights activist..I need to "include adults actively" in order to prove I don't hate adults...It doesn't make any sense to me...

Maybe I'm misunderstanding..if not Oh well we can disagree..but again I respect you either way..My opinion is not a personal attack.

 

[freethinker44]

Feminist movment should broaden its reach to be more incuslive. They should fight for men's rights as well. In fact it could even change the name from Feminist to equalist.

Too bad humanist wasn't equated with non-theism. That would be a perfect name for someone who wants equal rights for all, regardless of race or gender.

 

[Alceste]

It's such a broad and diverse movement, I can't be sure that some branch or offshoot of feminism isn't already doing all the things I might suggest, but I would like to see a greater sense of global solidarity among women and their allies. I am more worried about child marriage and FGM* in some godforsaken corner of the globe than I am about the page 3 girl. I feel that if we were all united to tackle child marriage and FGM, and none of us were quite so busy trying to do away with topless tabloid girls in UK papers, we might actually make more progress on child marriage and FGM. You know? It's a matter of priorities and perspective, and you have to admit things are pretty good for women in a country where their biggest problem is having to look at some other woman's boobs in the newspaper.

*Female Genital Mutilation

 

[Aquitaine]

It's such a broad and diverse movement, I can't be sure that some branch or offshoot of feminism isn't already doing all the things I might suggest, but I would like to see a greater sense of global solidarity among women and their allies. I am more worried about child marriage and FGM* in some godforsaken corner of the globe than I am about the page 3 girl. I feel that if we were all united to tackle child marriage and FGM, and none of us were quite so busy trying to do away with topless tabloid girls in UK papers, we might actually make more progress on child marriage and FGM. You know? It's a matter of priorities and perspective, and you have to admit things are pretty good for women in a country where their biggest problem is having to look at some other woman's boobs in the newspaper.

*Female Genital Mutilation

With more and more people using the internet and communicating globally these days, I can see that very trend happening with Feminism, if it isn't already. The whole "global conscious" element to it.

 

[Alceste]

I don't think feminists need to take on "men's issues". Why on earth would we do that? There is absolutely no reason that men - who STILL control the lion's share of economic and political power - need the help of an outsider group like feminists to solve their own problems.

Also, I would like to remind people who have come in here to argue "feminism is flawed because it focuses on issues that concern women" that this is a feminist DIR. If you don't think of yourself as a feminist, you should not be in this discussion. You are, of course, welcome to start a thread outside the feminist DIR and I'll go there and talk to you.

 

[Monk Of Reason]

Too bad humanist wasn't equated with non-theism. That would be a perfect name for someone who wants equal rights for all, regardless of race or gender.

Maybe Humanists can be broaded as well and the two can be combined. Doubtful though as there are many religous feminists.

 

[Monk Of Reason]

I don't think feminists need to take on "men's issues". Why on earth would we do that? There is absolutely no reason that men - who STILL control the lion's share of economic and political power - need the help of an outsider group like feminists to solve their own problems.

Also, I would like to remind people who have come in here to argue "feminism is flawed because it focuses on issues that concern women" that this is a feminist DIR. If you don't think of yourself as a feminist, you should not be in this discussion. You are, of course, welcome to start a thread outside the feminist DIR and I'll go there and talk to you.

The attitude that feminists don't need to even think about men's issues is what bred the MRA. That and underlaying sexism but we won't get into that. I mean more that they should be involved with joint progress with other movements to help mens rights. Possible even GLBTQ rights. If we wanted to reform feminism then it needs to be more about equality and less about empowerment.

Though in some parts of the word it still needs to be about empowerment. Laws and such are more or less equal for men and women in many 1st world coutnries. A few glitches here and there but by and large feminism and sexism is a social issue rather than a rights under the law issue. The obvious and glaring exception is abortion and women's reproductive rights.

 

[Willamena]

I don't know why your thread didn't get the attention it deserved

Thanks! I've no idea, either. :help:

Not enough sex and violence.

 

[Alceste]

[youtube]xZYbMOn1ZTI[/youtube]

 

[Monk Of Reason]

[youtube]xZYbMOn1ZTI[/youtube]

I cannot view whatever media you have posted. Can you sum up for me what it is?

 

[DallasApple]

Feminist movment should broaden its reach to be more incuslive. They should fight for men's rights as well. In fact it could even change the name from Feminist to equalist.

Why?>????what rights do feminist (mostly women) need to fight for that women have over men?There is a difference in saying it shouldn't "reverse' turn into reverse discrimination ...And besides that why rely on "women" for equality?Why don't MEN start a movement called "equalist" based on their status as men being "unequal" just because they are men?

I don't get why you would expect feminist to "adopt " your issues? Such as "men are raped too by women"...(sometimes and at a very lower rate ) and men are more likely to kill themselves and die younger...(even though on average its only about 1 year and 9 months difference)..And the reasons men die younger are NOT due to women....

Where is your issue that you think you are so unequal that a group fighting to be equal to you needs to "fight for you "?