Poll: Are you a feminist?

[BloatedGuppy]

...as evidenced by Daniel Tosh's recent troubles.

Feminism and Rape Culture are not the same thing. While Feminists and women are often ardent defenders of the theory behind Rape Culture (for what should be fairly obvious reasons), what happened with Daniel Tosh had nothing to do with "Feminism".

 

[maddawg IAJI]

The word feminist was clearly meant to have a female bias, just look at the word! What's next? Should believing in equality of races make you a negroist? This is stupid.

The word was used as an insult during the 1st wave of Feminism to describe men who supported the idea of woman being able to vote. When second wave came around, woman saw the letters and adopted it as the name. Its not meant to show bias, it was just used to poke fun at a bunch of close-minded people and it ended up taking off.

 

[Kroxile]

...as evidenced by Daniel Tosh's recent troubles.

Feminism and Rape Culture are not the same thing. While Feminists and women are often ardent defenders of the theory behind Rape Culture (for what should be fairly obvious reasons), what happened with Daniel Tosh had nothing to do with "Feminism".

Rape Culture?

Really? We have a "Rape Culture" now?

Ok.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

Rape Culture?

Really? We have a "Rape Culture" now?

Ok.

Dude, I'm not going to get into it with you. I didn't invent the theory, I'm not offering an endorsement of nor a condemnation of the theory, I'm telling you that what happened with Dan Tosh had nothing to do with feminism, because it didn't.

And really, let's stop couching it in tremulous terms like 'what happened to Dan Tosh'. Nothing really happened to Dan Tosh. Some people didn't like his jokes. Stop the fucking presses.

 

[Charli]

I don't identify as feminist because the word holds lots of different connotations depending on whom you ask, and I believe I shouldn't have to specify that I want the sexes to be equal. It should be the default position.

This, too many have twisted the foundations of the word feminism. So I do not identify myself as one. Equal rights for both sexes has always been my stance in matters. And I don't need a label for it. As Jonluw says, it should be the default.

And have I done anything for this? I don't feel like discussing it much on this board but yes, yes I have.

There's something extremely wrong about some Feminists denouncing your opinion if you DON'T say you are one. And assuming that you must hate women if you do, that was the message that finally hit home that it was a word that was wrongly shaping the morals and values of some people. (As with all extremism this is not the true values of most members and I appreciate that, but there is an an ugly side to everything and a group MUST acknowledge it)

 

[Ryan Hughes]

Well, even though the Oxford can say one thing, the reality is that feminism means different things to different people. This is called a: "Discoursal Schism" if anyone cares.

It can range in meaning drastically. Let's take an example: If I say the word "dog," you might think about Lassie saving Timmy from a well, and I might think about my retriever urinating on my couch. And still another person might have been mauled by a dog as a child, and have a flashback. Words have different meanings depending on the individual.

I did not identify myself as a "feminist" until I entered college, and I met some very intelligent and even-handed feminists, like our professor who taught feminist literature. Really, the problem with feminism tends to be -like anything else- people jumping onto the bandwagon without thinking, and becoming zealous foot-soldiers in the movement just because their ex-boyfriend was a pig, or something like that. But, the people who study the actual history and philosophy of feminism I have tremendous respect for.

 

[Kroxile]

Dude, I'm not going to get into it with you. I didn't invent the theory, I'm not offering an endorsement of nor a condemnation of the theory, I'm telling you that what happened with Dan Tosh had nothing to do with feminism, because it didn't.

And really, let's stop couching it in tremulous terms like 'what happened to Dan Tosh'. Nothing really happened to Dan Tosh. Some people didn't like his jokes. Stop the fucking presses.

Umm. Ok, bro. Sure, whatever you say.

Not even trying to troll here. I just stated how I ridiculous I find a term such as "Rape Culture" to be.

But if you wanna get full on mad, be my guest.

 

[Sidiron]

No, as I personally believe that the value of males and females are harder to pin down than everyone assumes and we cannot have this 1=1 equality that so many "feminists" love to throw around.
But as I don't call myself a feminist, neither would I say it is "chauvanistic"
As no doubt there will be plenty chucking that word around.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

But if you wanna get full on mad....

I....okay.

For the sake of collegial agreement, let's just accept this. I was raging, and flipping over tables. Thanks for settling me down. Things were getting out of hand there for a moment.

 

[monolith18]

I find those definitions of feminism to be sorely lacking. Feminism is the crazy idea that everybody deserves to be treated like a human being, regardless of things like age, race, gender or sexual orientation.

No see, feminism is a focus on a certain issue therein. That would be the ideal of equality, one that I firmly beleive in however that isn't what feminism means.

 

[Kahunaburger]

Cop out

Maybe you should just shut up next time if you don't actually have a answer.

See, this is why I'm not engaging with this. You're angry, and want to have an argument. I, on the other hand, want you to get some basic information on transgender people, and don't care that much about continuing the argument. Based on your tone, I don't believe I'm a source you would accept.

But, since you don't want to start the search yourself, here [http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/sexual-orientation-gender/gender-gender-identity-26530.htm] is a good starting place for information about sex and gender.

Sex reassignment therapy is a more complicated subject, but this [http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/life/genetic/gender-reassignment2.htm] gives you an extremely brief overview. In this case, you're probably better off looking up specific treatments if you're curious.

But these are just starting places - there's (as you'd imagine) quite a great deal of information freely available on both subjects.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

No see, feminism is a focus on a certain issue therein. That would be the ideal of equality, one that I firmly beleive in however that isn't what feminism means.

No, see, you and the dictionary are at odds on this point.

Dictionary.com

fem·i·nism [fem-uh-niz-uhm]
noun
1. the doctrine advocating social, political, and all other rights of women equal to those of men.

Websters-Merriam

1. the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes

Urban Dictionary

1. The right to choose in a non-oppressive society that is free of societal hierarchies.

2. A movement to end sexist oppression as well as domination relations. This does not only aim to make women equal to men, but all people equal to each other in rights. It is one gear in the bigger machine of human rights.

Even the Urban Dictionary, man! Even the URBAN DICTIONARY.

The problem here is that you made up your own definition for the word feminism.

 

[Marik2]

I don't identify as feminist because the word holds lots of different connotations depending on whom you ask, and I believe I shouldn't have to specify that I want the sexes to be equal. It should be the default position.

Yeah pretty much what I think as well

Labels can be used against people

 

[Ryan Hughes]

No, as I personally believe that the value of males and females are harder to pin down than everyone assumes and we cannot have this 1=1 equality that so many "feminists" love to throw around.
But as I don't call myself a feminist, neither would I say it is "chauvanistic"
As no doubt there will be plenty chucking that word around.

Well, it is true that men and women have different plumbing schemes, so to speak, that does not mean that they are not equal. Look, even though there are differences, I think we are all comfortable saying that an apple tree is roughly equal to an orange tree. We may like one fruit over the other, and one particular tree may yield more fruit than another, but generally speaking, we can equate the two as having an equal value. And, no I do not think you are a chauvinist, just slightly incorrect.

 

[kickyourass]

Yeah, but I'd rather not use the label if I can. Too many negative connotations, too many crazies I'd rather associate with in as few ways as possible.

 

[Bocaj2000]

Yes I am. I believe in equality for the sexes. Sexism is culturally ingrained and, as we all know, culture doesn't change over night. We still have a long way to go.

EDIT:

I find those definitions of feminism to be sorely lacking. Feminism is the crazy idea that everybody deserves to be treated like a human being, regardless of things like age, race, gender or sexual orientation.

No see, feminism is a focus on a certain issue therein. That would be the ideal of equality, one that I firmly beleive in however that isn't what feminism means.

Feminism is about equality for the sexes. Nasrin is thinking of egalitarianism.

EDIT:
It's kind of funny that people won't call them selves feminist because of the "negative connotations" it has. This video might clear some things up:

 

[Slayer_2]

I'm an equalist. The term "feminist" in my mind indicates a woman who believes women are superior to men. I think that treating everyone as a human should be common sense, not something we need to parade around and cause shit-storms to do.