Poll: Are you a feminist?

[sqbr]

So, I've always had a certain amount of interest in women's rights, but always felt a bit put off by feminism for reasons I couldn't articulate. I eventually decided to dig a bit and either get over it or figure out what the problem was. In the process I've become convinced of two things:
(a) I am a feminist, and feminism still has a lot of important work left to do
(b) There are a bunch of things I don't really like about the feminist movement as it actually works

And I got curious about you guys experiences and identities.


If you're not sure what the definition of "feminist" is, well... afaict there isn't a completely agreed upon one, but here's a bunch, afaict the consensus is along the lines of "Thinking society deals with gender in a way that, on balance, harms women, and that this should be corrected".

[Poll #1169959]

I'm especially interested in women who don't identify as feminist: do you have an issue with feminism, or do you think it's ok but just don't see any particular need to identify yourself that way? Other people's povs (including mens!) are also welcome, though.

And yes, vegetus, this does give you leave to rant a bit :) Though I would remind everyone to be civil, openminded, and tolerant. Keep in mind that we have some very different POVs here, any one of which will probably strike at least one person as Wrong And Dumb. Please take any narky arguments outside and try not to start any!

As for myself, well, you can see my (mixed) opinions on this lj. ithiliana's post Racism Imbroglios, White Feminist Bloggers, RWOC, and deja vu inspired me to make this poll, I particularly liked the line:

Within feminist discourse sisterhood became simultaneously an unquestioned assumption, an unexamined bond, and a mode of controlling behavior and containing difference.

Comments

Re: Answering dot points: Part 1

[alias_sqbr]

I'm sorry to hear so many women are so horrible, even if one is against sex work there's no need to be cruel to the individual women involved.

And yeah, I Do Not Like the anti-sex/anti heterosexuality vibe I get from certain parts of the feminist movement. Luckily most of the feminists I spend time around are pro sex (heterosexual or otherwise) so I sometimes forget how bad the other bits get.

A while ago cupidsbow linked to an interesting essay by Wacky Feminist Sf Writer Joanna Russ: Pornography and the
doubleness of sex for women

I found this passage struck a chord with me:

I think this doubleness of experience may explain the bitterness of the fight against pornography (to which I've contributed as much as anyone, I'm afraid) and the phenomenon of the sides being so very horrified by each other because they are perpetually talking past each other. When A attacks violence and B hears her attacking sexual freedom, B will defend sexual freedom — and A will hear her defending violence. You see how it goes, round and round and louder each time, though A doesn't intend to attack sexual freedom per se, and B doesn't mean to defend violence.

Re: Answering dot points: Part 1

[callistra.livejournal.com]

I am pro-sex. I also believe that when women are happy, confident, relaxed and passionate about life and love, then they're far more willing to experiment with their sex lives.

However I think the porn industry and sex industry have some inherent issues that we're not able to solve at this stage of our societal evolution.

But being awful to sex workers is just a sign of being an awful person.

Re: Answering dot points: Part 1

[alias_sqbr]

Mm, I can see the arguments against the sex industry (unfortunately it's one of those complex situations with no good solution, imo), it's a pity that for every reasonable POV there has to be people who pursue it unreasonably.

Re: Answering dot points: Part 1

[vegetus.livejournal.com]

Good quote!

I guess I haven't ever looked at the sex industry as being about someone's personal "sexual freedom" more as just another job. I don't have people abusing me for working as a carer for old people and sick kiddies and telling me not to value myself on the way I view myself as a carer, yet I did for working in the wider sex industry. The sex industry is just like any other industry- there are a good and bad things about the different jobs and about the industry as a whole and some people love to work there and others don't- but at the end of the day it's just work.

(sorry it's taken me ages to get back to this)