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Why do we need feminism?

Today we marched. Then I came home and looked at the news and some city manager in Jackman, Maine is calling for white separatism and calling feminists unattractive women that are resentful that they haven't gotten enough attention from men.

Someone on this site said to me the other day that women have more rights then men now. I could not even respond to that, because I wasn't in the mood to explain it again. Maybe I need to get over that because a lot of people really aren't aware. I don't know if it is ignorance, or denial, or chiding sometimes.

If you are a woman you are more likely to be murdered by a partner than a stranger. [npr.org] That alone should say an awful lot. 25 percent of women are assaulted by a partner in their lifetime according to the CDC. And domestic violence is under reported. Our society has problems. We need to evolve. It doesn't need to stay this way.

There are a thousand things to be said about feminism, why we need it. In uplifting women, we uplift society. Feminism is about equality for EVERYONE. Feminism works to address oppression, to heal our society.

You know what I think feminists look like? I think they look like people.

thinkwithme 7 Jan 22
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18 comments

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0

I confess, I was probably not concerned about feminism, equality, the gender pay gap, or most of the issues facing women, but then I became the father to an amazing daughter.
I was in the army at the time serving in a branch that didn't allow women. I didn't see gender based discrimination or harassment at work. I never considered the fact that women weren't permitted to do my job because the world would be better off if nobody did.
Before I get carried away on a tangent, I am a feminist now, not because I want equality and fair play for my own child although it started there, but because my daughter is an amazing woman who points out my bullshit when I am in the wrong.
She gave me a lot to think about, like telling me that I shouldn't be against misogyny, sexism, and double standards on her behalf, but because they're horrible. And she does not start an argument without research, evidence, and documentation to support her.
Okay, I hope that most men who are not feminist are like I was in that it's just because they are oblivious to it. I suspect however that a lot of them if not all are scared by idiotic propaganda and don't have a forceful, outspoken, external conscience to enlighten them.
In the end, I am a feminist simply because I don't think anyone should be treated as less than human for any reason unless they're an asshole.

JimG Level 8 Feb 18, 2018
0

Well said secure Sir!

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I deleted my last post here, I understand somone replied, I did not see it. I had just learned some injustices of feminism a few days ago, and was a little bit too passionate. According to definition, I am a feminist, however I can no longer affiliate myself with a group that demonizes men and attempts to purvay sexuality, you could say the organization does not practice what they preach.

Feminism is a theory, a perspective, and various people and organizations align themselves to it. Jumping to conclusions is a human thing and thats why communication is so important and we all get emotional sometimes. I watched this earlier and had a bunch to say. What I remember wanting to say to you is that I do believe that men are treated unfairly at times too and true feminism is good for everyone. Wouldnt you rather than an object or a subordinate, have a partner? It should be ok for all of us, men and women to be able to cry, be strong, or be soft.

@thinkwithme Just stop ignoring men, we are not any less susceptible than you. We are all hurt when when each of us gets hurt. Stop trying to tell people how to express themselves if it does not hurt anyone. Stop using statistics to back up feminism stereotypes against men, most of us are not all rapists and murderers despite popular belief. Why has fair trial not been brought into focus? We can free our nipples but a man still has fewer rights to his kids. Women complain about male privilege, but women have far more privileges then men in a social environment. I know there is inequity in many important places in society, and that needs to change, but I have never felt like feminism even remotely cared for my rights, I always felt the opposite. When I first learned what feminism was, I was shocked because I have only known feminists that dislike men and go out of their way to exclude them, not to mention the poor choice in phonetics, I mean the name already starts out sexist.

@Funandfondles The stats arent to back up stereotypes. The stats are to raise awareness that there is a problem. That might make you uncomfortable, but it is a lot more uncomfortabke for the people directly involved in those situations and it needs addressing. Custody is a real and separate issue, unless domestic violence and assault is part of the reasoning in appointing custodial care. If we teach healthy relationships emotional coping skills and offer support to people, it gets better. Seeing and preparing men to act as parents, involved, capable of being nurturers, also breaks from those old traditional roles. More progress has been made in some places than others when it comes to this. Utopia is a dream and still we can become a happier society when we identify problems and address them. Here is another thing, I don't see me attacking you, but it sounds like you have been attacked. When people are traumatized they don't always express themselves well. And women are people and they can be mean too sometimes and Im sorry if your experiences has made you feel like feminism is a bad thing. Think about the word pussy and how it has been used to demasculinize men, oh don't be a..Part of the issue is this idea that feminine, softness is negative.

@thinkwithme if some of men’s more serious issues were addressed, I would believe that feminism does not demonize, and that it truly stands for gender equality. Thank you for your patience, for the record, I never felt attacked by you, or excluded. There are good things that have been done, but I’ll believe when I see that we are not forgotten.

1

Because up until a few years ago I couldn't get a salesperson, male or female, to wait on me at an electronics store or car lot without the presence of a man and I make a whole lot more money than all the men in my life put together.

1

Says it all really

2

It's not just feminism we need.

We need equalitism (I just made that up).

We need to live in a world where everyone gets equal rights and treatment under the law and in reality. We still have institutional discrimination on far too many levels. We still have individual discrimination on far too many levels.

Equality does not mean treating people equally though - some may need additional support to access what others take for granted.

And yes, I know this sounds like utopia and unattainable, but I'm going to keep trying anyway.

#equalitism !!

Fair and equal are not always the same in some circumstances because some are starving and really need that extra slice of bread. Just like the doc doesnt give everyone the same script, we all have areas where we need help and that isnt always the same. When we talk about equality we are talking about respect that we all have human rights how to get people what they need..Also feminism is actually about equality.

1

IGNORANCE: meaning, not knowing or understanding...
FEMINISM: recognizing, demanding equal rights whenever denied, power of women.
Feminism became a media “rallying cry” sometime in the 60’s... I don’t think most men understood the need, or purpose back in the day.
Today... many men still don’t understand the need, unfortunately, many women as well.
Interpretation.

Tomas Level 7 Jan 22, 2018
2

In uplifting women we uplift society as a whole, the same as uplifting any group that is not getting a fair shake uplifts us all (witness the civil rights movement). Bottom line is human rights (tho I am not making the same point as "all lives matter!!), feminism is recognizing an existing "unfairness" & striving to correct it. It "should" carry many other issues with it as it rises, it should NOT be exclusive, doctrinaire, or corrosive & realize that most (I believe) men do wish to help & believe we can improve.

4

I went to the march in LA. I was there last year, too. There were a lot more men this year at the march. Hurray! The speeches were more intersectional. The speeches were about workers' rights. Poverty, Homelessness. Peace. Equal rights. Feminism is about CARING about other people, men, women, trans, gay, the impoverished, etc. Feminism is about a sustainable world for everyone, and that world can't be sustainable if there is social injustice for any group.

Yes, women still don't earn the same amount of pay for the same job as men. Yes, women still get raped and murdered. My sister was a forensic nurse. She was on-call for rape and battery cases. Most women refused to file a police report because they were afraid of the repercussions: more brutality, becoming homeless, not being able to support their children, being a single mom (which is so difficult especially if you don't have family close by), being BLAMED for the rape.

Feminism is about being a decent human being who wants fair and equal treatment for all. It's time we start standing up for and with each other. Lifting each other up. Respecting each other. It's very simple, really.

4

So after reading the comments here I'm choosing to pass on saying anything more than Im with you.

2

Well stated!

0

What I feel as a man is retribution; suppressed anger being taken out on the most sensitive crop of men ever raised in this nation. We ‘didn’t do it,’ but we’re being blamed.. Maybe it’s a ‘backlash’ whose time has come ..though I’ve watched ‘feminism’ on the march since the 70’s … too much, and the movement stands to lose their greatest allies among men.

Many of the tipping votes for trump came from men, not upset by legitimate balance, but what they view as overreach. To me, the ‘me too’ outings prove the ability of modern women to gain justice within ‘the system.’ But marching to become, remove, overpower or replace ‘men’ is not a positive message, though perhaps a good opportunity for men to assess a potential mate…

I’ve daughters raised by their father. They have expectations, not demands. They view the sexes as complementary, not adviserial. And, they’ve a lot of attention from good young men astonished by their lack of aggressive feminism.. They’ll also describe female friends stuck in constant battle or looking for a fight.. If my daughters’ expectations are not met, they act, but do not condemn all men for the behavior of a few.

Varn Level 8 Jan 22, 2018

Notice I have a picture with a man with a sign. I also don't understand what that means, how are women trying to be men? Me too is an acknowledgement of societal illness spreading awareness. It is one step. Smashing patriarchy is not smashing men. It is moving aware from a sexist model and towards egalitarianism.

@thinkwithme It’s a division of the sexes that could lead to war.. “Marching to become” … could read as ‘to replace,’ or become the equivalent of their perceived oppressors.. ..or even to become. As far as the guy with the sign, ‘a guy,’ not equal numbers. There will be a point of diminishing returns, if, by the election of ‘trump,’ that hasn’t already happened..

@Varn There were a bunch of men there showing support. Im hopeful. We are making noise.

...””the behavior of a few...”... it’s never been a few. If the “shoe were on the other foot”... how tolerant would you be. I think women (most) have been amazingly tolerant for so many decades... I’m hoping common ground will be achieved before reparations are demanded.
This is a centuries old problem (it’s biblical) it approaches racism, notice I didn’t say slavery... but indentured servitude comes to mind... is that where it started ?

@Tomas Most men do not deserve the accusations and hostility earned by a few. Nor should they pay for the past. “Reparations?” … that’s the problem, if not the demand - and as mentioned, “...being taken out on the most sensitive crop of men ever raised in this nation.”

As an Atheist, would I expect ‘reparations’ from an increasingly enlightened world, after centuries of repression..? No, I’d appreciate & reward such advancement … while focusing on specific remaining offenders..

1

We need it because of the past. It was not that long ago women could not buy a home, credit card etc. With a husband or father. That mess ended in the 70's. Today, especially in the south many men would love to go back to that period. Many tell their wives how to vote and they do as they are told. The mindset of the women has to change in order for this movement to be fruitful.

You would think someone would rather have a partner than a subordinate. More to gain in the former than the latter.

2

Best post I've seen on this site so far.

Jnei Level 8 Jan 22, 2018
8

If I get on a train at night and find the carriage is empty but for a woman on her own, there's a good chance she's going to worry I might attack her (so I move to a different carriage). Sometimes, when I'm walking home at night, if there's a woman in front of me she'll walk faster and get her phone ready to contact the police. Women shouldn't have to be afraid of men, so that's one reason.

Through history, we've ignored half of all the great scientists, doctors and philosophers simply because they were women. Of course, there are plenty of women in these fields today, but still girls at school are less likely to study science than boys. Who knows where we'd be if this hadn't happened? That's another.

Women still aren't paid as much as men, even in liberal countries - International Women's Day is celebrated in March to mark the fact that the average woman has to work that far past New Year's Eve on top of the previous year to earn the same amount the average man earned in 12 months. That's one too.

Women's sports, and no doubt many other things, operate on budgets that are only a tiny fraction of men's sports because society in general still has a belief that women's sports can't be as good as men's sports, so it doesn't get as much media space and sponsors don't want to back it. Another.

Little girls are still brought up being told it's important to be pretty and nice, "or the boys won't like you." Little boys are raised to be confident and self-assured, which is part of the reason men still outnumber women at managerial and executive level in many companies. Reason 5.

Female genital mutilation still takes place, and nobody even knows how many little girls are left to die around the world because boys are considered more valuable. Six.

Because feminism is good for everyone, not just women. The entire world, and individual men, would be better off without the sort of toxic masculinity that is held up as something to aspire to. I could go on...

Jnei Level 8 Jan 22, 2018

I am still amazed women even associate with men!? Statistically we are the number one most dangerous thing on the planet towards them! Yet they still talk to us.

Equal Rights I am all for it not just gender, but race, creed, sexual preference, doesn't matter we should have the same opportunities as anyone else.

@AndyFreakingFord Yep. If you're a decent, kind human being, that's all that matters.

Jnei: Well said! You, too, Andy!

@AndyFreakingFord Men are wonderful, completely capable of being kind intelligent compassionate beings. If we didnt believe in men and women, it wouldnt be feminism. It would just be war.

2

I don't think this new wave anti-male form of feminism is healthy or equal. I do believe that feminism has an important place in our society right now. My only hope is that one day we won't have a need for words like feminist or atheist. I hope that we can move past antiquated and wrong thinking into an age of reason and rationality.

I've only met maybe two or three genuinely anti-male feminists in my lifetime (and I'm not going to argue with women who have those views, because they're entitled to them and probably have perfectly good reasons). The majority didn't hate men at all, just the way many (by no means all) men behave.

You Tube has all the evidence you need from the people who are pushing this wage gap, pink tax antimale feminism. I'm not saying that most feminists believe men are less than them. I'm saying it exists, and I disagree with it based on the available data. There is an extreme in every group. I don't agree with most if not all extremists.

There have been "anti-male" factions in feminism from the get. Sometimes with very understandable reasons. The same with anti-white members of many civil rights org.s. Again with some very understandable reasons. Regardless, we of good faith have to still do the right thing & hope all of our actions get beyond bias & hate

I feel like people stopped reading my response after the first sentence.

2

From what I have observed is the violence training if you can call it that, starts at a young age at home. To educate people how not to repeat the bad training that was done to them. To point out not to repeat the way bad parents learned from their parents. That to encourage instead of spite children.

2

Well not all men are insane. We do need feminism but not too much of an extreme level. Feminism should be questioning equality in everything. Not just showing that only women matter.

I think the point for a long time has been equal rights. Getting there has been the problem.

@RavenCT Agreed. I don't think many feminists wanted a society in which women were in charge and men were slaves (or extinct); just one where men and women were equal.

Speak for yourself! Kidding.@Jnei

@DelilahJones33 lol 😀

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