Feminiet

SOC 212
6/25/2013
Response paper one:
The statement “I am not a feminist, but of course I believe in equal rights for men and women and equal pay for equal work.” These women would be considered feminists according to the definition that we sited in class. The definition used in class states that Feminism is a doctrine that advocates and/or demands the same rights be granted women as men (and vice versa -- men as women) and is a world-wide movement to end sexism and sexist oppression. The women making the statement are stating that there should be equality of compensation related to the work performed regardless of gender.

I think the reason so many women are so afraid to call themselves “feminists” is simply because they’re afraid of what others especialy MEN will think of them. People associate feminism with terms like "man hating", "militant", and "lesbian". Furthermore, I think it is also a conception that feminists demean motherhood and marriage, and reject the idea that women are inherently different than men. So many times when women assert themselves, they disclaim that they are not feminists because they don't want to be seen as militant, man hating, lesbian, or un-feminine. In the article by Hogland, some of those fears are addressed, like the fear that a man won’t want to marry a feminist women.

If a man strongly supports equal gender rights, and believes in feminist ideas and ideologies, then he would be considered a feminist. The word feminism provides a topic for discussion of differences an on gendered experience, diversity and social justice. For men, feminism can have many meanings in a number of ways: responding to on mental health issues; challenging ideas of masculinity as being aggressive, date rape, spousal abuse and many other topics. Men's pro-feminism is like any other set of values, beliefs or political activities. It comes from deeply felt personal experiences, from particular relationships and intimacies and loyalties. In the Article by Kimmel this ideas is expressed by a young man educating others against domestic abuse because of the abuse his mother suffered while he was growing up. . The article also tells of other men going “pro-feminist “groups that have some sort of impact on their lives .In this way, feminism is not simply an anchor to mobilise activism and social change in a public sense, but also assists us in the most intimate dimensions of our lives.

My own definition of feminism is an ideal of equality not limited to gender but all biological differences between people. Feminism is the pursuit of equal reward and conditions for equal performance.