Feminist movement do we still need it?

RE: Feminist movement do we still need it?

I think feminism has suffered from alot of misunderstanding. People often think of the radical feminists of years ago or assume it's aim is for women to be superior.
Boiled down to it's basics the aim of feminism in itself is to gain equality for women economically, politically and domestically. I personally don't feel we have acheived this.
Yes women today have alot more freedom than in the past, but i still think there are many areas that need to be addressed.

RE: Feminist movement do we still need it?

I know I’m a chauvinist, but in the sense that I believe each sex has skills and purposes that they are better suited to, - clearly this is a generalisation and there are many examples of the variations, however in general and on the whole I believe that a man has a certain place & responsibilities and I believe the same is true of a woman… equal but different – and as I said “in general”.

I can certainly see what you’re saying OB but at this point I agree with ChloeDharma, as don’t think equality has been reached. However, I do think the ‘movement’ has damaged relations along the way and I think it’s also created a lot of confusion & misdirection for both sexes – there is so much of it I don’t agree with.

But equality, no – that certainly has not been achieved… While females continue to get longer and harsher prison sentences than males – for the same crime and fathers continue to get lesser access to their own children in comparison to mothers… it remains clear that we are nowhere near parity of the sexes. [:-]

RE: Feminist movement do we still need it?

ORIGINAL: ChloeDharma
it's aim is for women to be superior.

They already are aren't they? At least that's what she's alwaystold me. 😀

RE: Feminist movement do we still need it?

Hi,

My Wife doesn't go out to do a paid job. She is a Housewife and a Mother. This is obviously because I am a male chauvinist pig and want her chained to the kitchen sink so that my tea is ready when I get back home from a hard day at the office.

She obviously needs the feminist movement to liberate her from men like me so that she is free to pursue a career. I can imagine Tricia Goddard grilling her with "never wanted to pursue a career? Never wanted to travel the world?"

I can then imagine Mrs Dunkirk telling Tricia Goddardwhere to get off and the feminist movement being shown the door. My wife and stay-at-home-Mothers like herpresent government witha real problem according to Patricia Hewitt who said as much when she was Trade and Industry Secretary.

My Wife would argue that she has got a job and an important job too. Our situation is somewhat different to many people because we have a disabled child within our family
[link= http://www.healthypages.net/forum/tm.asp?m=273552&mpage=1&key= ]http://www.healthypages.net/forum/tm.asp?m=273552&mpage=1&key=[/link]
and as her main Carer my Wife is kind of duty bound to be a stay-at-home-mum. We do get some support from Social Services, the Education and Health Authorities and my WifegetsaCarers allowance.

Nevertheless we have met a small number of those within the caring professions who think that my Wife would have more self-esteme, be happier and more independent were she to go out to do paid work. Difficult to argue this with an assertive and articulate behavioral psychologist who is wedded to thecurrent orthodoxy and sees part of her mission as being to empower women like my Wife.

I don't think that I have seen my Wife happier, empowered, have greater self-esteme and independent than the day she told the behavioral psychologist that her services were no longer needed.

When I was an activist within the labour movement back in the early 80's radical feminism was kind of marginalized on the far-left. Then within a fairly short space of time much of this ideology became mainstream. I think that the feminist movement, especiallythe anti-marriage, anti husband agenda has been cynically exploited by government and big business for their own ends.

We have a situation now where the current tax regime places a burden on families so that one partner pays all the bills and the other pays all the tax. It is this more than anything that drives Women into the workforce, many of whom would rather stay at home for a few years and look after their kids.

When it comes to work / life issues my position is pro choice.

Dunkirk

RE: Feminist movement do we still need it?

I'm all for the Feminist Movement, I say let them Pay for our dinners and open the door for us :):D

RE: Feminist movement do we still need it?

Ha ha, Big_D - love it!

I am not a feminist and never have been one. I am pretty traditional in my habits.

Patsy.

RE: Feminist movement do we still need it?

😀

RE: Feminist movement do we still need it?

ORIGINAL: Dunkirk

Nevertheless we have met a small number of those within the caring professions who think that my Wife would have more self-esteme, be happier and more independent were she to go out to do paid work.

We have a situation now where the current tax regime places a burden on families so that one partner pays all the bills and the other pays all the tax. It is this more than anything that drives Women into the workforce, many of whom would rather stay at home for a few years and look after their kids.

Dunkirk

I quite agree.

The emphasis has moved from the importance of bringing up the next generation to the importance of being in the workplace.

As the old saying goes, no one on their death bed says `I wish I had spent more time in the office`.

Todays young women, in my view, have more on their plate than ever. They are expected to work along with bringing up a family. Where's the equality in that.

RE: Feminist movement do we still need it?

To be perfectly honest I would love my wife to have a fulltime job while I stayed at home and raised the kiddies.

I do not agree that women are "expected" to have a fulltime job and also raise a family. I also disagree with recent legal decisons here (New Zealand) that compensate the wife for lost earnings if she has raised a child at home. IE a normal divorce should be 50-50. The wife can claim lost earnings for the X years she is at home raising the kids. To me having children is a decison 2 people make so why punish the male later on down the track?

Feminism, like most other isms has been badly received in the media due to the extreme "Dungaree wearing lesbians". If I hold a door open for a female I am a pig, if I do not hold a door open I am rude. Can't be had both ways unfortunately. I am going to continue holding doors open. I do it for guys so will do it for girls. Isn't that equality?

On a side track but along similar lines, a few years ago wwe had a case in the media here that was taken to the human right tribunal. A upmarket restraunt with a dress code refused a guy entry on the grounds that he wasn't wearing a jacket and tie. He took his case to the HRT saying that he was discriminated against based on race as he was in cultural dress. I mean it looked smart ish but the policy is very clear about dress. He lost the case and the media had a field day saying that the court was ignorant to modern society etc etc.

When we get too worried about what someone thinks to say what we really feel what sort of society is that?
I like someone based on them, not if they have a penis or a vagina, E cup or AA cup, black, white or pink. To be told that if I dont like someone that is a female or a different colour makes me rascist or sexist is pretty intolerable.
Unfortunately society does have people that care about it. I am also sure that there are people in the world that discriminate against males and white folk. In certain parts of the world you can be executed for converting religions.

Be thankful everyday for who you are. Be proud of who you are. But remember you cannot have your cake and eat it too.

RE: Feminist movement do we still need it?

I'm all for the Feminist Movement, I say let them Pay for our dinners and open the door for us 🙂

I would say feminism is a bit more than that

8 women a month are killed by their partners
Eastern European girls are auctioned at airports for the sex trade
Teenage girls ar groomed into prostitution
Womens pay is not equal to mens in many sectors
and look at the trade in young girls in Thailand....

feminism addresses this and more

tigress

How interesting that at this point the thread 'died'..

I think most women are so used to what they have now that they forgot about all the women who gave their time (were sent to prison or mental institution) or life (were killed) for us to be able to have a bank account, be able to vote, be able to choose who we want to marry, be able to live alone, go to university etc etc. Without those women we would still be 'transfered' from father to husband like a toy or a transaction deal. Please, let's show some respect.

And we still have a long way to go, especially in Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

I dont agree that Feminism has had its day and I dont think it has went as far it can go. I am personally not all about praising the sisterhood or men bashing but in my opinion feminism is about being different but equal. I dont think differently about a woman wether she works or not and believe that if someone chooses to stay at home and raise their family then they should be paid a "wage" when doing so. After all they are most likely to be saving the government millions in childcare places.

In relation to women in the Criminal Justice system a read at "doubly devient doubly dammed" would be an eye opener. Prison poulations scream of inequality. Approx 97% of male prisoners are incarcerated for violent crimes and approx 3% for financial crimes, whereas the female population is nearly the exact opposite. look at statistics on prostitution and convictions. a few years ago there were 300 women arrested for prostitution in endinburgh and not one male.

Have a look at cards for newborns and the difference is quite stark, male cards tend to veer towards a boy to be proud of whereas female cards are all about little bundles of joy or fun:eek:

We still have daily national newspapers that find it acceptable for women to be displayed on their page 3 for amusement and although trafficking of young males is on the increase the majority of trafficking is female.

I agree that both sexes have different skills but both should be treated equally and with the same respect.

Sorry if this comes over as a rant coz its really not meant to be but i do feel we are a long way off real equality and not just lip service.

Ps. i am fortunate to be in both a relationship and a job where i am treated as an equal. At least to my face:D

Love and Light
Linda

Read "Twisted Sisterhood" by Kelly Valen. It is an eye opener and women who have had bad friendships with other women will easily relate to the book. Been there, done that

I dont agree that Feminism has had its day and I dont think it has went as far it can go. I am personally not all about praising the sisterhood or men bashing but in my opinion feminism is about being different but equal. I dont think differently about a woman wether she works or not and believe that if someone chooses to stay at home and raise their family then they should be paid a "wage" when doing so. After all they are most likely to be saving the government millions in childcare places.

In relation to women in the Criminal Justice system a read at "doubly devient doubly dammed" would be an eye opener. Prison poulations scream of inequality. Approx 97% of male prisoners are incarcerated for violent crimes and approx 3% for financial crimes, whereas the female population is nearly the exact opposite. look at statistics on prostitution and convictions. a few years ago there were 300 women arrested for prostitution in endinburgh and not one male.

Have a look at cards for newborns and the difference is quite stark, male cards tend to veer towards a boy to be proud of whereas female cards are all about little bundles of joy or fun:eek:

We still have daily national newspapers that find it acceptable for women to be displayed on their page 3 for amusement and although trafficking of young males is on the increase the majority of trafficking is female.

I agree that both sexes have different skills but both should be treated equally and with the same respect.

Sorry if this comes over as a rant coz its really not meant to be but i do feel we are a long way off real equality and not just lip service.

Ps. i am fortunate to be in both a relationship and a job where i am treated as an equal. At least to my face:D

Love and Light
Linda

Well said, Linda (and please don't read that as being patronising...!)