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historydepartment · Site Admin Joined: 14 Sep 2009 Posts: 8

Respond here with your answers to the feminism question as a test post.

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Omaclennan · Joined: 05 Jan 2010 Posts: 19

So we're posting our "1/2 - 1 page response. Of all the definitions of feminism you have encountered so far, which feels the most true to you? Why?"

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helens · Joined: 22 Nov 2009 Posts: 25

i had the same question as olivia!!!!

Mfischhoff · Joined: 14 Sep 2009 Posts: 51

Apologies from your unhelpful teacher.

Post the answers that other people gave you when you asked them "what is feminism?". You can keep the 1/2-1 page for yourself to turn in tomorrow.

hlipkin · Joined: 15 Oct 2009 Posts: 39

I'm on

"Feminism: a belief that both genders should have equal rights and opportunities."- Emily D'Angelo

"Feminism: a way of being or looking at the world through a female perspective." - Mama Lipkin

"Feminism: women who believe that in society, females should have equal or more power, and more control over the happenings of the world than men." -Isaac Trumper

oliviabunty · Joined: 17 Nov 2009 Posts: 25

What is feminism?

"The structure in which the unique characteristics of each gender are equally honored." - My pops

"a sense of empowerment among women towards rights and equality." -Naya Herman

"The movement towards increased power for women, either for equalization in relation to men in the prevailing social structure or exit from that social structure" -Will Blum

Hardy · Joined: 05 Jan 2010 Posts: 13

So, I had trouble finding responses to the question of "what is feminism", perhaps because my sources were within a boy's dormitory. The fellows inside were not kind, nor particularly articulate when discussion feminism (yes a dialog did begin in the common room, albeit a satyric and goading one). I will nevertheless post their answers, though one should keep in mind that some of the comments were perhaps delivered in jocking manner, and that I certainly do not agree with the statements put forth.
Please forgive the somewhat fragmented nature, they were talking rather quickly.

Feminism is....
"Women fighting for self empowerment, attempting to escape social stereotypes and restraints and overcome social barriers"
"Girls fighting for equality"
"The female desire to dominate men"
"Feminism is fictional, their complaints are unfounded"

I do find it interesting to see a number of comments by people who clearly dislike the movement, it is a sort of devil's advocate opinion poll

helens · Joined: 22 Nov 2009 Posts: 25

Anderson Stanley- Uncle
“A female with strong beliefs for the advancement of women…A woman or a group of woman with high regards for the opinions and rights for women as a whole.”

Joy Stanley- Aunt
“Ummm, women pushing for woman’s rights… They act of only supporting women and their rights, results from being treated unequally by men”

Elizabeth Stanley- Aunt
“I think feminism means different things to different people. Over the years its meaning has changed. Society determines what feminism is, and it also depends on the time period. It has changed so much. I don’t see it as a straight term but I see it as defined contextually.”

lschroeder · Joined: 05 Jan 2010 Posts: 10

"Feminism is just a belief in the equal rights of men and women, it can be active or not, but it's always advocating for both sexes, not the oppression of either one."

"Feminism is bullshit a lot of the time. Yeah it's great and all to be equal, but so much of the feminist point of view reinforces the stereotypes that created the inequality in the first place."

"It's the act of advocating for women, politically, socially, religiously, in anything."

semmet · Joined: 05 Jan 2010 Posts: 41

heyhey.

feminism is....
muh brobro (20, male): "the idea and practice of women standing up for themselves and exercising their equality"

muh mama (... 20, female): "looking at things from the feminine perspective, appreciating the strengths and challenges that are unique to females as opposed to both genders of the human race"

josh, friend no one else knows (17, male): joking- "bitches who are way too uptight and refuse the accept the fact that she should be making me sandwiches > Neutral

"
actual, with a slight bit of 'humor'- "feminism = the idea that women deserve the same political rights as men. can be supported by men or women. but its mostly supported by women who are too lazy to GET ME A GOD DAMN SAMMICH > Neutral

"

semmet · Joined: 05 Jan 2010 Posts: 41

oh. the emoticons got changed. they were more like

Mad

hrossen@csw.org · Joined: 05 Jan 2010 Posts: 19

I asked both my grandparents and one other adult. Here are my answers...my grandmother's is quite long.

Julie: "Feminism is my ability to vote, and my ability to think of myself as able to pursue wahtever a man can pursue, in terms of dreams."

Ed: "The study of behavior and beliefs that would normally be specific to women."

Lonnie: "Feminism can be defined in several ways. The first is a movement targeting women's rights to equal jobs, equal pay, and equality of respect. THis movement had its genesis with female leaders such as Gloria Steinem, within the last two decades. As she and her magazine, "Ms.", and her call to women to become all that they could be, she was joined by many other publications targeted to women, and by thousands upon thousands of women who finally saw the chance to reach their full potential. Unfortunately, as is the case in many dramatic changes, in some instances in the beginning, women moved too fast and too far. There was brassiere-burning and other manifestations of women's demand for freedom in every sense. Unfortunately, some of the excesses of those who rallied to defend this movement placed an unfair and incorrect label on it.This caused not only men, but many women themselves to appreciate the concept with the feminist movement targeted, but not some of the excesses that their proponents displayed. The cause was just and long overdue, but some of the methods used set the cause back."

Phew...lots of typing there.[/i]

rlevinson · Joined: 05 Jan 2010 Posts: 20

Julie Ross (Straight Female: Married, White, Age 44)
Feminism was originally designed to give women equality in the home, the workplace and the "world". While it has certainly opened doors for women which had not previously been open, it has also put enormous pressure on them to try to "do it all". It may not be a popular sentiment, but I think, in many ways, it was a terrible disservice to women. It is hard to juggle it all.

Harry Neff (Gay Male: Single, White, Age 17)
I believe feminism is an ideology more or less totally based on a single idea: equal rights (in all respects) for women. There is need for such a movement because women, though by no means a literal minority, continue to be regarded as inferior to men in most modern societies. The goal of feminism, at least in my view, is to progress females at large to a point where they have the same rights and status as men do--nothing more and nothing less.

Jesse McGleughlin (Female: Single, White, Age 17)
Feminism: the empowerment of women and girls to define their lives on their own terms.
A really important movement that allowed women to take ownership of their lives, experiences, goals and responsibilities. Also a movement that allowed comradery, friendship, and understanding.
Feminism has been defined and redefined to include women of all ... See Moreraces and classes so that the movement was not that of just one "type" of woman but an expanding movement to suit the needs of all women, understanding that women have different but also collective experiences.

p.s. hardy, im sorry you live in a dorm but those responses were actually hilarious. They probably wouldn't be/would be more so though if I knew how seriously I should/shouldn't be taking them. Ahh well.

rlevinson · Joined: 05 Jan 2010 Posts: 20

p.p.s. maybe its just my computer but i find it REALLY funny that on the US Womens Movement Forum I see this really unfortunate cartoon of a fat blonde women and her stomach is rapidly inflating and decreasing to show what some product will do.

Omaclennan · Joined: 05 Jan 2010 Posts: 19

" Feminism is a belief system based on equality for women in all areas of life; at this point in time, recognizing the progress we have made while acknowledging the inequalities that still exist (both overt and covert) in our culture, in the workplace, in relationships and as a feminist, working to correct these inequalities."
-My mother

"Feminism is the belief that men and women should have equal rights" -female 17 year old friend

"feminism is a movement fighting for gender equality, often through the extension of equal rights to women"
-male 17 year old friend

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