Would you describe yourself as a feminist? What kind of feminist are you? Where has feminism failed and succeeded? What should be the next feminist revolution? Is feminism even relevant to you?

Can we have a definition of FEMINISM & FEMINIST?

That's one of the points I'd like to discuss!! What is YOUR definition. It means so many things to different people. What does it mean to you?

Here is the definition from the Feminist Majority Foundation::

Feminism n. the policy, practice, and advocacy of political, economic, and social equality for women.

Feminist adj. or n. a person who advocates feminism.

Also there are many different types.... maternal feminist, socialist feminist and so on ...

I am a TOTAL feminist. In fact I cant fathum the idea of women not having equality comparable to men. This stems from in part from my mother, she was both my mother and father, fixed her own plumbing, furnace, works at a foundry etc. I am stoic. I am who I am from what she unintentionally taught me through her actions.
My husband has a dead beat ex that doesn't pay any child support, or emotional support for that matter for my step children. She should have to pay just like the men do. What makes it different for women? They are just as capable as men, maybe with some natural biological limits like muscle mass---but overall, we can do what they can and vice versa.

I would have to say I'm a feminist in that I advocate that women can and should do whatever they want to do, but I absolutely HATE women who think they need to become a man in order to be equal to one. This is the type of person who thinks that any trace of femininity is a sign of weakness and that you should break into the old boys club to be considered a success. They dress like men, and what's worse, is that they have the same attitudes, that women who are SAHM's are somehow letting the gender down, or other such nonsense. I believe that I am perfectly capable of being a better doctor than most men while still preferring to wear a skirt (pink even!) and spend equal time on a family.

I believe women should have equal opportunity, but I think the recent trend towards unisexism is ridiculous. I'm a woman and I'm proud of it, I certainly don't wish I was a man, and I don't want to be treated like one.

=) Before this debate heads into the quagmire I'd like to recommend Joan Williams's Unbending Gender, which is subtitled "Why Family and Work Conflict and What to Do About It". She's a law prof; unlike most of the books I've seen on the subject, hers is rationally and closely argued, and sticks tight to economics and law without the usual handwaving/pleading about how inherently valuable caretaking work is. I'm currently working with her on a venue for a rebuttal or discussion of Lisa Belkin's cover story in the NYT Sunday magazine last week -- the one that argues women are essentially choosing not to go after top jobs.

Among her more radical, and difficult to refute, arguments: When work is structured around an ideal worker with a housewife or househusband -- one who takes care of kids, home, laundry, social life, etc. -- the wage earner is being subsidized by the person at home. It would not be possible for the wage earner to live up to employers' expectations without the home partner's labor. Meaning that the wage does not belong to the wage earner alone, even after divorce.

There are similarly-framed arguments about work being structured in a sexist way, though it's not often intentional sexism at this point; about structuring work flexibly, and why it's more possible than employers generally reckon. Even in 24-hour fields like law. She sets up the arguments against and knocks them down pretty tidily. I liked her examples about jobs being physically structured around men's bodies -- I remember running into this one when I was going through flight school. At 5'2", there wasn't much chance of me flying commercial airliners, even if I'd been ace in every other way. I'm just too small for cockpits designed with a 5'11" or taller man in mind. The airlines kinda frown on using pillows on the seats and blocks on the rudders. I know some people here have posted about similar problems in surgery, particularly, ortho, and why the arguments about "ortho surg is inherently a man's job" make no sense.

About half the book's about different kinds of feminism, notably the sameness/difference debates. She argues that these battles are largely a waste of time and energy outside the academy, and reframes them in a "how can we work together" way. I don't find her arguments there entirely convincing, but I do think she's right in saying political realism and compromise have to show up if we're going to make life easier for women and family men.

=) oh yeah -- and sure I'm a feminist. To me, feminist = a poisen is a poisen is a poisen, and it don't make no difference what they got down there, they still a poisen, and as strange as all the rest.

OK

How 'bout we stir this up a bit!

If feminism is about equality, why aren't more feminist women working equal hours to their husbands? There is the discrepancies in income for sure, but besides that, aren't women more likely to quit their job to stay home, or work less hours to take care of family? Can they be feminists?

I know some do, but what about those that are SAHMs by choice, are they automatically not feminists, or anti-feminism?

hmmm

I am a socialist-feminist. I strongly disagree with radical feminism. I believe in gender equality not destruction of the definition of gender.

Btw - feminism is a form of thought and belief, not a lifestlye. SAHMs can most definetly be feminist. Feminism is about the right to choose.

Elliott

great point Elliott!

Well, define what you mean by "equality". My first thought is "equality of opportunity", which is how we work things here. I stay home because I want to -- if I hadn't wanted that, I'd have passed on the kid business. Otoh, my husband's making noises about wanting to stay home too. Fair's fair, so as long as he's got a reasonably solid plan and gives me some lead time to find a job, it's his turn next. It will likely mean less money, since the stuff I'm interested in seldom comes with big bucks, but that's all part of the planning.

"Equality" here also means we function as a team, which means being financial equals -- regardless of who's pulling in the money. (We make an exception for gifts and inheritances.) Some of the money he makes becomes property in my name, and on our list is a postnup that makes that income/property division clear in case of divorce.

=) If we're talking about working equal hours, I say they come out about even. While he's at work, I'm taking care of Annelies & house/home stuff; after work & dinner, he's generally the responsible Annelies party while I get some of my work done, exercise, or go out. Weekends we each get some time to ourselves and as a family, and we're learning the wisdom of hiring babysitters so we can spend time together.

My situation is a little different than most, though, in that most of my work is entirely independent. Nobody cares when you "jump back in" as a fiction writer so long as your work's good and saleable, and you don't usually go downstairs to your home office and find some fresh MBA twerp in your chair.

amy

I am definitely a feminist: I believe in equal opportunities for men and women in all aspects of life.

I have met many women who refuse to call themselves feminists because they think that most people will associate the term with being a "man hater". :scratchchin:

M-A

I don't really think of myself so much as a feminist, but I suppose I am one. What's really cool though is that my husband is one too!!!! What a great quality for a man

Peace~
Lindsey

I live with fear and terror, but sometimes I leave him and go skydiving.

Sure, if this means equal opportunities for men and women. I don't know why some women who behave like feminists don't want to be associated with the term now, maybe because it became linked to hostility to men somehow. But I don't know how useful the word is either.