Why are so many people, men and women, are threatened and refuse to

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   gmwilliamsposted 11 years ago

   comprehend the premise of feminism which is total gender equality?  Many people associate feminism with the demise of society as they know it or worse.    Why is feminism still the proverbial boogeyman?
   

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      bBereanposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Your question is totally leading, assumptive and false.  It is like asking "When did you stop beating your children?"  It's not that feminism's premise is not comprehended or that anyone is feeling threatened, but it is that most don't believe the agenda is actually just "total gender equality."  I guess it turns out most fish need or want bicycles after all.

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         gmwilliamsposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         YOU have answered my question.    Many people do not understand the concepts and the true meaning of the feminist ideology.

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            bBereanposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            Perhaps, if true, it is because the words and actions we have seen over these many years by self avowed feminists speak louder than whatever they say their ideology is.  After 40+ years of activities and comments made in the name of feminism, people have distanced themselves from the perceived agenda.  If their stated agenda differs, they have not done a good job conveying it.  Most people will put more weight on what they see and hear from those claiming to represent feminism, because in reality that is what defines the movement.

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         Josakposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         Then they are simply wrong, that is the aim of feminism and that is it's factual definition.
         
         fem·i·nism 
         /ˈfeməˌnizəm/
         Noun
         The advocacy of women's rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men.

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      Josakposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      People feel threatened by it and certain radicals were highlighted as if they represented feminism when they were simply nut jobs (which is as rational as equating the Westboro Baptist Church with Christianity) in an attempt to invalidate a struggle for equality, however that strugle has been largely successful and I think will continue to be.

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         gmwilliamsposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         Josak, you are so on target.   Many people misjudge the ideology of feminism because it is diametrically opposed to the concept and practice of atavistic sexism and gender roles which hampers the development of boys and girls into full human beings.   Many people even today are quite comfortable with traditional masculine and feminine roles.    To them, the concept and idea of a girl and/or woman who refuses to adhere to those traditional feminine roles as a total oddity and/or worse.   
         
         In many parts of this country, girls and women are still inundated to be in the tradtional feminine role as the good little, obedient girl/woman who submits to male authority.   Many girls are inculcated to be the more passive one in the relationship and to be taken care of.   The premise of feminism is full feminine equality in terms of educational opportunities, earning equivalent income to that of a male performing the same job,  having more equal access to jobs and advancing as far as one's capabilities allow them, and complete reproductive and contraceptive freedom. 
         
         Yes, there are those who are quite threatened by and uncomfortable with the idea of very independent woman who is strong and knows what she wants.   Another byword of feminism is freeing men from having the onus of the breadwinning responsibilities.    When men and women have equal parity, it is ALWAYS better overall for the relationship.

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   Theophanesposted 11 years ago

   Feminism is one of those things marked by bad PR. That's really all it is. Feminism wouldn't exist if our society wasn't already patriarchal at some point. If we had a society of equals feminism wouldn't even be a word. My point is this - the people in power, whoever they are on any given day, are always reluctant to give it away. It is a form of greed and it has always been with us as a species, in all sorts of forms.
   
   Now it is the men who are afraid of women gaining power that are sending out the bad PR and dragging down with them a lot of other people who buy into it. Instead of highlighting feminism as a way to equality they instead highlight the crazies on the fringe of the movement who are not looking for equality but who are looking to seize all the power for their sex in order to throw men into the submissive role. This has always been a terrifying thought - it's why the myth of the Amazon warriors plagues Greek and Roman mythologies. There is nothing new about this.
   
   Men, women, children, people of all ethnicities and faiths, should all be allowed to make the decisions they want to make in order for their life to be the best it can be - and that includes taking traditional roles if they want to. Unfortunately we are all tethered in one way or another... wanting to please family, wanting to be devout in our faith, wanting to appear good to the rest of the world. We'll never totally be free of these things and gender equality is just one of many obstacles.

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