Australian Politics Forum - What does feminism mean to you?

mothra

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What does feminism mean to you?
Jul 5^th, 2015 at 12:39am

I'd really like this topic to be answered by women with an actual opinion as opposed the usual suspects bullying women out of the discussion.

Feminism is a wide cloth. I agree with some feminist academics and disagree with others. I agree with some of what those i disagree with say while i disagree with what some of what those i agree with say.

Feminism to me is a personal journey. I am a firm believer in each and every woman embracing what is relevant to her and holding in question what they query, or outright disagree with.This to me is true feminism.

I have been told on this forum that feminism is a 'homogenous blob' of thought. This is faaaaaar from true. Feminists disagree with each other regularly. There are many schools of thought within feminism.

Even if you don't identify as a feminist, i want to hear what feminism means to you.

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If you can't be a good example, you have to be a horrible warning.

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mothra

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Re: What does feminism mean to you?
Reply #1 - Jul 5^th, 2015 at 12:45am

I'll start the ball rolling with sex workers. What is your opinion of sex workers?

Some feminists argue that sex workers are true feminists. That the merchandising of the female body belongs to the female and it is a source of women's power to so utilise this resource.

Some argue that prostitution is ok but stripping is not.

Some argue that stripping is ok but prostitution is not.

This argument more than any other divides feminists.

I myself have no problem with prostitution providing the women are safe and empowered but i find stripping and sex shows highly exploitative and dangerous to both the women performing and the wider community.

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If you can't be a good example, you have to be a horrible warning.

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Lord Herbert Gold Member Offline Posts: 34441 Gender:	Re: What does feminism mean to you? Reply #2 - Jul 5^th, 2015 at 6:27am Strip-tease is WAY more female 'empowering' than prostitution which ultimately submits to 'invasion' and 'dominance' by the male client. Strip-tease is a taunting activity which sees men remaining in their seats and emasculated as passive voyeurs.
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Agnes

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Re: What does feminism mean to you?
Reply #3 - Jul 9^th, 2015 at 4:48am

I have differing views on feminsim depending who is antagonising me on any given day- I actually dislike the word intensely - my stock standard position on the F word is this - I think it has set women back a long way in the scheme of things over the last two decades- we ( women) no longer are taken seriously by men and even other women that is why I will never call myself a feminist because the word/notion is so loaded with negative connotations..

I have seen the what it has done to male /female relationships and I dont call that freedom for women nor men- enormous damage has been done !

The only issues I see as having any merit based in human relations ( and that is what feminism should really be called after all) is a woman's right to choose( or not) to have an abortion and a womans right to feel safe on the street or in her home- these types of issues relating to women should be the only ones that should have any basis in an arguement about women in society- every thing else is rubbish- just whinging- its late , Im gone zzzzz

The word feminism should be scrapped. Its a $hit word. The word throws up barriers.

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Amadd

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Re: What does feminism mean to you?
Reply #4 - Jul 9^th, 2015 at 10:50pm

mothra wrote on Jul 5^th, 2015 at 12:39am:

I'd really like this topic to be answered by women with an actual opinion as opposed the usual suspects bullying women out of the discussion.
Feminism is a wide cloth. I agree with some feminist academics and disagree with others. I agree with some of what those i disagree with say while i disagree with what some of what those i agree with say.

Feminism to me is a personal journey. I am a firm believer in each and every woman embracing what is relevant to her and holding in question what they query, or outright disagree with.This to me is true feminism.

I have been told on this forum that feminism is a 'homogenous blob' of thought. This is faaaaaar from true. Feminists disagree with each other regularly. There are many schools of thought within feminism.

Even if you don't identify as a feminist, i want to hear what feminism means to you.

Then you've probably answered your own question in that you don't want a male opinion.

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Agnes Gold Member Offline fish dinner Posts: 6081 Bedford Park rnd	Re: What does feminism mean to you? Reply #5 - Jul 10^th, 2015 at 12:02am I would be interested to hear your opinion Amadd- you have interesting veiw points on this topic.
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Amadd

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Re: What does feminism mean to you?
Reply #6 - Jul 12^th, 2015 at 2:18am

Then what can I say?

Men and women are different and there really can be no equality in all aspects.

Feminism to me, means a movement to make up for some assumed lost ground.
There's been many women that have done well in traditional men's domain whilst relying only on what and who they are.
Unfortunately, feminists seem to think that it's some type of insult to themselves if they can't beat men in men's domain.

I don't see many men crying foul because they can't give birth to a child or do any of the other beautiful things a women can do, although there are a few who vainly attempt to mimic.

I think it's a "suck in" for women to attempt to be men, and really, that's what feminists are doing.

It makes for plenty of misery.

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Agnes

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Re: What does feminism mean to you?
Reply #7 - Jul 18^th, 2015 at 11:45am

Amadd wrote on Jul 12^th, 2015 at 2:18am:

Then what can I say?

Men and women are different and there really can be no equality in all aspects.

Feminism to me, means a movement to make up for some assumed lost ground.
There's been many women that have done well in traditional men's domain whilst relying only on what and who they are.
Unfortunately, feminists seem to think that it's some type of insult to themselves if they can't beat men in men's domain.

I don't see many men crying foul because they can't give birth to a child or do any of the other beautiful things a women can do, although there are a few who vainly attempt to mimic.

I think it's a "suck in" for women to attempt to be men, and really, that's what feminists are doing.

It makes for plenty of misery.

I agree that men and women are different- for women to be equal to men they would have to be men- and I wouldnt want that anyway- I like being a female- I like being a mother to children etc- I like my lot in life-

There are glaring problems for women of course but they can be dealt as a humanitarian issue rather than a feminism issue- feminism seeks to divide the sexes and that is very counter productive- like it or not we live on this planet as two halves ofa whole ( for the most part) and nature has made it that way for a very good reason- pro creationational purposes.

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« Last Edit: Jul 18^th, 2015 at 3:06pm by Agnes »

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Lisa Jones

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Re: What does feminism mean to you?
Reply #8 - Jul 20^th, 2015 at 9:57am

mothra wrote on Jul 5^th, 2015 at 12:39am:

I'd really like this topic to be answered by women with an actual opinion as opposed the usual suspects bullying women out of the discussion.

Feminism is a wide cloth. I agree with some feminist academics and disagree with others. I agree with some of what those i disagree with say while i disagree with what some of what those i agree with say.

Feminism to me is a personal journey. I am a firm believer in each and every woman embracing what is relevant to her and holding in question what they query, or outright disagree with.This to me is true feminism.

I have been told on this forum that feminism is a 'homogenous blob' of thought. This is faaaaaar from true. Feminists disagree with each other regularly. There are many schools of thought within feminism.

Even if you don't identify as a feminist, i want to hear what feminism means to you.

Now that is something I totally agree with.

I must not be feeling too well today. I've agreed with something Mothra has posted. This is a bad sign Undecided

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If I let myself be bought then I am no longer free.

HYPATIA - Greek philosopher, mathematician and astronomer (370 - 415)

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Amadd Gold Member Offline Mo Posts: 6217	Re: What does feminism mean to you? Reply #9 - Jul 23^rd, 2015 at 11:06pm Why is it "feminism" and not just "female"? Is there some specific power a feminist holds over the plebeian female population?
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Agnes Gold Member Offline fish dinner Posts: 6081 Bedford Park rnd	Re: What does feminism mean to you? Reply #10 - Aug 11^th, 2015 at 9:53pm I almost believe that feminism isnt even a relevant "thing" anymore- more like just plain tired and cliche'. This thread was very hard to "rev" up- doesn't surprise me.
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Soren

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Re: What does feminism mean to you?
Reply #11 - Aug 19^th, 2015 at 8:48pm

Why do straight men devote so much head-space to those big, bulbous bags of fat drooping from women's chests? Scientists have never satisfactorily explained men's curious breast fixation (see figure #1), but now, a neuroscientist has struck upon an explanation that he says "just makes a lot of sense."

Larry Young, a professor of psychiatry at Emory University who studies the neurological basis of complex social behaviors, thinks human evolution has harnessed an ancient neural circuit that originally evolved to strengthen the mother-infant bond during breast-feeding, and now uses this brain circuitry to strengthen the bond between couples as well. The result? Men, like babies, love breasts.

When a woman's nipples are stimulated during breast-feeding, the neurochemical oxytocin, otherwise known as the "love drug," floods her brain, helping to focus her attention and affection on her baby. But research over the past few years has shown that in humans, this circuitry isn't just reserved for exclusive use by infants.

Recent studies have found that nipple stimulation enhances sexual arousal in the great majority of women, and it activates the same brain areas as vaginal stimulation. When a sexual partner touches, massages or nibbles a woman's breasts, Young said, this triggers the release of oxytocin in the woman's brain, just like what happens when a baby nurses. But in this context, the oxytocin focuses the woman's attention on her sexual partner, strengthening her desire to bond with this person.

In other words, men can make themselves more desirable by stimulating a woman's breasts during foreplay and sex. Evolution has, in a sense, made men want to do this.
http://suckersonparade.blogspot.com.au/2015/08/a-new-theory-on-why-men-love-boob...

Men who know this are feminists, no? This is a woman-centred thing so it is a kinda feminism.

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Soren

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Re: What does feminism mean to you?
Reply #12 - Aug 19^th, 2015 at 9:01pm

mothra wrote on Jul 5^th, 2015 at 12:39am:

I'd really like this topic to be answered by women with an actual opinion as opposed the usual suspects bullying women out of the discussion.

Feminism is a wide cloth. I agree with some feminist academics and disagree with others. I agree with some of what those i disagree with say while i disagree with what some of what those i agree with say.

Feminism to me is a personal journey. I am a firm believer in each and every woman embracing what is relevant to her and holding in question what they query, or outright disagree with.This to me is true feminism.

I have been told on this forum that feminism is a 'homogenous blob' of thought. This is faaaaaar from true. Feminists disagree with each other regularly. There are many schools of thought within feminism.

Even if you don't identify as a feminist, i want to hear what feminism means to you.

Isn't every human life a personal journey? Let's see if what you wrote applies to everyone:

I am a firm believer in each and every person embracing what is relevant to him/her and holding in question what they query, or outright disagree with.This to me is true feminism personal dignity.

People Feminists disagree with each other regularly. There are many schools of thought within humanity feminism.

Even if you don't identify as a person feminist, i want to hear what human dignity feminism means to you.

I don't think feminism has anything to offer over and above human dignity. The 'men's movement is a pathetic mirror image of feminism. Campaign for human dignity, not sectarian feminism or men's movement or gay rights or all that tribal sh!te.

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Soren Gold Member Offline Posts: 25654 Gender:	Re: What does feminism mean to you? Reply #13 - Aug 26^th, 2015 at 10:23am
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Dnarever Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 57150 Here Gender:	Re: What does feminism mean to you? Reply #14 - Aug 26^th, 2015 at 11:56am What does feminism mean to you? A good intentioned idea that has backfired badly on woman and families.
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