If feminism had a different name.

BrambleEdge · 2013-08-12T17:59:06+00:00

Could not give a fuck about what it's called. The core tenets, beliefs, actions and goals are what concern me. None of it appeals to me in any way. They're bigots, every last one of them.

rottingchrist · 2013-08-12T06:45:52+00:00

If what they peddle under its banner is unchanged, it wouldn't make any difference.

I don't have a problem with the name. I have a problem with the hatred of men inherent in the ideology.

4man · 2013-08-12T10:53:27+00:00

How do we re-assess and re-label in a useful and constructive way. Is it to late?

Most of the useful ways of renaming feminism would not be flattering. When I say "useful" I mean accurate.

There is a gulf of ideology between people who have a casual association with feminism and the committed feminists. However, some of the casual feminists believe the distortions and fabrications presented by committed feminists and thus become willing foot soldiers for a hateful ideology.

There is a lot of money vested in keeping the lies alive.

gigglecream · 2013-08-12T12:16:03+00:00

No. The problem with feminism is the undeniable huge overlap it has with misandry.

2013-08-12T12:33:21+00:00

It would still have created VAWA and discriminated against men and boys.

The name is unimportant. The actions are. It is a greedy, selfish, and evil movement.

DavidByron · 2013-08-12T15:48:50+00:00

Feminism is a hate movement. The name is not very consequential although obviously a hate movement wouldn't be named something after equality.

Purple_Serpent · 2013-08-13T21:27:56+00:00

The problem is that the "feminism" that "good" feminists support already has a name. It's called Human Rights.

The only reason to call yourself a feminist is because you want to put the focus on women's problems above and beyond everyone elses.

Faryshta · 2013-08-12T13:43:34+00:00

Its not so much feminist name that worries me but feminists theories.

Patriarcy social theory blames it all on men, masculinity, men domination, etc.

Privilege social theory segregates people according to gender, race and sexual orientation.

Rape culture social theory segregates the world is mens and women and blames it all on men.

avantvernacular · 2013-08-12T13:55:08+00:00

The problem is a sort of disconnect between label, rhetoric, and pursued action. "Feminism" is the label. "Equality" is the rhetoric. "Women's empowerment" is the action.

The Label Feminism. This umbrella term includes so much, such a wide variety of individuals, ideologies, writings, academic courses, it's hard to know what it is. For every feminist who says, does, think or feels one thing, there's a thousand yelling that "not all feminists are like that"^TM and a thousand more saying "That's not real feminism." Naturally this is confusing to most observers. With so many claimants to the throne of feminism, how can one tell which is the legitimate heir? The only logical conclusion would be to look to:

The Rhetoric Equality. Finally it seems we've found the common ground. Feminism says they want women to be equal to men. That sounds like an agreeable objective, who wouldn't support that? So now that we've located our intent, it's time to go about pursuing it. Action is needed to make it happen. One must choose, okay I will fight this battle today, that battle tomorrow, and this third battle the next day. Sadly, this means some battle will be fought soon, and others will be fought later (or possibly not at all). Eventually, a pattern emerges as to what battles are fought and what are not. That pattern begins to show:

The Action Women's Advocacy. Those under the banner of Feminism, chanting the slogan of equality have fought and won many battle like Women's right to vote and own property, and be paid the same as men for the same work. But wait a minute, these same people under this same banner chanting this same rhetoric also fought for and won... Child custody laws that selectively favor women, and stopped laws that would favor neither parent?...Primary aggressor laws that effectively require the arrest of men without evidence or charges??...State run involuntary draft of men only?!? Well that doesn't make sense. I thought the rhetoric was equality. Isn't that the intent we all agreed on? Shouldn't this banner stand against such things, not wave triumphantly for them? What is this banner, this label "Feminism?"

So now we've got ourselves in a real bind. Feminism seems to be a cobweb of contradictions, nobody can tell what it is and what it is not, the rhetoric everyone is shouting doesn't make any sense against the actions, but people cling to the label. And worst of all, no one can tell what anyone who labeled themselves feminist stands for, what they actually cite as objectives, and most importantly what they'll actually do.

Someone could say "I'm a feminist, you should be a feminist too," and we still don't know what that means. So we ask and they say "it means equality between genders, so you should be a feminist too." But even then we have no possible way of knowing what that will actually do. You either have to join on the rhetoric alone and turn a blind eye to the action, or see the action clearly and be forced to reject the rhetoric.

Some look at the rhetoric and say "I want equality, sign me up for that." Others look at the action and "that's clearly promoting inequality, I'd never join that." And each side gets to say the other is anti-equality.

So no, I think a lot more than a re-branding campaign will be needed to fix this.

rightsbot · 2013-08-12T06:26:17+00:00

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Aaod · 2013-08-12T17:17:41+00:00

To late for this generation especially the people here.

The ideas appeal to me.

Which ideas? I need more concrete things than this please. Most of us likely have a far different definition of feminism than you do. I see it as little more than a female supremacist movement based on their actions as a group and the actions of their leaders.

At least once a week we have someone come in praising how feminism was good to them and to them it represents a certain thing our response is well... no here are stats and facts historical lessons and here is how feminists have hurt men or campaigned against them. If feminism was how you define it we wouldn't have a problem with it but based on their actions and the terrible ways we have been treated by them we do not agree with your definition.

santaire · 2013-09-10T15:44:03+00:00

i realize im a little late for this thread, but i figured better late than never. i prefer the term gender equalist. i feel its a gender neutral title that both the non crazies ascribing to the MRA and feminists movement wouldnt mind migrating to. because lets face it, if youre really interested in gender equality, youre first thought is probably not going to be "lets pick a gender."

last_minutiae · 2013-08-12T13:10:39+00:00

Labels are used to describe things.

Like it or not, 'feminism' is an accurate label. It isn't a movement toward equality, and I will continue to either laugh or spit in the face of any liar who tells me otherwise. Feminism is about rigging educational and government benefits for women, often at the expense of men.

last_minutiae · 2013-08-12T07:56:05+00:00

A rose by any other name...

ThrowawayDTRNQC · 2013-08-12T10:48:09+00:00

I think nomenclature is a bad reason to take issue with a movement. If your only issue was the name, but you agreed with everything else the movement did, would it be an issue?

It's the same with the gay rights movement. It suggests only the rights of gay males, when there are many different sexualities which is effects eg. lesbians, bisexuals, pansexuals, etc. What I'm trying to say is that it's a movement that promotes the equality of all sexualities, and nobody questions that. It just seems that people pick up on it with feminism because a lot of people here oppose everything about it.

ThePigman · 2013-08-12T10:42:14+00:00

"I think the intentions were good but lacked long term thinking."

Rubbish, the leaders of the movement are not idiots. They chose the name precisely to be divisive.

"I owned a t-shirt that says 'this is what a feminist looks like'. I wore it to tatters."

You sicken me.

Title	If feminism had a different name.
Author	last_minutiae
Upvotes	5
Comments	101
Date	August 12, 2013 6:25 AM UTC (13 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/MensRights
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/MensRights/comments/1k6xwc/if_feminism_had_a_different_name/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/MensRights/if-feminism-had-a-different-name.1166587 https://theredarchive.com/post/1166587

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