Question To Feminists

collegesugarbaby · 2013-05-10T19:46:07+00:00

Okay, I'll bite.

The initial circumstances under which I became a feminist had to do with personal experiences regarding sexuality and abortion. For the sake of time, I won't go into details about those experiences but the bottom line is that they made the struggle for women's bodily autonomy (among other things) very real to me. My ideals are not limited to these topics, this is simply where my desire to become a feminist started. I understand that men have issues regarding these topics, too. However, I am - in this moment and will forever be - just one person with only so much time and energy to dedicate to fighting for my personal causes. If in your scenario something happened to me early in life that made me intimately connected with men's issues, then I would probably fight for them just as I fight for women's issues now. Currently, if there is a cause whose goals and tactics I believe in, I will gladly support whatever group is promoting that cause regardless of whether I can help materially. So even if I weren't intimately connected with MRAs in your scenario, I would hope that I would be able to recognize their need for supporters and organize with them whenever possible.

There are plenty of other things I could say about this scenario but I'll save those thoughts for later discussion.

Manzboobz · 2013-05-10T18:55:24+00:00

Here's another hypothetical:

Supppose some time far in the future when everything is different, men are second class citizens and are legally and socially oppressed.

Suppose further that feminism has become an ancient relic of the past and nobody calls themselves that anymore.

What would you do?

memymineown · 2013-05-10T18:56:44+00:00

If this is a question to feminists, why are you posting it here?

Wethequeens13 · 2013-05-10T19:11:38+00:00

I used to call myself a feminist but I now call myself a HUMANS rights activist. I'll do what I can to create equality for both genders and assure that nobody gets oppressed because of ignorance on any side of playing field. Although, realistically, I can't do that on my own. I say end specific gender rights activism and just be for human rights and equality amongst all regardless of gender, sexuality, or race.

Pecanpig · 2013-05-11T00:26:49+00:00

Supposing some time far in the future when everything is different, men are second class citizens and are legally and socially oppressed.

Today, got it.

Now supposing there is a feminist movement at the time but it refuses to attempt to solve any of those issues or denies they exist.

Still today, got it.

Would that make you become an MRA or would you stay a non-MRA regardless of how badly men are oppressed?

I already consider myself an MRA for the reasons you listed.

AloysiusC · 2013-05-11T01:45:43+00:00

I hope I would be perceptive and interested enough to advocate for men's rights in that situation. I would probably have less knowledge and experience in those issues (since I'm not a man) and less incentive to make a change (not being a part of the oppressed class).

But still, I believe it would be right and I hope I would live up to that belief.

rightsbot · 2013-05-10T18:46:18+00:00

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AloysiusC · 2013-05-12T20:41:30+00:00

I kinda think that is already the status quo in many respects .. modern feminism has acquired an hegemony that replaces the andocentric culture it sought to challenge ... thus modern feminism is now the definer of correct gender behaviour.

Now, Im a feminist, although reddit would define me as a gender egalitarian or some other version that makes my views understandable. I have a son and so think in a manner that views both the genders, I think modern feminism forgets that it has fathers, brothers, sons etc when they make sweeping comments on the opposite gender.

One would wonder why I refer to myself in this manner, especially MR's, as it has been suggested I am associating myself with a hate group. I don't look at it from this perspective, I am a feminist who highlights to other feminists the failure and paradoxical aspects inherent in their views. I think this is valuable.

Consequently I believe feminism should deal with female issues and MR should deal with male issues, but there should be maturity between the groups and open communication, not trading of insults or hate mongering as Ive noticed with the reddit called against mens rights - apparently these people have little left in their life than just strolling through the MR forum and copy and pasting it to their subreddit.

That being said, I find hate and anger with MR aswell, thus there is a militant aspect in both camps.

So to return to the OP ... if a matriarchal society had somehow evolved and men were second class citizens, yes I would have issue with it as I have a son, had a father and have a brother.

However, it must be noted that not many males historically stood up against the system .. off the top of my head I can only name Stuart John Mill and his views on liberty and the radical notion in the early 1800's that woman is as equal as man. Also possibly (and this is a stretch) Edmund Burke, in a very strained light.

jaketoday · 2013-05-10T18:57:56+00:00

Feminism is about elevating the status of men and women.

Title	Question To Feminists
Author	AloysiusC
Upvotes	3
Comments	66
Date	May 10, 2013 6:46 PM UTC (13 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/MensRights
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/mensrights/comments/1e31fm/question-to-feminists/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/MensRights/question-to-feminists.1612441 https://theredarchive.com/post/1612441

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