| Title: | Topics of Interest to Women |
| Notice: | V3 is closed. TURRIS::WOMANNOTES-V5 is open. |
| Moderator: | REGENT::BROOMHEAD |
| Created: | Thu Jan 30 1986 |
| Last Modified: | Fri Jun 30 1995 |
| Last Successful Update: | Fri Jun 06 1997 |
| Number of topics: | 1078 |
| Total number of notes: | 52352 |
Hi,
My name's Alice Turner, and I am new to Digital, in Reading, and
just yesterday I came across the Womannotes conference for the first
time.
I thought this would be an interesting exercise for a note: what
does "feminism" mean to you? It seems to me that the definitions of
feminism and feminist ideals are personal things, related largely -
though not totally - to personal situations. For instance, it seems to
me that (and I don't want to offend anyone here) many lesbians seem to
believe that it is impossible to understand the view of feminists
without being lesbian. And does one have to be a woman to be a
feminist? What about John Stoltenberg? Also, I wondered how different the
American viewpoint would be. I do not know whether I would call myself a
feminist, but I do know that many of my views are regarded as feminist.
Perhaps, tomorrow, I will look up some English dictionary
definitions to include here. I also intend to look up English
dictionary and legal definitions of rape for the "what is rape" note.
Anyway, looking forward to reading your opinions!
Alice T.
| T.R | Title | User | Personal Name | Date | Lines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 933.1 | Women Hold Up Half the Sky | BUSY::KATZ | Coming From a Different Place | Tue Jul 23 1991 11:02 | 1 |
| 933.2 | SA1794::CHARBONND | forget the miles, take steps | Tue Jul 23 1991 11:42 | 24 | |
As one who only wears the label, 'individualist', I like to think
that we all should be working for a world where no individual
is discriminated against because of their color, creed, gender,
orientation, etc. I'd like to see the movement for the rights and
dignity of the individual subsume all others. I sometimes think that
all these lesser -isms are acting against each other and the universal
need for freedom. However, human nature being what it is, and the
battlefield being so _damn_ big, people tend to work best with others
whose interests and priorities are closest to their own. So, some people
and groups may focus on the fight for rights as A, others for B, yet
others as C. IMO this okay _until_ one group insists that _their_
agenda is the only important one. Or worse, when they start working
_against_ the rights of others. Then I can no longer in good conscience
actively support _them_. (Of course, I still support their rights,
it's their agenda which I may oppose. Like the ACLU supporting
freedom of speech for the Nazis.)
(As the philosopher said, 'There can be no such thing as the right
to violate the rights of another.')
This is why I a) support most of the goals of feminism but b) don't
call myself a feminist. I'm a 'people-ist' ;-)
Dana
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| 933.3 | pointers | GNUVAX::BOBBITT | divided sky...the wind blows high | Tue Jul 23 1991 12:13 | 27 |
see also:
Womannotes-V1
369 - who is not a feminist
511 - feminist consciousness
750 - feminism? help
Womannotes-V2
178 - what is a feminist
475 - men as feminists
651 - the myths of feminism
874 - how has feminism changed your world
997 - a new direction for feminism
Womannotes-V3 (this file)
43 - feminism and the feminist agenda
100 - male role in feminism
403 - putting feminism where my mouth is
759 - real feminists
Euro-Woman (file currently unavailable)
17 - feminist? what does it mean?
-Jody
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| 933.5 | my own working def... | BTOVT::THIGPEN_S | they say there's peace in sleep | Wed Jul 24 1991 14:12 | 17 |
my feminism is about expanding the choices available to women -- and men,
but with women as its primary focus. feminism is not just "out with
the old, in with the new".
See also what Dana said.
I think feminism is changing the rules and that is scary to both women
and men. People often react to change with polarized positions. So my
feminism is also trying to be patient, to defuse the fears we have
about eachother, so that positive change can come for all without (in
the end) being wholly negative for others. I don't believe that in the
end, enhancing _my_ life at _your_ expense is sustainable. The biggest
part of the problems faced by feminism is to convey the benefits to
those who see no benefit from feminism for themselves.
Sara
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| 933.6 | Oxford Shorter's definition | RDGENG::LIBRARY | A wild and an untamed thing | Wed Jul 31 1991 12:03 | 5 |
As promised, a definition from an English Dictionary - the Shorter
Oxford Dictionary, 1973:
"Feminism: 1. The qualities of women (rare). 2. Advocacy of the claims
and rights of women."
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