Setanta wrote on Nov 25
th, 2016 at 12:19am:
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.
I'm not a woman but I'll ask my wife to answer if you'll accept what she says under a post by me. Feminism to me has always be about equality and I endorse that whole heartedly. My wife used to be a fundy christian, said I should rule over her, I refused. I will accept, in our relationship, if there is a final word, it's usually mine. Not because I am better, smarter etc but because I can remove emotion and be very pragmatic. I also "read" people better.
We are friends and partners(I hate that word post 1990, she's my WIFE) in a journey, each others strengths and weaknesses need a bit of balance. She is my better in may ways and although I don't see it, it must be reciprocal or we wouldn't have lasted 32 years.
At times I have earned more and at times she has, we were paid for the job we did, for the hours we did. She does not see a wage gap but understands women may earn less over a lifetime because, like her, they made a choice of children over money. In fact so did I. She was a latchkey kid with two professional parents. One a Psychologist, the other a teacher who taught teachers at Churchlands Teachers College. We made a decision to never leave our kids at home alone. Both she and I worked part time for years to ensure that. My super is as lacking as any woman's.
Now I see "feminism" trying, amonst other irrationsal stuff, to get extra(pay gap) because women take time off and lose money because they "choose" to have kids. It's a choice and it is ultimately under their control, they should work it out with their other half rather than society about their pay or don't make the "choice", a choice that men cannot make.
My son had a friend that used to come around, she talked a like you about the sad state of women in our society, we had the pay arguments, $20@hour means for every hour you work, you get that pay, you want more money, work more. Men are paid the same and have since the 1970s. She spat the dummy because I was sexist. Couldn't handle the truth. No matter that I also, because I worked part time to make sure someone was home with our kids, was in the same boat.
Feminism has lost it's meaning in western countries beyond what we have. Any more and it's about regency not equality. Go free the Indian women, go do some good for the sisterhood.
What's that joke? Ohh, not applicable to me but for Grap.. I'll never get married again. Next time I'll just buy a house for a woman I don't like.
edit: My youngest son has just become a registered nurse and been offered a post grad position, he has worked in aged care for a few years while doing his degree. One year of the nursing degree qualifies you as an AIN. This is considered one of the jobs that women are hard done by in, is my son? If he, the other men that do it and there are quite a few, and the women are paid the same, as they are, where is the equality problem?
Setanta, the pay gap is more complicated than simply taking time off of work to have children.
It also refers to women being in positions of less power, women and men working in different industries, women and men having different advancement possibilites and the availability of work experience and seniority.
I know of your selfless dedication to your family. You've spoken about it before. My hat is tipped to you. But your wife is an exception, not a rule. ost women are not so lucky. At the very least they need latter pregnancy and early breastfeeding time off. This interferes with careers.
Furthermore, women of child-bearing age are often discriminated against when applying for positions or promotions, because of they time they
may need to take off. Irrespective of whether they are maternally inclined or not.
Simply because they are women.
Feminism is still needed in western societies because where a woman is called aggressive, a man is called assertive. Where a woman is called a ball-breaker, a man is called a go-getter. While a woman is called a slut, a man is called a player. While a woman is quantified by the way she looks, a man is quantified by the way he performs. While a woman is called hormonal, a man is called being in touch with his emotions.
And the list goes on.
I have 2 children. A girl child and a boy child. You know that already.
My daughter was sexuaalised at the age of 12. My son is 10. I see no such thing on the horizon for him.
We need feminism because the patriarchy hurts men and women both.