Posted by julenka at 12:14am May 21 '07We actually discussed this in my class last week. What really gets me is what you briefly touched upon - that women/feminists don't just want equality, but it's kinda a 'our turn now' thing, and they want women to be above men. That just irritates me. If you're fighting for equality, then let's actually fight for equality, not domineering!
Honestly, though, I think a large part of it has to do with a point my teacher brought up -- time. The feminist battles that were won in the past are having their effect in our generation. The girls of our generation are equals, and this will become more and more obvious, I think, as the boomers and the older folks start to retire and leave those executive positions. Women will step in to take those positions. Especially after the recent turn-around in education, where boys are dropping out of high school before they graduate, girls are more likely to graduate, more likely to go to Uni, etc. I mean, just taking my class from high school as a mini-sample, it's obvious what's going on there. The vast majority of girls are studying at Uni in courses that lead toward executive positions across the industry board, and the vast majority of guys have taken up gardening, building, carpentry, and other labour positions. That's a dramatic turn around! And I don't think that's something that we should necessarily be encouraging, y'know? It's important for actual equality to exist, rather than pushing boys out of the office to make way for girls, or pushing girls into the office because it's their duty as feminist females to have a successful career.
And I'm also bothered by the hypocrisy and double-standards in feminist literature and arguments. I mean, just as an example, I came across a blatant example when I was writing a piece about gender depictions in popular culture. The feminist literature I read was really contradictory. One feminist would say that it was bad that hot women appeared in television shows, because they were being degraded down to nothing more than their looks, then another would argue that it was bad when uglier women appeared in television shows, because it proved that men were uncomfortable being around a successful and beautiful woman. One feminist would argue that there weren't enough physically or emotionally strong women in movies and television, and that this proved that women were still viewed by the media as being the weaker sex, then another feminist would argue that it was unfair to show women like Xena on television, because it set up standards for female strength which were impossible for the average female to live up to.
For fuck's sakes, ladies, let's be friggin' consistent here, aye? You can't have it both ways!
And yes, I understand that feminist literature won't always agree, but these blatant contradictions within feminism is what makes it difficult to take it seriously. What do you actually want, feminists?
As to your last question, no, not being able to walk alone at night is not a sexism thing. It's a personal boundaries and abilities thing. [private], for example, said in a post below that she'd feel totally comfortable walking through unsafe streets at night. I, on the other hand, am even wary when I get off the bus at night across the street from my house, because there are big bushes around, and because we live on a main street where the sound of the cars would probably cover any yelling or screaming I did. Does that make me a weak little wilting female, who's being oppressed by the evil, evil males? No. It means I'm careful about my personal safety. I watch out for males mostly, it's true, but mainly because it's not often that a big, butch woman walks around my street. :p
Honestly, though, I think a large part of it has to do with a point my teacher brought up -- time. The feminist battles that were won in the past are having their effect in our generation. The girls of our generation are equals, and this will become more and more obvious, I think, as the boomers and the older folks start to retire and leave those executive positions. Women will step in to take those positions. Especially after the recent turn-around in education, where boys are dropping out of high school before they graduate, girls are more likely to graduate, more likely to go to Uni, etc. I mean, just taking my class from high school as a mini-sample, it's obvious what's going on there. The vast majority of girls are studying at Uni in courses that lead toward executive positions across the industry board, and the vast majority of guys have taken up gardening, building, carpentry, and other labour positions. That's a dramatic turn around! And I don't think that's something that we should necessarily be encouraging, y'know? It's important for actual equality to exist, rather than pushing boys out of the office to make way for girls, or pushing girls into the office because it's their duty as feminist females to have a successful career.
And I'm also bothered by the hypocrisy and double-standards in feminist literature and arguments. I mean, just as an example, I came across a blatant example when I was writing a piece about gender depictions in popular culture. The feminist literature I read was really contradictory. One feminist would say that it was bad that hot women appeared in television shows, because they were being degraded down to nothing more than their looks, then another would argue that it was bad when uglier women appeared in television shows, because it proved that men were uncomfortable being around a successful and beautiful woman. One feminist would argue that there weren't enough physically or emotionally strong women in movies and television, and that this proved that women were still viewed by the media as being the weaker sex, then another feminist would argue that it was unfair to show women like Xena on television, because it set up standards for female strength which were impossible for the average female to live up to.
For fuck's sakes, ladies, let's be friggin' consistent here, aye? You can't have it both ways!
And yes, I understand that feminist literature won't always agree, but these blatant contradictions within feminism is what makes it difficult to take it seriously. What do you actually want, feminists?
As to your last question, no, not being able to walk alone at night is not a sexism thing. It's a personal boundaries and abilities thing. [private], for example, said in a post below that she'd feel totally comfortable walking through unsafe streets at night. I, on the other hand, am even wary when I get off the bus at night across the street from my house, because there are big bushes around, and because we live on a main street where the sound of the cars would probably cover any yelling or screaming I did. Does that make me a weak little wilting female, who's being oppressed by the evil, evil males? No. It means I'm careful about my personal safety. I watch out for males mostly, it's true, but mainly because it's not often that a big, butch woman walks around my street. :p
I'm with you, mate. - julenka