the f word

[Daisy]

ladies and gentlemen, i have a question to ask you: do you consider yourself a feminist?

long and short answers, debate and passionate speeches welcome

[poorandweird]

i get why people are touchy about using that word to describe themselves, but i am a fucking strident feminist and proud!

[Chula]

Of course .

[jessiegrrrl]

Absolutely. I also align myself with feminist counseling theory in my studies/future work. Among other things, of course, but it's very important to me.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feminist_therapy

I think it's interesting to hear what different people think feminism is as well.

[CamilleDevine]

Nope.
I don't see the need to use the word feminist, when there are so many other groups of people who I'd like to see treated with equality. If there was a word for "everyoneism", I'd be that.
(And yes, "feminism benefits everyone", yada yada. I'm of the opinion that it doesn't, so I avoid using that label at all costs and look at injustices on a case-by-case basis.)

[MooMooMonster]

No. I pretty much agree with CamilleDevine

[faster+louder]

yes

[kitty kibuty]

i don't describe myself as a feminist. i mostly blame that on the girls who identified as such that i knew when i was younger. it was a hip word to use without real inclusiveness. at the time because i was more feminine i was torn down a bit. wearing make up and dresses and baking was very much not ok and these girls insisted that i was who i was for men without ever considering the fact that maybe i genuinely enjoyed these things. clothes and makeup were a way for me to experiment and express myself. a few years later these same girls were suddenly asking me how to get their eyeliner like mine & trying to be sweet. as much as i did appreciate them seeing that their previous notions were wrong, i also felt their new attitude towards me was disingenuous.

now, i know this is not something that is inclusive of everyone who identifies as feminist, but this is my personal experience & it just rubbed me the wrong way at an impressionable time in my life. do i agree with the basic principals of most feminists? absolutely! if you don't, you're kind of a dick. do i still feel badly about others who use this label? not at all. i don't use the word to describe myself on the regular, but as far as attitude, ethics, and politics go i could be considered a feminist.

[opiiate]

yes yes yes onethousand times yes. I love me some dirty feminist discussion, coupled with dirty queer sex and generally being one loud mouthed female about it.

That was a little dramatic, but yes I do identify as a feminist. I identify as a feminist as there is an exceedingly large amount of discrimination, hatred and oppression circling the world as of right this second. I would like to add a qualifier in that I identify as a 3rd waver, in that transgender and queer rights are near and dear to my heart, and I try to be as anti racist as possible. I do love me some feminist oriented discussion as well.

M and I had an extremely sexy conversation in which we debated the vasrious waves of feminism, and I may have popped a boner during it. I am a nerd about this shit.

[voiddj]

I don't fully understand the concept of feminism in the context of the modern world. I'm all for equality but it's got to work for everyone. I do know that a lot of people are still very happy to live up to the gender sterotypes dictated by society.

[poorandweird]

I'm fucking elated that i'll never make as much as a man will for doing the same hours at the same job lolol

[CamilleDevine]

I just wrote a really huge response, but to be honest I'm not sure if it'll be all that interesting to anyone here. This thing was like 800 words long O.O

tl;dr: I''ve never been at a disadvantage due to my vag. Age, yes, disability, yes, vag, no.

[poorandweird]

^ Sorry Tom, that was shitty of me. What i wanna say is yeah, sure, for instance i like having long swishy hair and painted nails and turning up to my Neuroscience lectures dressed really femme on most days, which you could consider me playing up to gender stereotypes. Feminism's not just about this small stuff though! it's about the pay gap and contraceptive rights and treatment of POC and trans* rights and sooo many other things.

I dunno. I feel really content and happy and fulfilled when i label myself as a feminist. I don't expect every single person in the world to necessarily do the same as me.

[poorandweird]

I just wrote a really huge response, but to be honest I'm not sure if it'll be all that interesting to anyone here. This thing was like 800 words long O.O

tl;dr: I''ve never been at a disadvantage due to my vag. Age, yes, disability, yes, vag, no.

I feel you on the age disadvantage with jobs too.

[poorandweird]

(And yes, "feminism benefits everyone", yada yada. I'm of the opinion that it doesn't, so I avoid using that label at all costs and look at injustices on a case-by-case basis.)

You bring up a valid criticism of feminism, where there's been definite instances of not acknowledging POC and trans* experiences, as well as ableism.