What is a feminist?

Emilee
Emilee Online Community Member Posts: 378 Empowering
in Coffee lounge

I have been very interested in the responses people had to the phrase "it's a man's world" and it has made me wonder what people think of feminism and feminists?

There is no right or wrong answer, I know we all come at it from different life experiences, I would love to know what people think of when they think of a feminist and what they stand for?

Comments

  • MissMarple
    MissMarple Online Community Member Posts: 359 Empowering

    To me it's the old saying: "Feminism is the radical notion that women are people." It's been "a man's world" for thousands of years, and it still is in most parts of the world. Don't get me wrong, it's not and has never been easy for men. Fighting in wars, working long hours to provide for your family, being told to just suck it up when you need support etc. It's tough. What men tend to have a lot more compared to women is agency in their own lives. Even in the West, it's only been a few decades that women started to have the same rights, education and employment opportunities, financial independence etc. And the backlash is already here.

  • JessieJ
    JessieJ Online Community Member Posts: 1,366 Championing

    My dad always called me a feminist! Any rows we had were because I stood up to him when he was being an MCP.

  • SwiftFox
    SwiftFox Online Community Member Posts: 768 Championing

    A fight for equality

  • Catherine21
    Catherine21 Online Community Member Posts: 9,559 Championing

    Theres an organisation called Ny voice My choice have been campaining for womens safety across the world this can be very delicate what im writting but they have been fighting for years for safe terminations as some woman with alot of medical issues or been assualted was dying My voice My choice said the biggest barriers they faced was from powerful men and rightly stated no man should have so much power over womens bodies and these men really fought them they took to un and they won

  • JessieJ
    JessieJ Online Community Member Posts: 1,366 Championing
    https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1106260#Comment_1106260

    Look at the great US!

  • Catherine21
    Catherine21 Online Community Member Posts: 9,559 Championing

    Oh yes not all countries Texas for one

  • MW123
    MW123 Scope Member Posts: 2,052 Championing

    I would not describe myself as a feminist because to me the word feels outdated, but I fully support the principle behind it. UN Women’s approach makes sense to me because they emphasise that there is no rule book, no single doctrine and no one correct way to support gender equality.

    Equality work has evolved, and today it focuses on ensuring women and girls have equal rights and opportunities, while also recognising that rigid gender expectations harm men as well. Emma Watson highlighted this in her UN HeForShe speech when she spoke about the pressure on men to be tough, to hide emotion and to fit a narrow idea of manliness. Those expectations cause real harm, including higher suicide rates and mental health struggles.

    That is the modern, inclusive approach I believe in. Gender equality strengthens society for everyone.

  • JessieJ
    JessieJ Online Community Member Posts: 1,366 Championing

    Look how women's sport has moved on, now they are really working at grass roots level. Winning women's teams on the world stage have been amazing to actually get us into the limelight. It's even better when they do what the men haven't. The world has changed, but it has been slow going & it still needs more. Many countries have no chance for girls & women still, but some that have been closed are opening up & women's sport has something to do with that.

  • WhatThe
    WhatThe Online Community Member, Scope Member Posts: 5,471 Championing
  • Mary_Scope
    Mary_Scope Posts: 4,210 Scope Online Community Children and Family Specialists

    Womens sport has definetly had a big boost over the pat couple of years @JessieJ. It's been amazing to see, especially in rugby and football!!

    I went to my first ever womens football match last October, it was Wales vs Australia and the atmosphere was soo good and it was really busy.

    I am going to my first womens rugby match next April too and it is the Red Roses vs Wales and I'm so excited for it! I saw on the Red Roses instagram that 90% of the tickets for it has been sold so far too😊

  • JessieJ
    JessieJ Online Community Member Posts: 1,366 Championing

    It really has, @Mary_Scope, it has been inspirational & girls are now taking those sports up because of them being so good & their sports being televised. It's a huge breakthrough. When I was at school, we, girls, had a sit in, as we didn't see why we couldn't play football. Eventually, we got the change. So to see how big it is now, is incredible & now encompassing all sport.

    Live sport atmosphere is magic, so pleased that you got to a football match & you're now going to a rugby match too. So good that it's nearly a sell out. I would like to get to a Roses game, so far it hasn't been possible. Have a brilliant time!

    I'm a member of Hampshire cricket & have been to all the women's international matches held there & already have tickets to the World Cup matches being played there this year. Plus, I go to all the domestic matches, if I'm up to it. It has been great seeing how many turn up & yes, the atmosphere is great.

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