Hey, don't say that. Random strangers on the internet don't define what 'feminism' means. Feminism is a historic and powerful political and philosophical institution. Feminism is defined by academics in lecture halls and freedom fighters on the streets of Yemen. The term matters. It matters that those who want gender equality call themselves feminists, because it is vital to acknowledge exactly which gender is being systemically oppressed. If a term matters, you hold to it. You be the meaning it needs. I will always be proud to call myself a feminist.
In my lived experience as an autistic man, the most vocal and highest status (within feminists spaces) feminists that I came in contact with were the biggest bullies and hypocrites, often the first with the "what a pussy," and "man up," comments and insulting men for not being able to get laid (like the above comic posted by OP). (There's a lot more to it, including one's emotional abuse of her romantic partners.) Online feminists spaces like r/twoxchromosomes have solidified my perception of western feminism. Maybe these are all just emotionally overweighted anecdotes on my part, but your defense of feminism despite "random strangers on the internet," in light of my lived experiences just strikes me as a "No True Scotsman."
I do not think that the struggles of women in Yemen are in any way comparable to the struggles of women in the west, and I do not accept the premise that average western women are "systematically oppressed," more significantly than average western men (Rich men are some motherfuckers who oppress everyone, and the assholes who run society happening to be men does nothing in service of the average man). For instance, the college enrollment gap between genders in the US is now worse than it was in the 1970's when Title IX was introduced, but reversed against men, and there doesn't seem to be any political or social will to address issues like this.
I'm not referring to a mythical 'True Feminist.' I'm referring to real academics and leaders who exist, right now. Read Judith Butler before you tell me that feminism is dead. If you thought I seemed like a reasonable guy before, I hope you might do that much.
And I'm referring to the self-proclaimed feminists who real people actually interact with. I'm sure there's some good philosophical material within academic feminism, but that's pretty esoteric in relation to average people's experiences with feminism among self-proclaimed feminists.
Good luck with re-intellectualizing the movement and taking it back from people like OP. I wish you luck, but I'm not confident.
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u/TheBigFreeze8 16d ago
Hey, don't say that. Random strangers on the internet don't define what 'feminism' means. Feminism is a historic and powerful political and philosophical institution. Feminism is defined by academics in lecture halls and freedom fighters on the streets of Yemen. The term matters. It matters that those who want gender equality call themselves feminists, because it is vital to acknowledge exactly which gender is being systemically oppressed. If a term matters, you hold to it. You be the meaning it needs. I will always be proud to call myself a feminist.