In case you missed this....feminist myths

[cally]

I think I might post this in GD

http://pandagon.net/2006/02/07/feminist-myths-101/#more-2127

Feminists think there’s no difference between men and women.

Very much untrue. Feminists in fact are desperately trying to get Congress, the Supreme Court and the nation at large to understand that no matter how much some men sincerely believe otherwise, uteruses only exist in female bodies and therefore women should be the decision makers when it comes to how said uteruses are used.

Feminists hate men.

This myth is frequently trotted out by the exact same people who think that we think we are men. That said, there is a little known fact that male dominance and the biological reality of men are one and the same thing, due to a curse laid on half the human race by the wicked Witch Mispenasa. It’s said that if ever women should achieve equality with men, men will cease to exist altogether. So if feminists are fighting against male dominance, we have no choice but to believe they are out to destroy men themselves.


Feminists think there’s something so wrong about rape.

This one would actually be true. We’re no fun like that.

Feminists don’t shave.

Technically true, but that’s because most of us, well-versed in the art of witchcraft, don’t grow body hair any longer.

Feminists think emasculating shots of half-naked men in polka dot panties are funny.

True.

[lukasahero]

1. The first point always bugs me

And I have seen it from both sides: men who think feminists think they're men and women who think that in order to compete in this world, they have to be more like men and denigrate all things feminine. I was one of those women.

I used to pride myself on how I wasn't a "girlie girl" - i.e. I was more like a guy and better for it. It has only been within the last several years that I've come to understand that this attitude does nothing to elevate women to equality - it just continues the idea that women, as women, aren't good enough.

Our culture values masculine characteristics and devalues feminine ones. Until we value women AS women, we will never be equal. Yes, we are different. But different doesn't mean less than. Both men and women need to learn this.

[cally]

2. I've come to the same insight

I also prided myself on rejecting all things feminine. It like rejecting part of yourself. I've come to the same conclusion that we will never be equal until we value women AS women. It's one of the many insights I get when I read about the feminine centered religions and the dominance of the masculine dominated religions. One of the primary changes is to denigrate women in their relationship to God and each other. We are products of our own culture and it's no surprise we are influenced by it. Thanks for the response.

My favorite line was this one (if only this were true ;-))

"Feminists don’t shave.

Technically true, but that’s because most of us, well-versed in the art of witchcraft, don’t grow body hair any longer."

[Nikia]

3. Shouldn't we value gender freedom too though?

I do think that each gender does have certain tendencies, but that some members of the other gender will have these tendencies also. For example, some boys are better at reading than math than reading and some girls are better at math than reading. Some little girls might like to play with toy trucks and some little boys might like to play with dolls. Some young men might want to be interior designers and some young women might want to be architects.
Currently, women are more socially accepted "being male" in some aspects than men "being women" in some aspects. The reason probably is masculine activites and qualities continue to equal power and money and this society. I agree that we do need to value feminine and that having some women becoming honary males doesn't help women. I believe in gender freedom though too.

[femrap]

4. When you mentioned careers, I thought about the Food Channel....

I rarely watch it but it came to my attention that most of the shows feature male cooks...oops, I mean 'chefs.' Women are cooks and males are chefs...WTF? So here was an activity that women were 'forced' to do...keep the women in the kitchen...but now that males have decided that cooking is creative and fun, they have usurped it.

Maybe I am wrong...maybe there are some popular women chefs out there and I just haven't heard of them...sure miss Julia Child...she was great!

I remember reading about the typewriter and when it was invented....only men were allowed to use the typewriter...but they soon realized it was rather boring and decided typing was women's work. And I think it's rather funny that now with the advent of computers, typing is calling 'keyboarding.' If you know a chauvinist who types...drop by his desk and tell him he is a pretty good 'typist.' With a folow up question...do you know shorthand as well? lol.

[Nikia]

5. It seems that in nearly all cases, male work is more valued

than female work at least in an economic sense. What consists of male and female work varies somewhat in different socieites, but when the work is done primarily by women it is paid less even if it is a highly paid profession in another society where it is done primarily by males.
We often encourage girls to pursue male dominated careers because that lead to better pay than pursuing female dominated careers. Men are less encouraged to pursue female domainated careers because they pay less and his masculinity may be questioned. Unfortunately, careers that become a higher percent female often start becoming dead end and lower paying.
I am not sure how we should take on this problem on a big picture basis.

[ismnotwasm]

6. I can tell you the nursing profession

Is actively recruiting males to join.
Male nurses often complain they are used for "muscle" or not taking seriously. There is still the stigma of it being a "female profession" There was an article in the American Journal of Nursing entitled "I am not a Male nurse" The guy wanted to be seen as a nurse, not a gender. I thought that was so good, so profound, to see the tables turned a bit here. (Nothing against the author he made very good points!)I've talked to male nurses who quite frankly have told me if there were more men in the profession the pay and benefits would be much better.

I've said this elsewhere but to me the the evolution of the nursing profession parallels modern feminism in many ways. The feminist opportunities are boundless. To be a nurse you have to smash through almost every "girlie" stereotype, and I'm talking about being a nurse, not the public perception of them. (BTW I HATE that stupid show "Grey's Anatomy--where the doctors do all the nursing care, and the nurse got syphilis from-you guessed it, a doctor.)
You have to be tough, hard, strong, intelligent, able to make decisions on a dime. And it doesn't matter WHAT you look like. Heavy, thin, pretty, plain, some of those patients are so vulnerable they see you as their only advocate. And sometimes you are.
Sometimes that last thing a patient needs is a "nice" nurse. They need someone telling them you HAVE to get out of that bed and walk or your WILL get pneumonia. You have to be able to love, and detach. Caring and nurturing? You bet-- that goes right along with everything else and it weakens nothing.

[we can do it]

7. Women Who Think They Are Equal To Men Are Underacheivers

[Katherine Brengle]

8. LMAO! That made me giggle ;) n/t

[we can do it]

9. I'm Glad To Help My Sisters In Any Way