General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: "Man-bashing." My favorite DU pule. [View all]planetc
(7,808 posts)using it to learn something. To say no man can be a feminist is to exclude nearly half the human race from a fruitful and useful category, and in some cases, to insult as well. Especially if we haven't arrived at a definition of feminism we all agree on.
Are men incapable of understanding sympathetically and empathetically what women experience? If they're human, surely some can. Perhaps a great many can.
Right now, of course, lots of women don't want to admit to feminism, because they understand the cultural consequences of declaring their allegiance.
Could we start by stipulating that "feminism" is a charged term, that can negatively affect your career if you're a woman, and perhaps embarrass you in front of your friends if you're a man?
Personally, I'd rather say that men can be feminists, and women can be scientists and astronauts and silly people, just like men.