What does the word feminism mean to you?

[Puppycow]

This story on Buzzfeed brought up this question for me.
How Pinterest is Killing Feminism

The author laments that so much of the user-generated content on Pinterest (most users are women) mirrors the domestic-oriented fare in traditional women's magazines.

Is the assumption that this kind of content has been foisted on women by the patriarchy?

If this is actually the kind of content that women like, why does that harm feminism?

 

[Piscivore]

I had to make a similar point in one of my classes today, about a documentary wherein a bunch of Marxists (no exaggeration or spin, they are actually Marxists, and least, the director and producer avowedly is) are bemoaning how "the Media" is relentlessly "selling" the virtue of goodness of the middle class and belittling the working man as part of an agenda to disnfranchise the little guy (and make him buy stuff too) by using sitcoms. I made the point that we have lots of examples of dumb blue collar guys because people keep copying the Honeymooners because it was successful, not from any agenda, and that focus groups drive a lot of what goes on the air, not ideology. What TV gives us us what we say we want to see.

 

[Dancing David]

Um, feminism means that you treat women with the same respect that your treat men. It comes from a time in the past when this was not always the case.

It cuts both ways, respecting a woman at home, at work, or both.

 

[Beerina]

Pinterest? I only just now have a Tumblr account and haven't even created an account on Instagram yet.

Internets slow down dammit!

 

[Ryokan]

If this is actually the kind of content that women like, why does that harm feminism?

But their point is that women are taught to like that stuff, against their own self interest. Your argument can be used on other anti-women stances as well, like saying that women from strict Islamic countries seem to like wearing head covering gear.

Not saying they're right on this point, just pointing out what their argument is.

 

[applecorped]

Bitches rule.

 

[RedRatSnake]

LOL ~ Feminism reminds me of the old Helen Reddy song, " I am Woman"
Back then it was a movement and very successful IMHO. I treat Women as equals in every aspect of my life with one exception. I can most certainly destroy a toilet better than most of them.

Tim ~

 

[Jodie]

LOLOL....to me it means we got the raw end of the stick. I could be June Clever instead of career woman, now I have to do both.

 

[Ray Brady]

to me it means we got the raw end of the stick

Why are you only cooking half your stick?

 

[tyr_13]

I like a lot of the stuff on pintrest. It would be great if not for the constant spamming of half-naked men.

I see a lot of assumptions going on in that article. First of all, it's women who frequent Pinterest who are liking and repinning those 'feminine' things. It's a self selecting group. Sure, it's twenty percent of female internet users, but remember that not everyone on Pinterest is there for, or even exposed to, the same things. So one in five female internet users likes something on Pinterest and many things on Pinterest are 'feminine'. Chances are good that every person on earth has an interest in something 'feminine' on Pintrest. I get the argument that the popular things are 'traditional girly' things, but that's that's a far cry from it 'killing' feminism, it's giving these subjects their own place.

60% is not 'overwhelmingly' female, it's 'mostly'. I like the furniture, crafts, and decorations on Pinterest, and I'm male. The point about fitness motivational posters is, in my opinion, way off the mark as well. The ones I tend to see, but keep in mind what people are exposed to on Pinterest is individual, are health centered muscle and cardio building ones. This is not the traditional 'ultra thin' female standard, but athletic and health slanted. It's much, much closer to what I'm used to seeing in bodybuilding and fitness magazines.

Now there might be interesting ways to use data mined from Pinterest to show shifting attitudes about this subject or that, including feminism, but it would of course be a reflection of the change, and not a driver of it.

 

[Jodie]

Why are you only cooking half your stick?

LOLOL...got my metaphors a bit confused, Raw end of the deal versus short end of the stick.....I'm a pot hole...what can I say?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ceRtrYqfwg

 

[sir drinks-a-lot]

Um, feminism means that you treat women with the same respect that your treat men. It comes from a time in the past when this was not always the case.

I think that is old school feminism, of which I am an advocate. The newer feminism talk about Womyn and Patriarchy, the male-phallic bias of the science, and all sorts of weird **** like that. I'm serious, Google it. (but check your privilege first)

It seems the author was trying to say that the women were being programmed by the patriarchy and our male-dominated society to like girly-girls stuff. The feminist movement taught them to like other stuff, and now pinterest is swinging the pendulum back.

 

[Kevin_Lowe]

I think that is old school feminism, of which I am an advocate. The newer feminism talk about Womyn and Patriarchy, the male-phallic bias of the science, and all sorts of weird **** like that. I'm serious, Google it. (but check your privilege first)

There's no such thing as "feminism" in any useful sense any more. There are feminisms, lots of them, some of which are wonderful and some of which are rather dumb.

Radfemhub-style feminism and some of the Continental feminist philosophers are way off the deep end. They aren't representative of modern feminism though, any more than any one church is representative of Christianity or Islam or Hinduism, or any one skeptical organisation is representative of all people who think homeopathy is rubbish.

If you go back to "old school" feminism you'll find plenty of idiocy there too, like the anti-porn and anti-sex feminists. The dumb ideas at the extremes tend to wither over time, whereas the good ideas take over and become so normal that people don't even think of them as feminist any more. For example nowadays you're not a feminist if you think women should have the vote and equal pay for equal work, you're just normal.

 

[Roma]

.... like saying that women from strict Islamic countries seem to like wearing head covering gear.

Maybe what they "like" about wearing it is the not being beaten or killed part.

Anyway, back in the 60's and 70's I used to think that feminism was all about equality but today in the first world countries I see it as more of a political tool or marketing ploy.

Third world countires are a whole other story where feminism as per equal human value is desperately needed to save female lives.

 

[Roma]

Bitches rule.

This is the ONE thing that I hate most about the so called "feminist" movement.

I absolutely hate the way the term "bitches" is now somehow considered appropriate, or funny, or a term of girlfriend endearment.

THAT is the fault of today's media. THAT is marketing.

Could everybody please stop calling women bitches ?

Thank-you (end of rant, no too long either eh?)

 

[RedRatSnake]

Hitting on what ~ Jodie ~ posted. Back in the day women where house wives or had pretty small stature jobs ( with the exception of the war ) Along comes the movement and slowly they start climbing the ladder into full society and let's say by the 80's or 90's they are in. What i have seen has happened so fast that in fact there seems to be a lot of wrangling for position within themselves that is kinda ugly. Being pretty has it's advantages and power, not so pretty and you might have to work harder, kinda like Blonde Vrs Burnett. You have women in porn and some in high corporate positions that look at each other not as women but as being wrong or right. We have women that can kick any guys butt in a fight and some that still want to be just moms like the old days.

What ever feminism was or is. I think it was achieved and lost in a few ways.

Tim

 

[Kahalachan]

Isn't feminism just about equality?

Who cares if women want to go on diets or look a certain way? If that's a woman's choice then good for her.

Is there any reason for us to believe that women are so dumb that they don't know how to advance their own well being? If they choose to have a healthy body then awesome. Sounds legit to me.


Feminism is some stereotype for most people. Where women have to be reserved about their sexuality. Where they can't look sexy. Where they have to be purely intellectual and boring. A feminist woman can't stay home and cook.


I say feminism should be about pure liberation and freedom for women. Why can't a woman objectify a man if she wants to? Use us for sex? Awesome. I'd high five her as if we were in a guy's locker room.

Feminism should be about a woman having confidence. Where she can laugh off some diet and be perfectly fine being fat. Just the way you would see some fat guy doing his joking fat guy stuff a woman can do that. Eat chips and drink beer in front of the TV.

It's a celebration of women, liberation for women, and respect for women as equals. That's feminism to me.

 

[Dancing David]

LOL ~ Feminism reminds me of the old Helen Reddy song, " I am Woman"
Back then it was a movement and very successful IMHO. I treat Women as equals in every aspect of my life with one exception. I can most certainly destroy a toilet better than most of them.

Tim ~

I had a girlfriend who claimed the women's toilets were nasty.

 

[ponderingturtle]

But their point is that women are taught to like that stuff, against their own self interest. Your argument can be used on other anti-women stances as well, like saying that women from strict Islamic countries seem to like wearing head covering gear.

Not saying they're right on this point, just pointing out what their argument is.

Yep the idea is that most women are really stupid and so need to be told what to do.

And any woman who wears clothes is just bowing to cultural stereotypes.

 

[Dancing David]

I think that is old school feminism, of which I am an advocate. The newer feminism talk about Womyn and Patriarchy, the male-phallic bias of the science, and all sorts of weird **** like that. I'm serious, Google it. (but check your privilege first)

It seems the author was trying to say that the women were being programmed by the patriarchy and our male-dominated society to like girly-girls stuff. The feminist movement taught them to like other stuff, and now pinterest is swinging the pendulum back.

Womyn is old school militant, I am not sure what century your are in.