Confused Dudes Confused by Confused Cats Against Feminism

I think Niall is an acceptable chew toy. For now.

You should make the Giant Laser Kitty of Death, and then wield it wisely.

Also, I like this comic but hate to think what MRAs would do if they found it:

http://www.robot-hugs.com/harassment/

That’s an awesome comic. I bookmarked it!

Of all the people I can remember who have criticized my weight, my hair, my clothes, my goals… I can’t remember one feminist partaking in them.

I’ve never had a feminist tell me I was helpless.

I’ve had feminists tell me that someone’s predatory behavior wasn’t my fault, and that I didn’t need to take responsibility for somehow encouraging Mr. McI’mAGonnaTryToKissYouOnTheMouthUninvitedEvenThoughWe’veOnlyJustMetInThisParkAndWe’veHadAFifteenMinuteChatAndI’mYourFather’sAge,

I do, however, remember anti feminists who’ve told me I need to wear makeup, or that I’m bizarre because I don’t want kids. I’ve had them imply by words and actions that I can never be as good as a man at the things I love, and that I’m not a good woman because I have no interest in the things that are women’s “natural” talents, or “natural” gifts..

I’ve had anti feminists tell me to my face that feminism didn’t emphasize women’s true gifts as homemakers, or stay at home mothers, and that we should be more proud of our feminine talents.

To many antifeminists, I’m less than a person, because I’m not a man and I don’t fit in their woman box.

It doesn’t matter how much community service I do, or how much I know, I’m not a man so I shouldn’t be considering the paths I’m considering, and how dare I say that I don’t like kids, or that I can’t see myself as a mother, or not want a husband to make me whole

None of the feminists in my life have anything bad to say about stay at home moms. Stay at home moms are awesome, but not all women are cut out for that.

I’m a feminist because I want everyone to be free to pursue the life they want to live; as a stay at home mom, a stay at home dad, a paramedic, a pipe fitter, a teacher, whatever.

I want to feel free to wear jeans and play with duct-tape. I’d like others to be free to wear makeup and heels (man or woman) because they want to.

I would love for stay at home dads and moms to be as respected as their working spouses.

I would love a world with more resources for those in need, or suffering from the trauma of abuse so that they can live their lives as survivors, and not victims.

I could go on all night, but here’s the one sentence summary:

I believe that we can move society to a point where individuals are allowed and respected for following the life path that they are best suited to, in abilities and temperament, in order to make the world a better place in any way.

Feminism has a way better framework for this than any other movement I’ve encountered.

We’ll never hit the ideal, because I know better than to expect utopia. That doesn’t mean I’m going to give up, though.

Baby steps.

Sorry for the TL;DR, to all non trolls. The trolls probably didn’t bother reading.

Well, niall, you’ve sure convinced me that you have a sense of humor.

contrapangloss:

That was a thing of beauty. May I quote you?

@contrapangloss – That was truly wonderful. And beautiful.

I love Robot Hugs. I’ve been reading it for about a year now, and I find the ones about depression especially true for me.

Contrapangloss. Thanks for your reasoned and respectful response.

As I’ve already acknowledged, feminism has its strong points and has done us all some service. It has also done us some disservice. Virtually all the main aims of feminism have been achieved in most of the western world – this is something that, certainly in European countries, is acknowledged.

The real issue many people have with feminism is that not does not address men’s issues, or other groupings issues, and is a rather loose collection of ideas and ideologies that feminists themselves cannot agree on more often than not.

The reason there is such a backlash against feminism IMO, is because it has allowed its radical element to take over its public face and the majority of the more moderate feminists (like yourself) throughout the movement, and the more influential and well known feminists in the public eye,seem to have done very little to curtail that radicalism. That makes them somewhat complicit IMO.

Feminism has been tainted via that radical element – that radical element are now mainstream in many ways. In turn, the MRA’s have come about to tackle that radical element. I believe the MRA are far too reactionary and radical at the moment, but will in time, run out of steam and be replaced by a far more moderate group of men and women. I support equal rights for men and women. Therefore, I support elements of both the MRA and feminism.

The real issue that IMO, any right thinking or reasoned person should have with feminism is that it actively tries to discriminate against men in some key areas.

I’m in Europe as I’ve said. Throughout Europe as we speak, there are groups of feminists in every country working together to push through a law – The Istanbul Convention. This particular law is on domestic violence. However, it is a gynocentric law. It is a law that only applies for the protection of female victims of domestic violence, and purposely excludes men.

In Ireland, UK, France, Germany and other EU countries, the rates of domestic violence against men is similar to that against women. This is a perfect example of why feminism actively harms men at times. It further stigmatises men, denies them protection in law afforded to women. Is this intentional on behalf of those radical feminists? Yes.

Keep in mind that the founder of one of the first womens shelters in the world, and ex feminist, Erin Pizzy, had tried to set up domestic violence shelters for men and was threatened by radical feminists that shot her dog, threatened her children and forced her to leave her country. They wouldn’t accept men too could be victims of domestic abuse, because that ,undermined their victimhood. She was a guest at the relatively recent first men’s conference that was boycotted by rad-fems.

Primarily womens issues are issues actually affect both men and women almost equally (eg: rape, domestic abuse, etc That’s why feminism is unsustainable in its current reincarnation in most of the 1st world. It is time for a change. I no longer identify as feminist, nor do I identify as MRA. I’m in a form of limbo like so many others that feel represented by neither.

The issues facing men are far greater than those facing women. Unmarried fathers, suicide, education, life expectancy, paternal rights, family courts, lack of domestic abuse shelters or support, sexual abuse assault, sentencing in the courts – these are the key areas in anyones life.

It is time to address them, feminism opposes them far too often, not in words, but by actions.

As for the numerous posters above that said men have enough political clout, well, they knew exactly what I meant. There are very few supporters of mens issue in Government. It was clear that’s what I meant.

It matters not one whit how many men or women are in politics if they don’t address the issue.

The backlash at feminism is only beginning. But you can go onto almost any website in Western media and you’ll find feminism is being challenged on every one day in day out. As more newspapers fold due to the net, they’ll be forced online, and its readership will follow. Media news websites are dominated by men internationally. Collectively those men will force those publications to address matters of concern to them.

http://www.esrc.ac.uk/news-and-events/press-releases/26789/women-worldwide-know-less-about-politics-than-men.aspx

For now, we are stuck with radical feminism and the radical MRA elements,. That’s why I want to see it come to a head. So we can dispense with it and move on.

Play you off against each other? But why? You’re doing a fine job of that all by yourself.

niall, can you actually define what radical feminism is? And what the goals of feminism are?

Because your wall o’ text is basically, “The radical feminists are coming! The radial feminists are coming! Why won’t a woman’s movement fix men’s problems? Erin Pizzey’s dog!”

And it’s kind of obvious you have no idea.

@niall: hmm. Ever wonder just WHY you think that radical feminists are the “public face”? Couldn’t have anything to do with the patriarchy focusing on the most easily-dismissible ones, could it? The ones that most closely match the straw feminists that get propped up in the media all the time?

In short, fuck you. Lol, you even brought up Erin pizzey’s dog. What a fucking tool you are.

I’m mostly laughing at the idea that anyone could think of, say, Jessica Valenti or Amanda Marcotte as radical feminists. It’s kind of like when they describe Jezebel as an extremely super hardcore feminist site, and then every actual feminist on the internet nearly pees herself laughing.

…He does know that Dworkin is dead, right?