lets collectively lol @ these "I need feminism because..." pics

[BreakfastMan]

I agree. I believe the whole "feminism" is due some urgent re-branding. Let's ball in masculanism too and re-name it "gender equality". Then people might stop having these pointless little scraps and do what matters: making people totally equal regardless or race, gender and all that pointless crap.

What feminism really needs is to get away from all of the stupid stereotypes, cliches, and misinformation attached to it. Hopefully then people will stop being so stupid about it.

 

[Madman123456]

Erm... Feminism has been used and misused for so many things...
If we had a society where women in general where treated with less regard to their gender (there should still be *some* regard for the genders, if only the ackknowledgement that women don't enjoy fart jokes so much) the very existence of feminism would mean that the fair gender thinks it is needed.
The males are expected to be able to fend for themselves while the ladies band together to show the males that they can do everything they can? Unlikely.

I am apparently quite advanced in my way of thinking because i think that these People pictured above have issues all by themselves, not because they're women (or letting themselves be dominated by women.).

 

[Sylveria]

I need feminism because never having experienced "street harrasment" shouldn't make me feel unattractive.....

This is the first time i've seen feminism used because someone ISN'T being treated as a sex object.

That one made me chuckle the most.

Although all of them are quite amusing.

Just kinda demonstrates that "feminists" have no idea what they want. I want to be sexualized, but only when I want to be sexualized, not when I don't want to be sexualized cause then I'm being exploited. Sound and fury signifying nothing. I especially like that one and the Asian guy who contributes to rape culture simply because he has a penis.

Feminism has done more to set back feminism than anti-feminism has ever done.

 

[Terminal Blue]

snip

You know what I like to laugh at?

People who have never actually read or learned about feminism trying to laugh at people who have. It's like watching a dog try to walk on its hind legs.

#1 uhhh feminism lets you achieve that how??

I'll give you one clue, see if you can work it out.

Feminism.
Feminization.

They have the same prefix. Why?

#2 ummm you're not getting harassed and that makes you feel unattractive? Very few people actually think this way and subscribing to feminism won't change that opinion of yourself.

Would it have been easier if she had written it in pink?

Anyone who didn't get that one should be fucking embarrassed.

#3 well that shit makes no sense at all. Because I don't subscribe to feminism, I'm for rape? lol what

Read the sign one more time. There's a very big clue in the way it is phrased.

#4 lol...again that's a personal confidence thing

No it's not.

Did you actually read the card?

#5 a self confidence thing, nothing that an outside power will change for you. You need to do it yourself

Again, go back and read the card and tell me in what way anything you've said is relevant.

#6 Cool story!

You know what's funny? People who justify their own ignorance by claiming that the knowledge in question isn't important.

A cursory knowledge of gender studies would at least help you understand these cards before you embarrassed yourself on a public forum.

#7 lol that don't make sense, but ok!

Really, this is too difficult for you? It's a pretty simple point.. if there's any criticism which can be made of it it's that it's actually too simple.

 

[Sylveria]

My reactions:
#4. So not supporting feminism means I support rape? Yeah, that makes sense. ¬__¬ /sarcasm

It depends. If you are anti-rape and support the sexual autonomy of others you are pretty much a feminist or subscribe to feminist thought.

That is the broadest interpretation possible and yet another good demonstration of how feminism tries to pull everything in to itself which leads to the "feminist movement" have no real unity or clear goals and a thousand little splinter sects of varying levels of extremism.

 

[Gentleman Adventurer]

We need feminism because of people who make threads like this.

I am inclined to agree. Also, can you not just not lock down this thread? Or do I not understand your Escapist Staff powers?

 

[Sylveria]

snip

You know what I like to laugh at?

People who have never actually read or learned about feminism trying to laugh at people who have. It's like watching a dog try to walk on its hind legs.

#1 uhhh feminism lets you achieve that how??

I'll give you one clue, see if you can work it out.

Feminism.
Feminization.

They have the same prefix. Why?

#2 ummm you're not getting harassed and that makes you feel unattractive? Very few people actually think this way and subscribing to feminism won't change that opinion of yourself.

Would it have been easier if she had written it in pink?

#3 well that shit makes no sense at all. Because I don't subscribe to feminism, I'm for rape? lol what

Read the sign one more time. There's a very big clue in the way it is phrased.

#4 lol...again that's a personal confidence thing

No it's not.

Did you actually read the card?

#5 a self confidence thing, nothing that an outside power will change for you. You need to do it yourself

Again, go back and read the card and tell me in what way anything you've said is relevant.

#6 Cool story!

You know what's funny? People who justify their own ignorance by claiming that the knowledge in question isn't important.

A cursory knowledge of gender studies would at least help you understand these cards before you embarrassed yourself on a public forum.

#7 lol that don't make sense, but ok!

Really, this is too difficult for you? It's a pretty simple point.. if there's any criticism which can be made of it it's that it's actually too simple.

I like how you don't elaborate on how the person you're quoting interpretation of the cards is wrong or try to explain them, but instead just say "go back and read it again cause you're dumb."

Another righteous blow for feminism.. acting smug and superior and expecting everyone to have a masters degree in gender studies while demeaning the people who don't. You are a perfect example of why the feminist movement is looked upon with such disdain.

You wan't people to stop looking at feminists as a bunch of extremist man-haters, give you some respect, and actually try to listen to your position? Stop doing what you're doing.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

I wasn't attempting to move the goal posts so much as to put the discussion in context. Its not about pride.

Its not about celebration or romanticism either.

Its about acknowledging the extenuating circumstances that surround everybody and that implying that someone is a problem or somehow lesser because of such is a bad thing to do. Even more dire being that a judgement based upon their physical form.

Well, context, yeah? Her sign says she "loves her fat body". "Fat" being her choice of word, not mine. She then goes on to censure people who find that strange, and makes some off the wall remark about patriarchal standards of beauty, as though "a healthy weight" is a sexist or oppressive concept.

I have no problem with people wanting to love their own body and feel free from personal attack, but "being fat" is not a gendered issue, and "loving your fat" is not a problem we need or want feminism to solve. We could have a discussion about our ridiculous standards for what constitutes "fat", but that's an out of context discussion.

If I came up to you and said "Woo hoo, I love my auto immune disease!" would you not find that passing strange? Would finding it strange mean you supported patriarchal beauty standards?

EDIT: Oh grand, I see the inevitable "Amazing Atheist" video has been posted. If I have to hear from that hateful, bloviating neckbeard one more time this century I'm doing myself in, I swear to god.

 

[rbstewart7263]

Looking at point 6- I'm a bit skeptical that female standards of beauty are dictated by men.

I should think loving one's fat body would be a "radical concept" because a "fat body" denotes a state of ill health. You could just as easily say that loving one's gangrenous foot would be a radical concept, and you would be correct.

Yes, women put up with a lot of unreasonable beauty standards but keeping your weight inside healthy limits shouldn't be considered one of them. For anyone. Male or female.

Awww damn I'm opening up a whole other can of worms with that, aren't I? I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.

well what gets me is shes trying to be radical about being big and beautiful in an age where thats a thing that today many people find attractive. shes essentially smashing an already smashed issue. unless you exist in a circle who think that your ugly unless your skinny than your not doing much but saying "look im a rebel snowflake."

She would be loved in rap circles! HA!!! ROFL LMAO!! JK but seriously.

captcha:most interesting man

say something less obvous about me captcha...

 

[rbstewart7263]

snip

You know what I like to laugh at?

People who have never actually read or learned about feminism trying to laugh at people who have. It's like watching a dog try to walk on its hind legs.

#1 uhhh feminism lets you achieve that how??

I'll give you one clue, see if you can work it out.

Feminism.
Feminization.

They have the same prefix. Why?

#2 ummm you're not getting harassed and that makes you feel unattractive? Very few people actually think this way and subscribing to feminism won't change that opinion of yourself.

Would it have been easier if she had written it in pink?

#3 well that shit makes no sense at all. Because I don't subscribe to feminism, I'm for rape? lol what

Read the sign one more time. There's a very big clue in the way it is phrased.

#4 lol...again that's a personal confidence thing

No it's not.

Did you actually read the card?

#5 a self confidence thing, nothing that an outside power will change for you. You need to do it yourself

Again, go back and read the card and tell me in what way anything you've said is relevant.

#6 Cool story!

You know what's funny? People who justify their own ignorance by claiming that the knowledge in question isn't important.

A cursory knowledge of gender studies would at least help you understand these cards before you embarrassed yourself on a public forum.

#7 lol that don't make sense, but ok!

Really, this is too difficult for you? It's a pretty simple point.. if there's any criticism which can be made of it it's that it's actually too simple.

I like how you don't elaborate on how the person you're quoting interpretation of the cards is wrong or try to explain them, but instead just say "go back and read it again cause you're dumb."

Another righteous blow for feminism.. acting smug and superior and expecting everyone to have a masters degree in gender studies while demeaning the people who don't. You are a perfect example of why the feminist movement is looked upon with such disdain.

You wan't people to stop looking at feminists as a bunch of extremist man-haters, give you some respect, and actually try to listen to your position? Stop doing what you're doing.

Sylveria....I.......I...you you get it. wow thats pretty cool. yeah I actually hated feminism at first having been introduced to it through anita sarkeesian. Ive since perused the internet to find that not all feminists are ignorant college grads that feel oppressed over nothing or the same things that everyone feels oppressed by. I like the nostalgia chick for example.

 

[sharpe95th]

I need feminism because 14 year old fucking idiots with superiority complexes on the internet believe that because they've never raped anybody themselves that sexism doesn't exist.

 

[rbstewart7263]

I agree. I believe the whole "feminism" is due some urgent re-branding. Let's ball in masculanism too and re-name it "gender equality". Then people might stop having these pointless little scraps and do what matters: making people totally equal regardless or race, gender and all that pointless crap.

What feminism really needs is to get away from all of the stupid stereotypes, cliches, and misinformation attached to it. Hopefully then people will stop being so stupid about it.

But its not misinformation. Its not like people are making cartoons lampooning something that isnt there. there are few media out there that lampoon feminism in general. When peoples experiences with feminism include angry lady college grads that want to yell at you for checking out there ass then unfortunately feminism gets a bad name from that.

I for one feel sorry for any true feminists they have to fight there contemporaries more than others. Personally I feel a change to humanist or egalitarian would be better for such folks as the word may be done for in intellectually honest circles.

 

[BreakfastMan]

But its not misinformation.

Yes, it is. When many people believe that feminists are all angry, 2nd wave, sex-negative types who take the words in "Pornography: Men Possessing Women" as law when most are nothing like that, there is a severe problem of misinformation. It would be like if people decided to judge all of Christianity based on stupid Evangelicals, and is just as intellectually dishonest. I would wager that most people who have had a bad experience with feminism (like encountering those angry lady college grads you mentioned) have met many more feminists than they realize. :\

 

[Luna]

...Seriously? Alright, time to bust out the image. I am busting out the image now.

Spoiler: Image busting out

The image has been bust out now.

http://i47.tinypic.com/27y8j8y.jpg[/ig][/spoiler]

I mean, just... What's the point? The purpose of this thread is [i]literally[/i] point and laugh at people who think differently to you? About feminism of all things? Yeah, that'll end well.[/QUOTE]


They deserve to be laughed at for generally being foolish.

 

[BoneDaddy_SK]

Basically, its not something that is even on each side. Most of the divisiveness and ignorance almost always stems from the reactionaries. But for some reason, even pointing this out will cause reactionaries to react divisively. Thus, I am generally of the belief they do not really care about anything but themselves.

I would say it's more that many of them would rather win than succeed.

My problem with Feminism is that it makes it sound like a female gender issue only. The term. Whatever it means to do, it creates a specialty subsection of our culture that is meant to make us all equal, but on the surface is dealing with one section of our population.

So if we didn't change anything about feminism except for the name (let's say hypothetically we started calling it "magic brownies") you would suddenly be totally in favor of it? The name of a school of thought isn't the problem. It's stupid people. They're not going to stop being stupid if you get into this whole, "I'm more egalitarian than you," dick measuring contest.

 

[Terminal Blue]

I like how you don't elaborate on how the person you're quoting interpretation of the cards is wrong or try to explain them, but instead just say "go back and read it again cause you're dumb."

These threads go round and round in circles and generally the OPs abandon them within a couple of hours, so I have no desire to explain this unless it's actually going to inform someone. I'm happy to engage in an active debate, but I'm not wasting my entire fucking life on some doomed crusade to enlighten the internet.

Another righteous blow for feminism.. acting smug and superior and expecting everyone to have a masters degree in gender studies while demeaning the people who don't.

You mean, as opposed to acting smug and superior when you have no real knowledge and then expecting those who do have masters degrees in gender studies to be cowed in awe by your awesome and completely untaught wisdom regarding a subject which you've never read or learned about?

But if it helps, let me explain to you why some things you've said are wrong.

I especially like that one and the Asian guy who contributes to rape culture simply because he has a penis.

No. He doesn't say he contributes to rape culture because he has a penis, that is entirely your judgement based on the fact that he's a guy.

"Rape culture" is a slightly 80s concept and one I personally have no real time for, but the actual theory behind it is pretty simple. It's a response to several key facts about rape which emerged a few decades ago when people started seriously researching it:

* Rape is far more common in our society than most people realize.
* Rape in our society is overwhelmingly committed by men against women or against other, lower status men.
* Rapists are very seldom aware that they have committed an unacceptable act, they generally believe that their own aggressive or violent behavior was simply part of the normal role distribution of sexual relations.

Faced with this, there are two possible explanations.

* Men are simply driven compulsively to rape by some factor of their anatomy, neurology or endocrinology which they can't control and which makes them dangerous to all women (and certain other men) who are close to them.
* Elements of our society and the way we raise men tend to predispose them towards aggressive or controlling sexual behavior, and this can be directly linked to the historical division of sexual practices into "active" and "passive" positions which accompanied traditional gender roles.

The feminist argument is the latter one.

"Rape culture" is a term for any broader social factor which results in that widespread confusion between rape and "normal" sexual conduct. Precisely what will qualify for this will vary depending on the background of who you ask, but it does not mean that all men are rapists, or indeed that only men support rape culture.

That is the broadest interpretation possible and yet another good demonstration of how feminism tries to pull everything in to itself which leads to the "feminist movement" have no real unity or clear goals and a thousand little splinter sects of varying levels of extremism.

There is no "feminist movement", there has not been a "feminist movement" for about 30 or 40 years now.

Feminism is a series of ideas relating to the social inequalities between the genders. That's all. The ideas have become popular not because groups of incredibly powerful women came and imposed them on society, but because they were tested and generally found to be a convincing explanation not only of the lives of many people (particularly women) but also of many aspects of our social world which were previously difficult to explain. Thus, almost everyone today accepts most of them.

That is why you have been able to unconsciously accept so many feminist principles, many of which were considered outrageously radical as little as a few decades ago, without necessarily regarding yourself as feminist at all. The name you give these ideas does not matter. There is no movement. There is nowhere where you sign up and get your feminist card. There is no special protest or conference you have to attend in order to be a "proper" feminist. At one point, being a feminist was very contingent on social activism. Today, it is not. "Feminist activism" is coalitional and issue-driven. There is no feminist manifesto which tells you which issues you support, it's just that some of the theoretical writing lends itself to particular political projects, and not always the same political projects. There have been several quite famous occasions when feminists have found themselves in direct opposition with regards to major exercises of social activism.

This particular photo campaign was not sanctioned by the World Feminist Council in an effort to promote its self image, it's a group of people who fundamentally feel upset at how a concept and body of literature which has personal meaning to them is maligned. There are not "thousands of splinter sects" who deviate on how to interpret the holy tome of Feminist law, there are individuals who are motivated by shared knowledge and/or ideals. That's what a political coalition is.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

Well I'd already typed out the above part of my response before I read this. I'm damned if I'm not posting it now I've typed it though.

Sure, but you only get *5* achievement points. First past the post, and all.