Poll: Emma Watson's Speech on Gender Equality

[ultratog1028]

I've been waiting for someone to bring this to light; To wave this torch. I could not have said this better myself. Rarely do I 100% agree with another's view. This is one of those cases.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

I suppose gender rolls matter.

Heh. Gender rolls.

On another note, yeesh this thread turned pretty ugly didn't it? I probably should have known better.

 

[Thaluikhain]

What I don't get is why all these feminists who supposedly are out to champion the cause of "equality" which is "supposed" to apply to everyone, don't take up the position of egalitarian. The beauty of it is unlike feminism doesn't confine itself to women. You're out to give everybody a fair shake. Men, women, and everybody else who identifies as anything else. The problem is that it would require the people who are active in it to be genuine about it. No more "empowering" one group by putting down another. No more being selfish, having your cake and eating it too. You can stick up for women's rights, the societal expectations placed on men, freedom for trans people to identify and live their lives however they choose.

Being a feminist does not mean you aren't allowed to be anything else. You can stick up for any and all people you want and be a feminist.

There are plenty of people who are interested in equality for everyone. Gender equality being a subset of this, they often identify as feminist.

Now, certainly, feminism has a real problem with intersectionality. But that's mostly because every single rights movement does.

 

[aegix drakan_v1legacy]

I agree with Emma on this.

I find it really annoying when the occasional person thinks I'm gay or asexual because my sex drive it low, or make other stupid assumptions when they found out I had a girlfriend for 3 years and never pressured her for sex.

I find it incredibly aggravating when people tell me to "man up" when I'm feeling down, implying that I should just suppress all emotion. I get really irritated when doing something nice for a girl is immediately construed as either "wanting to get in her pants because that's why all men do it" or "huuur, you're just whipped, man! The women have got you!".

Not to mention I have interests that I need to keep hidden from most people because they'd probably misinterpret it and think I'm gay or trans or whatever else, when I'm clearly not. And I hate further when they not only assume that stuff and then proceed to look down on it as if it would be a bad thing even IF it was true.

I also hate the overly macho posturing guys who feel that they always have to be right, and always have to be big gritty badasses 100% of the time to "be a man", especially when they look down on me as a "wuss/sissy/traitor to my gender/whatever" for not being like them.

Fortunately, I don't have to deal with any of that on a regular basis because I make a point not to hang out with douchebags, but still, when it happens, it REALLY pisses me off. Because of my low sex drive, and attending an all-boy high school, I was bullied mercilessly to the point where I'm still a bit fucked up, even 7-8 years later.

I just want to be ME, without people judging me on stupid stereotypes. I am ME. And I'm not going to change myself to suit your stupid stereotypes, un-enlightened morons of society. And !@#$ you very much if you think that I should.

The sooner society gets its foot out of it's ass about gender stereotypes, the better it will be for everyone. And I say this as a straight, white, Canadian male. I can't imagine how it must be for people who are far more clearly out of the norm (trans people, gay men, public crossdressers, etc). If it's this annoying for me, it must REALLY be hell for them.

 

[Kameburger]

-snip-

So... from what you're saying I'm getting the feeling that this is a complicated issue.... >.> lol in which case I won't burden you too much further with my ridiculous musings.

So I think I was able to also surmise that feminists are not out to steal my gold. lol jk I don't have any gold... >.>;;;;

lol no but seriously thanks for that. It's very rare to have a conversation on this topic without shots being fired at one point or another. So thank you for that.

So To quote the great Ken Watanabe from the award winning film The Last Samurai, "I have enjoyed this conversation in English"

 

[newfoundsky]

It depends on the issue really.

Men generally are expected to be the stronger sex, but thats because we are. Not saying we don't have feelings, but we won't get anywhere as a society if we all go around being big blubbery messes because Phil wore the same shirt to the office today.

Yes, men need support for stuff like suicide, domestic abuse, rape. We also need our rights as a part of raising a child recognized.

My girlfriend is a feminist, but recognizes the need for gender roles, because if shes having a bad day, if I let her mood ruinine we'd just ***** and moan at each other and then the dogs wouldn't get walked. And if the dogs don't get walked then they shit and piss all over the house, then we're in a bad mood and there's shit and piss all over everything.

And that is an apt metaphore for the whole situation. Someone has to suck it up and get on with things, or it'll all get covered in shit. And piss.

What the hell? not all of us women (in fact very very few and I only say that because there is always someone somewhere) are stupid blubbery messes who cry over who wore the same shit and if she bitches and moans so much she can't even walk the dog when she had a bad day that sounds like an issue with her specifically.
Personally I'm all for ramping up the shame for women who are like that instead of making them think its ok because their just a women and women are expected to be pathetic. It should not be encourage or supported.

Edit: fixes, I suck at typing on this thing.

Woah. It sounds like you have some issues that need to be resolved, much like this man's girlfriend. Perhaps you should both consider therapy, her for her depression, and you for that aggression right there. You shouldn't shame anyone like that for acting how they are programmed, you should break them of it through other means, such as therapy (for depression, anger, violence).

 

[Jarek Mace]

Why have we, as a society, because so terrified of biology?
This is a battle of Nature and Nurture, but it seems that Feminist moves don't seem to want to address that fact. You can claim "Hey! There are more male CEO's! Sexism! Outrage! Misogny!" all whilst ignoring the fact that there are more female support workers and nursery workers, more male dustbin men, more male police officers, slightly more female customer service desk workers.

Oh, it's an entitled (western) world.

 

[Thaluikhain]

This is a battle of Nature and Nurture, but it seems that Feminist moves don't seem to want to address that fact. You can claim "Hey! There are more male CEO's! Sexism! Outrage! Misogny!" all whilst ignoring the fact that there are more female support workers and nursery workers, more male dustbin men, more male police officers, slightly more female customer service desk workers.

Well, excepting that those are things that feminists talk about all the time.