bethiedrama101 Posted October 21, 2014 Report Share Posted October 21, 2014 Do you believe in gender equality? do you believe in feminism and what it stands for? If not, Why? This is purely out of curiosity and is not meant to attack anybody. Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sofia. Posted October 21, 2014 Report Share Posted October 21, 2014 Yes Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
batool Posted October 21, 2014 Report Share Posted October 21, 2014 Honestly can't think of many people who would publicly admit they're against gender equality. But, yeah, I do believe in feminism, the true definition of it anyway, because that just backs up the whole gender equality thing. 1 Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post vals Posted October 21, 2014 Popular Post Report Share Posted October 21, 2014 (edited) As much as I believe in gender equality, I find it hard to accept the term 'feminism' because of the connotation many women have given to it throughout the years. Don't get me wrong, but nowadays there are many women who use feminism as an excuse for a special treatment. Even in my limited experience of things, I've come across many women who were not too scrupulous when insulting the other gender. Why is this acceptable? Does an empowered woman really have the right to pigeonhole all males as "stupid pigs"? Maybe if we started calling it "equality", some individuals would not use it as a justification to back up their actions. Edited October 21, 2014 by vals 16 Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianHQ Posted October 21, 2014 Report Share Posted October 21, 2014 (edited) I believe in feminism, but, as vals said, not the one given throughout the years which serves as an excuse to get a special treatment, I believe in feminism as a way to reach a gender equality within every single person in this world.Unfortunately, this issue is in many countries just a dream which vanishes when it faces real life, where there are thousand of differences between men and women. However, if we fight constantly, in a future we will be able to turn what we now see as a dream into a reality.Nonetheless, I disagree with the name used to described this belief, I think it should be called something like neutralism or equalism. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By the way, if you want to check out my new thread here it is: http://www.ibsurvival.com/topic/31335-give-your-opinion-about-the-ib-now-you-will-have-a-chance-to-vent/ Edited October 21, 2014 by BrianHQ 1 Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
_corrina_f Posted October 21, 2014 Report Share Posted October 21, 2014 The definition is "the doctrine advocating social, political, and all other rights of women equal to those of men." The word feminist has stigma, so the way i see is it to focus on the meaning. If you want gender equality, then you are a feminist by definition. So yes, I am feminist, because yes, I believe gender discrimination is not okay. P.s just listen to Emma Watson's speech: link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-iFl4qhBsE 2 Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mariezgr Posted October 22, 2014 Report Share Posted October 22, 2014 I believe I am a feminist. However, I seldom use this term to identify myself as I don't think a simple "adjective" or self-imposed "connotation" can define me. Feminism is a part of my set of beliefs which greatly influence my way of being and thinking, but do not define who I am. That being said, I support feminism in its true form, advocating for the great number of destitute and unprotected women around the world. Both genders are necessary, they are neither better or worse. Comparing the value of each gender would be like comparing apples and oranges. Each sex is different from the other. We complement each other so I believe neither gender has the right to subtract rights or benefits from the other. Women should have an equal value to men in society. Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
geiszlers Posted February 22, 2015 Report Share Posted February 22, 2015 Yes, I'm an intersectional feminist, if it abides by its definition of "promoting gender equality". I think there's a shallow portrayal of feminism that comes up a lot in the media, of women being feminist if they punch guys out, wear red lipstick and commit felonies. That's all well and good, sure, but I think real feminism is all women being equal as well, regardless of whether they're homemakers or businesswomen or 'ditzes'. The thing with feminism that's difficult to swallow is the fact that men might need to make changes to their personal lifestyles... there is no such thing as getting "special treatment". Women have been unequal for years; if anything it's men that receive special treatment in society, so really it is a question of equality. I can understand how others might perceive it otherwise if they've been conditioned to believe so. 1 1 Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emilia1320 Posted February 22, 2015 Report Share Posted February 22, 2015 I definitely stand for gender equality. Do I want to classify myself as a feminist it depends on the definition of feminism. If its a person who is for gender equality then yes. But for example in Finland there is a mandatory military service for all men but not women, that's not equality either. I think that how far a person makes it should depend on his or her abilities, not the gender. 4 Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
behaaa Posted February 22, 2015 Report Share Posted February 22, 2015 Gender equality is definitely something that should exist, but I do not support the radical feminists of today. The true definition of feminism is what is really real. 1 Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
King112 Posted February 22, 2015 Report Share Posted February 22, 2015 I feel equality is subjective. For example, its a fact that women (mostly) are not as strong as men. So it will be a little hard to have women in the like Special Forces. They simply don't have the strength to carry the weights and run the distances. But in terms of stuff like pay, respect etc, definitely. There needs to be equality in some things, but some things is impossible. Another thing, there are certain things that are understood to be a man's job or woman's job. For example, Men are generally expected to pay for the first date/prom. I'm not debating right or wrong, im just stating a common idea.So back on track, i feel that there is a necessity for equality in somethings, but there are certain cases where equality is NOT possible.Just my two cents, please don't jump on me ;D 2 Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emilia1320 Posted February 22, 2015 Report Share Posted February 22, 2015 I feel equality is subjective. For example, its a fact that women (mostly) are not as strong as men. So it will be a little hard to have women in the like Special Forces. They simply don't have the strength to carry the weights and run the distances. But in terms of stuff like pay, respect etc, definitely. There needs to be equality in some things, but some things is impossible. Another thing, there are certain things that are understood to be a man's job or woman's job. For example, Men are generally expected to pay for the first date/prom. I'm not debating right or wrong, im just stating a common idea.So back on track, i feel that there is a necessity for equality in somethings, but there are certain cases where equality is NOT possible.Just my two cents, please don't jump on me ;DHypothetical question: if there was a woman who could perform as well as men, could she be accepted to the special forces in your opinion? 2 Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
traveller Posted February 22, 2015 Report Share Posted February 22, 2015 Some people say that supporting gender equality makes you a feminist.However, I find that somewhat unfair, because I support gender equality but I don't want to be considered a feminist. 1 Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
IbTrojan Posted February 22, 2015 Report Share Posted February 22, 2015 (edited) Yes, I am a feminist. Unfortunately, absolute equality between men and women does not seem realistic. But history has shown that bringing the divide of equality closer together is very much possible. The reason I don't think 100% equality will ever be achieved is because for that to happen, the majority of women need to support the cause, along with males. But there are so many women out there who are unable to (financially, against the law) get an education and because of their lack of education, they are already "inferior to men." If women are being told they will never be equal (which a lot are), then many eventually give up. There are some who give up fighting right from the start, others who fight for the feminist movement for some time, those who never even start and the few (comparatively) who continue to remain proactive. There's also the fact, as some have mentioned above, that people abuse the word "feminist" or "feminism." They start using it in context where it doesn't encourage support but rather LOSES supporters and that's the problem. Over the years, the terms "feminist" and "feminism" have been used so loosely, in such a way where it's own definition is perceived differently than what it truly means. THAT'S why I believe females and males will never be equal. It's quite unfortunate and it hurts to say but that's what I believe is the realistic viewpoint of the movement. Edited February 22, 2015 by IbTrojan 1 Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schrodinger's CAS Posted February 22, 2015 Report Share Posted February 22, 2015 I absolutely advocate for gender equality, but I feel that it is something that is harder to achieve than it seems. Creating laws that guarantee gender equality is easy compared to actually guaranteeing gender equality in our culture. However, forcing people to accept gender equality is ineffective. Rather, people have to embrace equality as part of their culture. Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
King112 Posted February 23, 2015 Report Share Posted February 23, 2015 I feel equality is subjective. For example, its a fact that women (mostly) are not as strong as men. So it will be a little hard to have women in the like Special Forces. They simply don't have the strength to carry the weights and run the distances. But in terms of stuff like pay, respect etc, definitely. There needs to be equality in some things, but some things is impossible. Another thing, there are certain things that are understood to be a man's job or woman's job. For example, Men are generally expected to pay for the first date/prom. I'm not debating right or wrong, im just stating a common idea.So back on track, i feel that there is a necessity for equality in somethings, but there are certain cases where equality is NOT possible.Just my two cents, please don't jump on me ;DHypothetical question: if there was a woman who could perform as well as men, could she be accepted to the special forces in your opinion? Yes, she should be, but I mean on an average, women just cannot perform as well. Though the exceptional cases should definitely be accepted. Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emmi Posted February 23, 2015 Report Share Posted February 23, 2015 I feel equality is subjective. For example, its a fact that women (mostly) are not as strong as men. So it will be a little hard to have women in the like Special Forces. They simply don't have the strength to carry the weights and run the distances. But in terms of stuff like pay, respect etc, definitely. There needs to be equality in some things, but some things is impossible. Another thing, there are certain things that are understood to be a man's job or woman's job. For example, Men are generally expected to pay for the first date/prom. I'm not debating right or wrong, im just stating a common idea.So back on track, i feel that there is a necessity for equality in somethings, but there are certain cases where equality is NOT possible.Just my two cents, please don't jump on me ;DHypothetical question: if there was a woman who could perform as well as men, could she be accepted to the special forces in your opinion? Yes, she should be, but I mean on an average, women just cannot perform as well. Though the exceptional cases should definitely be accepted. Going along with this idea, it's generally true that men are physically stronger than women due to biological and physiological reasons. There are exceptions, yes, but overall a woman isn't going to be as strong as a man or have the same endurance levels. As an example, many of the armed forces in the U.S. have recently allowed women to become soldiers on the front lines (infantry people) rather than simply being in the armed forces but having a different job (such as medical professions, hospitality, maintenance crews, etc). The U.S. Marine Corps have actually allowed women to join the infantry for quite some time now, but no woman has been able to pass the physical requirements yet. The requirements for certain physically intensive jobs should be the same for men and women, and if a woman can meet those requirements, that's great. However, if I'm trapped in a building that's on fire and a firefighter that happens to be a woman can't lift me out of the building, that doesn't do either of us much good. It boils down more to the requirements and nature of the job in this case rather than trying to please every person. The jobs should be open to either sex for equality, but both sexes should have to meet the same physical requirements rather than a woman having an easier physical fitness test than a man, which is also equality. I'm quite progressive, hold several feminist ideals, and am pro-equality for both sexes but there comes a point where we can't make exceptions for everyone, just for equality!!11! 6 Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great Polar Bear Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 I believe in gender equality. Although feminism in its most fundamental form simply strives for women to have equal rights as men, it is indirectly being portrayed as female dominance and some such elements may already be seen in certain societies. 1 Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AAPower Posted May 10, 2015 Report Share Posted May 10, 2015 As much as I believe in gender equality, I find it hard to accept the term 'feminism' because of the connotation many women have given to it throughout the years. Don't get me wrong, but nowadays there are many women who use feminism as an excuse for a special treatment. Even in my limited experience of things, I've come across many women who were not too scrupulous when insulting the other gender. Why is this acceptable? Does an empowered woman really have the right to pigeonhole all males as "stupid pigs"? Maybe if we started calling it "equality", some individuals would not use it as a justification to back up their actions. My stance of feminism is pretty much as above. I think there are issues with both genders, and if we are to achieve equality we must act accordingly. I think Emma Watson's HeforShe movement is really positive, her speech on YT at the UN is worth a watch. 1 Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post OMGIBISFUN Posted May 10, 2015 Popular Post Report Share Posted May 10, 2015 I'm all for gender equality, and I think there is a plethora of issues that need to be addressed. In most modern societies, there are laws in place which set standards for gender equality. This is what I believe is the foundation of gender equality, social attitudes and perceptions will change slowly, and over generations. Having said that, I would definitely not label myself a feminist. Whilst the core principles of the movement strive for equality, I feel a large part of its more extreme adherents propagate a negative message. They have opinions that are very gynocentric and alienating to men in general. What I also find despicable, is the widespread dismissal and denial of any legitimate issues men face in society, e.g. custody laws overwhelmingly favouring mothers, sentences for similar crimes being significantly longer for men, to name a couple. I think claiming that simply being a male gives you some ultimate privilege, and implying that you can't possibly have any legitimate issues is ignorant and possibly rooted in hostility and resentment. Also, the claims that women were always universally oppressed is somewhat shortsighted. Whilst this is somewhat true in some areas of life, the reasons are not as black and white as some feminists like to portray them as. Let's take the issue of custody of children in the U.S to begin with, historically in situations of divorce men received custody, because he was financially 100% responsible for not only his children but his wife as well. (Keep in mind, any income a woman received was hers to spend as she wished, no financial obligations) Feminists fought for legislation to ensure mothers received custody, which happened as laws were passed. What's often omitted by feminists is, that whilst mothers continue to receive sole custody in an overwhelming majority of cases, men who are stripped of their rights to be a part of his childrens' lives STILL remain financially obligated to fund their raising. This is unjust not only for the father, but for the children as well. I think this is a case of the pendulum swinging too far. Another issue I have a problem with, is the claims of women receiving 77 cents for every dollar a man earns for the same work. (Even repeated by president Obama)Whilst there are glass ceilings and inequalities of opportunity in areas of business, this figure is misleading due to simple statistics and mathematics. The 77 cents figure is calculated by comparing the median income of ALL men and ALL women in the country. The first problem with this is, it does not account for education background and profession. Thus using "for the same work", is hugely misleading. Furthermore, this ignores fundamentally crucial factors, such as the different career paths men and women choose, the fact that many women choose to work part time especially after becoming a mother, and the overwhelming number of men who choose to work full time AND overtime. Not to mention that on average, out of highly educated university graduates, women earn on average more for the exact same job. As a male, I don't consider this to be a marker of inequality. I believe salaries should be based on merit alone. Do I think social attitudes towards which career paths are socially acceptable need changing? Yes, absolutely and this goes for both genders. Everyone should be allowed to follow their passion in life. I'm by no means trying to deny that there are gender inequalities in this world, I'm simply saying that I don't consider myself a feminist because of their increasingly discriminatory modus operandi. I would consider myself a humanist, in that as a society we should emphasise the value of each individual, rather than by the categories they fall under, whether that be race, gender or sexual orientation. Sorry for the long post, I just feel strongly about this. 11 Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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