Feminism's Bad Rep

[3JuJu3]

I am shocked and dismayed in the past several years to hear the bad rep that feminism has.  To me, being feminist is a normal, status quo part of belonging to the 21st century whether you're a man or a woman.  I can't imagine anyone who could argue that women and girls don't deserve the same rights and privileges as men and boys in this day and age.  Unfortunately, the more I talk to people and the more I read forums and other comments online the more I see a negativity towards feminism.  I don't know if others have noticed this, but I find myself defending feminism to the most unlikely sources, even to my progressive minded sister.  Why is this?  I could understand if this kind of attitude took place 30+ years ago, but now?  How do you explain to someone how far the feminist movements have taken women over the course of several hundred years and how necessary it is today?  What's more, how in the U.S. NOW (National Organization for Women) defends the civil and human rights of all people, including women, the LGBT community, minorities, and children.  Even in groups discussing racial discrimination I find many women against feminism.  This is an issue that is so frustrating to me.  I expect to be challenged and shot down by conservative men, but not by these others.  I've even had to have long, heated debates with my own husband (who has only shown respect for women as long as I've known him) when it comes to the label feminist.  Is it that these people don't really want equal rights for women or does the term feminism have a bad rep?

[LittleWeloosMom]

Everything you just said, I relate. It is extremely frustrating.

[Bookwormy]

The label feminist has had a bad reputation for quite awhile now.  I think that started in the late 1990s & has simply continued.  Somehow many people think that wanting equal rights is just fine, but if you are a feminist, you must be a lesbian, (well, OK, I'm lucky to be one, but most feminists aren't! LOL) a witch/pagan, a radical/revolutionary, a man hater, want to destroy the idea of marriage, hate motherhood, be pro-abortion, (not just pro-choice,) etc.  Obviously, any of those can be true of an individual feminist, but most feminists wouldn't fit most of those labels.  It seems like the religious right has also become even more conservative about gender conformity & women's role in the home, which has influenced the dislike of feminism.

Samantha

[Clairwil]

Quoting 3JuJu3:

Why is this?

We've been swift boated, by people who have an anti-female agenda.