this post was submitted on 14 Aug 2025
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Might help also to describe what you think feminism is, since it's one of those terms that is overloaded.

I once had a physical therapist tell me she wasn't a feminist because she thought women couldn't be as physically capable as men when serving as soldiers, and seemed to believe feminism requires treating women exactly like men.

I told her I was a feminist because I believe in equal rights for men and women, an idea she did not seem so opposed to.

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[–] deathbird@mander.xyz 2 points 3 days ago

I think people get too hung up on labels sometimes, but that said... If you're a feminist, then so am I. I don't think your PT's understanding was correct.

[–] 18107@aussie.zone 6 points 4 days ago

I don't care about gender. If you want to identify as a man or a woman, then you're free to do that. If you want to identify as something else, that doesn't bother me.

But if you want to take someone's rights away because of who they are and not for what they've done, then I'm against your ideals.

If you call me a feminist for that, then I'll happily accept that title too.

[–] ArgumentativeMonotheist@lemmy.world 6 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (2 children)

If I'm speaking to stupid, sexist cromagnons, I'm a feminist; if I'm speaking to hedonistic, childish third wavers, I'm not.

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[–] UltraGiGaGigantic@lemmy.ml 1 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

Yes, although I really do have to question the capability of concern silos to effect change through society.

Women's rights are human rights. Lgbt rights are human rights. Worker rights are human rights.

The fight for human rights is a fight for us all. United we stand, divided we fall. And holeeeshit are we fucking falling right now.

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[–] Mike_Hunt@lemmy.ml 5 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

Id say yes, wouldn't give myself the label though, lots of crap online interactions have made me just want to never talk about politics with randoms ever again, its too mentally draining.

[–] BillyTheKid@lemmy.ca 3 points 4 days ago (1 children)

I believe that I am, but I'm told that my definition is wrong.

For reference, my definition is:

Anybody who believes in equal rights for women.

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[–] Ougie@lemmy.world 1 points 3 days ago

I believe that men, women and all other genders that people are constructing these days - whether real or fabricated, zero fucks - should be treated equally in the eyes of the law, they should have equal pay, should be given the same opportunities and should be treated with equal respect. If that makes me a feminist, then cool.

I also believe that the reason the term gets a bad rap sometimes is because of the general stage humanity finds itself in. Consider this, for hundreds and hundreds of years men had the upper hand and only very recently did we start this process of equalizing women.

I imagine society like a car going down the road, when you lose control in a turn, the knee-jerk reaction is to steer the other direction and for a brief moment there you're going way over to the other side before eventually correcting/ normalizing your course. Imho this is what happens with every new concept that gets introduced, there's an overreach before normality ensues.

It's even more pronounced with LGBTQ people. They were hidden, non existent in the eyes of society, and now we're at the parade stage. My prediction is that soon there will be no need for it.

[–] RecipeForHate1@lemmy.ml 1 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

My definition of feminism: a struggle historically led by women to dismantle the structures of power that let cis men hold privileges over other gender expressions

With that in mind, yes, I’m a feminist. I don’t buy into the “no gender” thing, because in the way some people frame it, it erases the lived realities of gender oppression that still exist. The aim should be to dismantle gender hierarchies without ignoring how they operate here and now. Stripped of its anti-oppression context, no gender rhetoric can be co-opted into TERF narratives that reduce womanhood to biology and genitalia and deny gender diversity

Stretching it a bit, I also see animal liberation as part of this struggle, since these same power structures keep female non-human animals in the role of breeders and providers, much like they do with humans

[–] bizarroland@lemmy.world 4 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Yeah, I'm a feminist. I'm also a masculinist.

Basically, if there's not a good reason to prevent you from doing something, you shouldn't be fucking prevented from doing it.

Who or what you were born as, or what you identify as, in and of itself, is not a good fucking reason.

Motherfuckers that try to prevent other people from living their own lives because of their own assumptions need to fucking fuck off.

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[–] AlHouthi4President@lemmy.ml 3 points 4 days ago (2 children)

My politics are death to america and death to israel. Free Palestine and free the planet from US empire and centuries of European colonial domination.

Feminists have not done much materially on that front lets be honest.

Throwback to big name feminist Judith Butler on October 13 2023:

spoiler

In fact, I do condemn without qualification the violence committed by Hamas. This was a terrifying and revolting massacre. That was my primary reaction, and it endures.

...

There are those who do use the history of Israeli violence in the region to exonerate Hamas, but they use a corrupt form of moral reasoning to accomplish that goal. Let’s be clear, Israeli violence against Palestinians is overwhelming: relentless bombing, the killing of people of every age in their homes and on the streets, torture in their prisons, techniques of starvation in Gaza and the dispossession of homes. And this violence, in its many forms, is waged against a people who are subject to apartheid rules, colonial rule and statelessness. When, however, the Harvard Palestine Solidarity Committee issues a statement claiming that ‘the apartheid regime is the only one to blame’ for the deadly attacks by Hamas on Israeli targets, it makes an error. It is wrong to apportion responsibility in that way, and nothing should exonerate Hamas from responsibility for the hideous killings they have perpetrated.


Judith was not the only big name feminist to hold such views following the magnificent al Aqsa Flood Operation.

I would say that the web of NED/USAID NGO's that represent the face of feminism today has been a very effective tool of empire. I dont want women CEOs and women drone pilots and women iof soldiers and women politicians in puppet governments. I am a woman who wants the end of colonial occupation and superexploitation.

[–] BillyTheKid@lemmy.ca 3 points 4 days ago (1 children)

You have a very developed viewpoint! Thank you for sharing it!

[–] AlHouthi4President@lemmy.ml 3 points 4 days ago (5 children)

I am confused how this is controversial.

Comrade @Cowbee@lemmy.ml is this just upsetting the federated liberals or have I said something harmful?

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[–] frightful_hobgoblin@lemmy.ml 3 points 4 days ago (1 children)

I don't think so. Haven't really read feminist theory tho.

best time to plant a tree my friend

[–] Sterile_Technique@lemmy.world 4 points 4 days ago (2 children)

My take on feminism is that it just means equal rights and equal treatment, so fuck yeah I'm a feminist.

I once had a physical therapist tell me she wasn't a feminist because she thought women couldn't be as physically capable as men when serving as soldiers

That argument has always seemed like a cop-out to me. The division there is with physical ability, not gender. Establish the physical requirements and call it a day. There are weak-ass men who have no business getting near fields like that; and strong-ass women who blow the physical requirements out of the water.

Overall, men will pull ahead in jobs that emphasize physical labor - that's fine. The flip side is also true, with other jobs favoring the anatomy and physiology of women. Aviation comes to mind. Especially if we're still in the context of military, size and weight both need to be LOW. So same spiel - establish the requirements as the job demands and call it a day; weight and size limits will tend to favor women.

In either case, marking it as men-only or women-only is fucking stupid; but the demands of a specific career field leaning into anatomical and psychologic advantages of one sex vs the other is fine so long as the numbers reflect the actual demands.

*This does come with the need for and oversight, though, as the potential for abusing a system like that is high in order to accomplish sexist goals.

There's something to be said for the mental side as well. Speaking as a surgical tech, the best techs I've worked with have consistently been women. I couldn't begin to tell you why, and I'm backing this on the tiny field of view I've had into this field, but anecdotally, women are just better. I get a similar impression looking to the nurses and doctors, but I don't have the expertise to really judge either of those.

Tldr, utilize people's strengths, but don't be a sexist asshole about it.

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[–] protist@mander.xyz 4 points 4 days ago

For me, feminism is egalitarianism, plain and simple. Yes, I am a feminist, and an egalitarian.

I want to be, yeah. I suffer under patriarchy and want it to change. And I've tasted glimpses of places and times when women and men are safe and free and I want that for everyone all of the time.

But also I'm way too problematic to get to call myself part of the movement. I've got bad history and shitty ideas that I still need to resolve so my contributions to feminism are only things that I can do anonymously. If I notice anyone trying to figure me out irl, I obfuscate and let them settle on their first incorrect conclusion.

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