Why would a very nice, intelligent and sweet girl like Lacy Green address this entire message to The ‘F’ Word?! If the word offends you, or you would never use it in conversation – perhaps you should learn what it really means. I think you’ll be surprised. In her second installment on the ‘F’ word – Feminism, Laci Green addresses the stigma attached to calling oneself a feminist…Or more accurately, a humanist.
Feminism is nothing more than gender equality. When you look at it this way, it sounds fairly non-threatening hey? Oddly, many people are very threatened by it. Let’s begin by seeing what Pat Robertson, preacher and moral leader to many misguided Americans has to say about feminism. According to Robertson:
FEMINISM:Encourages women to LEAVE their husbands
To KILL their children
To PRACTICE witchcraft
To DESTROY capitalism and
And…To BECOME lesbians
Thanks Pat! Mrs. Robertson is one lucky gal.
Okay, how about Phyllis Schaffley, or ‘Sarah Palin 1.0’ as RJ views her. Says Phyllis of Feminism, “It’s not a good word, it’s a bad word” (Mind, she circled the country spreading her views, back when it was agreed that a woman’s place was in the home. Oddly, she was out of her home most of the time, while she preached that the way to decency and happiness was to be there, wedded to your house, as in ‘a house-wife.’ . In doing so, she enjoyed the fruits of feminists before her) Even a stopped clock is right twice a day. Maybe Robertson hit on something with Schlaffley. She may have practiced witchcraft, left her husband and certainly didn’t spend time with her child, if she didn’t outright kill him…But no score Pat, Schlaffley is not a feminist…Or a humanist, for that matter.
John McCain (remember, she who laughs last) I particularly love this one. McCain is speaking of his (then) running mate, Sarah Palin – long before the shine wore off of the relationship.
“She is a direct counterpoint to the liberal feminist agenda for America, I could not be more pleased!” Well vetted, John!
Another nameless party heard from, whose opinion of sorts, seems to echo that of other dim creatures.
“There is a reason why feminists tend to be uglier and fatter. (said the guy who will never be confused with George Clooney) “When you look at your average women’s studies professor” At this point he sticks his .finger down his throat imitating vomiting. This one’s a real catch, ladies and he’s probably still available!
All of this vitriol, and much more – a large part emanating from the creator of the word “Feminazi” Rush Limbaugh. Enough said.
Feminists like Laci Green are angry! We’re angry about inequality – not men! If she says “I’m a humanist, not a feminist” it erases issue of gender…But it also erases the entire historical movement that IS feminism.
What is so sad to me, is to hear young women say ‘I’m not a feminist” as if to clear up the very idea that they could be a member of a very unpopular club. If you’ve ever made this confession, take another look at the people who expressed the negative hyperbole about feminism, then do some serious thinking about which crowd you want to associate yourself with…Perhaps it sounds better in your Facebook profile to say “I’m a feminist, rather than “I’m not a humanist.”
Women and men have fought long and hard to stand up to the misogyny and ignorance that is reappearing with great acceptance. .
If we believe in equality of the sexes, and want to see a more just world – there’s nothing dirty about that!