What is feminism?

[roopepa]

I don't mean what it is in a theoretical, conceptual, political, academic or philosophical way.

I mean what it is in the most fundamental way, in everyday life, in direct experience, as something that cannot be misunderstood?

I'm looking for something obvious that connects the dots. What is the very core of feminism?

[Raze]

There were multiple waves, with multiple branches, from multiple perspectives, and there's differences between what it is claimed to be and what it actually is. You cannot simplify a long varied movement like that.

But probably, feminists will tell you the core is equality between men and women, with some younger ones changing it to equity between men and women.

Edited October 28, 2021 by Raze

[Random witch]

As I see this (I'm a feminist) is the idea that both men and women have the right for self actualization.

The right to be who they want to be.

The system, for a very long time, decided for men and women what they are and what they are not.

What they should be and what they're shouldn't. What is woman and what is man.

Which is very toxic for the individual.

Because people are more than stereotypes and limited gender rules.

Which means, if a woman wants to serve the house, and be a traditional, stereotypical woman in any sense, she can if this what makes her happy,

But, if it's not the case, and it's not what makes her happy, and she wants to live her life differently, she has the right to do so. Even if she does things that considered "masculine".

Feminism is the realization that there's no such a thing inherent gender rules and things are very fluid.

And the dichotomy between the genders is just a mind game that serve the interests of privileged group through the entire history which are men.

Feminism for me is a liberation, it's a rebellion against the depressing system, authenticity, passion for life, passion to do things better for everyone and everything.

It's standing on my own, being independent financially, love myself, live my life the way I want.

The problem is that society makes it harder for us.

When you standing on your own you're more likely to be gaslighted and attacked by those who feel uncomfortable with it (most likely men and women with sexist worldview).  Those who believe that women are inherently inferior to men.

You're more likely to be taken less seriously at workplaces, to be ignored, even if you're talented and brilliant, you need to work harder than any man in order to get the same reward.

You want to love yourself. To feel good with yourself but society in every corner reminds you that you worth something only if you're beautiful and attractive for men. If you're not, you have no worth.

Society tells you in any way that you're not enough. Which makes it's very hard to love yourself.

My personal fight against the system is to love myself no matter what society think about me, is to love myself beyond my appearance.

Is to love my body because it's healthy and functioning and not because it's attractive or not attractive for men.

Is to educate myself, do gain knowledge, to explore my full potential, is to confront social norms that hurt me, is to tell a guy that he is an asshole if he is an asshole, is to do or not to do sex as I like and not as men expect me to do or society expect me to do, is to own my body that belongs to me only, not to my father/brother/lover/husband/public/government. Is to do with my body whatever I want, do dress as I like, to look as I like, to think as I like.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Preety_India]

In my country the rates for female education and occupation are quite low because most daughters are discouraged from experiencing a normal life. 

So i hope to see a future where most women in my country prosper financially and can experience freedom with what they want in life. 

So i associate feminism with female empowerment like education and job. Financial independence is huge for me and for most women in my country. They would simply dream of it from a very young age. 

 

[diamondpenguin]

@Preety_India Are you ever gonna move to the USA or Europe? There's better opportunities there than India. You just gotta setup a masterplan to do it, and I'm sure you're good at that. It's always an option, like you speak great English it seems like.

[HypnoticMagician]

There is nothing wrong with feminism so long as you see it as gender equality, not femnazism.

[Rilles]

Feminism is the human spirit longing for freedom of expression and opportunity.

[Terell Kirby]

Feminism is a construction of your own imagination...if you really want to get to core of it.

Surface level wise, it's simply an ideology that people subscribe to for the ego's sake. That doesn't make it good or bad...be careful in judging / worshipping ideologies.