<p>So the thread about women and harassment prompted me to ask-- do you or your daughters consider yourselves feminists?</p>
<p>There have been many recent news stories about feminism. Some of them are suggesting that women no longer want to identify that way saying it is outdated. There are groups called “Women Against Feminism.” And of course there are still groups called “Feminists.”</p>
<p>My two D’s are diehard feminist. But when you grew up in a house with a banner on the wall that says “Vote for Women’s Suffrage Nov 2” that was carried down 5th Ave, NYC by their great grand-mother, how could you not be? </p>
<p>And their grand-mother fought for a women’s right to have a credit card on her own if she worked without having to give her husbands salary info.</p>
<p>But for some young women, and older, they feel that it is no longer an issue. It had been won or never was a issue.</p>
<p>Again, where do your D’s stand and where do you?</p>
<p>I would say all feminists- me, 2 D’s and SO’s and H!</p>
<p>Both my Ds and I stand firmly with you. Women’s rights have been hard won in this country, and could easily be rolled back. Anyone who doesn’t think so should watch the movie Iron Jawed Angels. Women in much of the rest of the world are not as fortunate as we are – the world would be a much better place if we could give women a stronger voice and rights worldwide. Some women have short memories or take what has been gained for granted, but not us. My kids stand up for their rights as women, too. One of my kids went to the Dean of Students at her college to complain when a prof was making sexist and sexual innuendo jokes in lecture. They cracked down on the guy (who had a lot of tenure and was kind of a department star), and the behavior stopped. I was really proud of her for speaking up. Also, I was discriminated against in the workplace as a young women, and broke some barriers in the large company I worked at for the first 15 years of my career. Some of those attitudes still linger at a lot of companies, too. </p>
<p>“So the thread about women and harassment prompted me to ask-- do you or your daughters consider yourselves feminists?”</p>
<p>Of course. And my mother and father are also.</p>
<p>But I think nowadays women have different ideas of what feminism is. Some of the younger women see a few of the vocal women who proclaim to be feminists, and they are turned off. They see exaggeration, complaining about every little thing, the desire to feminize men. And I think that is sad. You can ignore that, and look at women who really change the things that matter, you can see powerful women. You can look at the history of women in this country and see how far we have come in such a short time. But gender neutral bathrooms really aren’t something worth fighting for, and I think those kind of things make feminism seem like a joke to the younger generations.</p>
<p>Can’t say my Ds or I have ever thought gender neutral bathrooms were a feminist issue. Seems like a red herring thrown out by certain anti-feminist groups to distract from the real issues that matter for women. As usual…</p>
<p>I don’t know I stand up for myself, so are my kids. We are female. </p>
<p>I guess it’s all perception. Or maybe it’s a strawman argument. I suppose you didn’t see the thread a little while ago about the gender neutral bathroom fight. I don’t think it was started by an anti-feminist group, but parent of a shy young man involved.</p>
<p>And your post brings up another question. Who are these anti-feminist groups, anyways? What exactly are they against? Are they anti-abortion groups (including many women), that somehow have been equated to being anti-feminist?</p>
<p>Can’t name names without getting the thread shut down. But you know perfectly well, you are just trying to change the conversation. Hard to believe that any woman wouldn’t want to be associated with a movement that got them the vote, got them out from under being chattel to their husbands, brought about workplace equality (mostly), and has gotten women the right to birth control (mostly). And wouldn’t want to help make sure those rights are maintained and expanded for women worldwide. Shame on women who hide behind issues like “gender neutral” bathrooms. That has zero to do with feminism.</p>
<p>I miss the gender neutral bathrooms. But I grew up in an environment that most females in my family are strong and independent. I doubt if any of them were under the chattel of their husbands. More like the opposite. So I’m not sharing the same history as women in this country but I have been discriminated by male in employment like when I applied for jobs but not when I’m in the job. They wouldn’t dare.</p>
<p>You’re right, gender neutral bathrooms have nothing to do with feminism. That was my point. And I wasn’t trying to make that a major issue, I was giving an example of why some young women (in my opinion) associate feminism with some trivialities, and decide they are not feminists. I guess you didn’t get that point. I am not trying to change the conversation at all. I thought I was addressing one of the statements that the OP made. </p>
<p>My point is that some young women associate feminism with some of the trivia that they hear in the news, NOT the important things that have changed for women in this country. If you would actually consider what I am saying, instead of leaping to conclusions about whatever preconceived ideas you have about me, you might actually agree.</p>
<p>DrGoogle, you would kick their butt!</p>
<p>Yeah, I have plenty of practice with having lots of males in my family.</p>
<p>At one time in the US women couldn’t make contracts, couldn’t own property, be a party in a lawsuit, or execute a will in most places. You needed a husband or father or brother to do those things. Still do in a lot of countries today. I know some men in the US today (some in my own family) who think it should still be that way. It is great to be strong and independent (seriously), but that is not the same as having legal rights as an independent equal person.</p>
<p>^^I guess I don’t know ANY men like that, intparent. In my family, that would be laughable.</p>
<p>Ah, I came from a slightly matriarch culture. I think from some series from National Geography series it has confirmed that is the case. I believe we also have property rights. We have women generals in our history. Much later in our history we do get influenced by some countries that are more patriarch. But I can see some culture do have that problem. </p>
<p>What culture is your background, DrGoogle? Women generals, I love it.</p>
<p>Loud, proud feminist here. Daughter and granddaughter of feminists, too. </p>
<p>I don’t know any women my age (or men for that matter) who openly renounce the feminist label. But anyone who did would be quickly out of my life as our views would be quite incompatible. </p>
<p>I know older men like what int describes. In fact, I’m going to be related by marriage to some of them soon -.-</p>
<p>Through our history, it was taught that there were two sisters who married two generals so when their husbands were killed by enemies invaded our country, they took over the country and ran it for 2 years. In our culture today, we still celebrating the day with beautiful females in parade. I believe the sisters were beautiful as well as talented. </p>
<p>I remember deciding to work hard in school and become an engineer after hearing one too many sermons in my parents’ church about women staying at home with the kids! So I guess I was a feminist, although I never thought of myself that way. I just try to do a good job and never have any issues with the men I work with. </p>
<p>My grandmother, born in 1902, was the only one of 12 kids to go to college, and she even attended graduate school in the '20s to study chemistry. But then she met my grandfather and dropped out of school. I wish I had asked her more questions about her experiences as a woman in science so long ago! She eventually taught algebra and geometry in high school.</p>
<p>Wow, MaineLonghorn, your grandmother sounds like a real trailblazer! My mother, like you, was also an engineer. She was hired, I think, in the sixties, not a lot of women engineers back then. My dad likes to proudly proclaim that she was the first female Boeing engineer to wear pants. He likes to claim that it was because she was a feminist, she says—fat legs. Always cracks me up.</p>