Feminism vs Neo Feminism
My female friend and I were having a conversation about many things today. But one of them happened to be feminism.
The conversation started because I had posted a meme that was racially charged and she felt that triggered people in the wrong way. I see her point. Our political conversation made its way to feminism and neo-feminism. Now a bit of background, I was not alive in the sixties and seventies, but my mother was a women’s rights activist and a hippie back then. She has told me stories about women’s oppression that would turn ur head upside down. She was even arrested just for wearing jeans to school after being asked not to by the principal.
My mother still considers herself to be a feminist, but she does not like neo-feminists. My female friend whom I was speaking to told me she is full on anti feminist. Both my friend and my mother seem to consider these new feminists to be entitled and wrong when it comes to many points. They don’t believe that acting like a “slut” is empowering for women, but more just entertainment for men. They said that dressing racy gets you looked at, maybe cat calls are bad, but the looks can’t be helped. If they don’t like the looks, be just slightly more conservative, not ashamed, just dressing in a way they won’t be objectified.
Now I think that feminism made more sense about ten years ago than it does now. I think a lot of what is done in the name of feminism now is done by women who have missed the point of the original movement. I knew strong and independent women with feminist attitudes ten years ago who did not feel a need to be slutty. They, in fact, made fun of he girls who showed a lot of skin and who fucked all the guys we hung out with. I admired more than one of these women.
I personally blame it on how sensitive everyone, not just women, but everyone has become. People getting offended is at an all time high. I have never understood safe spaces and anti shaming campaigns. There used to be value in having a thick skin and being able to deal with some criticism no matter what form it came in. Why can’t someone of your gender or race be wrong? Why can’t they be criticized? Those are questions I find myself asking as an American born, mixed race, straight male. What makes anybody more special than anybody else? So special that they should not be criticized in any way shape or form, not even constructively.
This sounds more like elitism for me, and maybe Nero-feminists do want a sort of women’s elitist society. One that is the opposite end of the spectrum from the patriarchal society they see now as keeping them down. But the fact is society is a lot less patriarchal than it was 30–50 years ago. A lot less. I won’t compare struggles, but sometimes someone has to admit when the struggle is over and understand nobody has a perfect life. Except maybe the obscenely rich who control planet earth.
By the end of my conversation this morning I was feeling good. Like me and my friend understood each other and that’s how we feel after seeing eye to eye with a friend in a world when arguing is the norm. It was especially nice because she was female and technically “not from my group.”
There’s two things to be learned here. One is that people in general, men and women and transsexuals have all become very sensitive. Certain things are disrespectful and over the line, but sometimes we must choose our battles in order to maintain sanity and credibility. And two is that many men see this new form of female empowerment as entertainment. They are entertained by women walking around without clothes on as men have enjoyed for centuries. It is a show for straight men, how is this empowering for the women? Wouldn’t it be more empowering to run for office or become a high ranking executive at a fortune five hundred company? I would think so, but I don’t have all the answers.
It was interesting to see that some women are not convinced by the new feminist agenda. There are still people out there who are willing to ask questions before going along with the majority.
