Watching "The F Word" really opened up my eyes to feminism. I never really knew much about it, not because I didn't believe it was there, but because I don't think I ever really cared too much about it. After watching this movie however, I am definitely more aware of it, and the issues involved with the stereotypes and stigmas of it.
The myths surrounding feminism really caught me. Burning bras, man hating lesbians, and ugly people, these are all such rude stigmas all due to the media. I will admit though that before watching this movie I did think that some of these were true, but I was happily mistaken. It amazes me how much people will believe just because the media produces it. This one phrase, “feminism is for women who hate men” really bothered me. I think that everyone has a little bit of feminism in them, and not because girls hate men.
The hardest question is if I define myself as a feminist. I’m not exactly sure. To be quite honest before watching the video I did think of feminists the way the myths portray them. But after watching the video I have a totally different view. I do believe in many of the ideas they stand for and don’t think negatively of feminists. But I don’t think I would call myself one. Its not because I’m embarrassed or ashamed of how they are negatively stereotyped, but I don’t like to label myself as anything. So I’ll stand by any feminist, and help them fight for equality of all mankind but I wouldn’t call myself a feminist.
I think that in today’s society you don’t hear much about feminists and their fight for equal rights, but I don’t think that means that its on the decline. I think it just means more people have begun to accept it and not speak out against them and paint negative pictures of feminism anymore either.
Hi Phebs,
ReplyDeleteI also did not know very much about feminism before watching this movie, "the F word." I was one of the many who just believed in the myths about what feminists were and what they believed in. I know agree with you that these are rude stigmas brought on from the media. Thanks for your input on the movie, I enjoyed hearing similar views on the topic.
For me also the phrase "feminism is for women who hate men" really made me think of what I used to believe feminism meant: it's only for women. And all because of society and how the media portraits it. I like that you do not prefer to be labeled and that you accept the fact that right now there is no equality between men and women but you would fight for it.
ReplyDeleteI'm happy you admitted to previously believing some of the stereotypes of feminists portrayed by the media because I did too. It's unbelievable how well the media can falsify the truth! I definitely agree with you that feminism isn't as evident in our society today but most likely because it has become more accepted and supported.
ReplyDeleteI didn’t find it was well spelled out for me. Or just didn’t take the time to see how people were spelling it out: piecing together that a negative and positive definition were at battle.
ReplyDeleteI think more people are accepting feminism, but that doesn’t mean the fights have been silenced. I was playing a video game with one of my buddies and he showed me how one of the female characters had a scantily clad dress that you could out fit her with. “Makes you ask what kind of message we’re sending,” he told me as we were continuing to play the game. When he said this, I chuckled knowing that society still has away to go for equal rights among the sexes. The stigmas are so well imbedded into our society that if a person just takes a minute to think about the message being conveyed they can pinpoint the problem and start to ask questions.
Something tells me it’s a peer group thing. Some just might be more willing to speak out more than others.
I often use bell hooks book, which is entitled "Feminism is for Everybody." I still have people who believe that feminism is only FOR women. Men, women, and transgender people can be feminists, and are feminists. I feel that one of the myths we have to combat is about the presumed identity of feminists. This also applies to race and class, whereby some believe that all feminists are white and middle-class. This is why it is important to high-light feminists of color, trans feminists, male feminists and poor and working-class feminists to show they, too, have always engaged in this political, social and economic struggle.
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