Is there a reason for the constant conflict in responses to questions about feminism?

I think the original aims of feminism were just and necessary I am glad that I have a wife that has the freedom to do pretty much as she wishes I don't feel the need to watch her every move or make her ask permission to do anything.

But today's feminism has become something else and while most feminist may in fact still believe in and cherish old feminism. It is the radicals that have formed lobby groups and organizations that are doing the harm and this is what most anti feminists are fighting against.

It is these organizations that are doing the harm and those are the ones that need to be done away with. Most anti feminists do not hate the average feminist who wants to be secure in the fact that she can work and be well educated and most of all they want to be appreciated for their contributions as we all do.

It's just that the ones that are pushing for domination and biased laws because they want everything handed to them ruin it for the rest of the women who just want to be on par with their male peers as much as possible and again we all want that.

Bliss,

We have long ago gotten away from the "equal pay for equal work and opportunities" and that sort of thing. Much of feminism has become twisted, and exists to put guys down and tell us how bad we all are. Its become a cultural thing now, at least in this country. Its in the movies and on television.

One of things that really gets me is when these feminists types tell us men "to get in touch with our feminine side" and be sweet and tender and such. But oftentimes when we do that, they turn around and use it against us, calling us wimps, homos, child molesters and what not. Now thats a very mixed message if I ever saw one.

So what do women really want from us guys, anyway? Guess thats another question:)

You answered your own question pretty well. It is quite normal for the radicals (in any form of debate, dispute or issue) to hijack the use of what should be positive words and phrases and utilize them for their own agendas. Their actions debase the true cause and the true meaning of the words.

Feminism SHOULD be about equal rights to those of men. The operative word here is equality, and even this word has been twisted by some in the George Orwell sense (ie. some are more equal than others).

Feminsim SHOULD'NT be about reverse discrimiation, male vilification and revenge for "the injustices of the past". It should also not be about denying that there are substantial differences between men and women.

People do not have the be carbon copies of eachother the be fundamentally equal socially, legally or morally!

Feminism like many things in life started out with good intentions but like many things they get polluted with their own dogma and having radicals (such as lesbian separatists) joining does not help the cause.

People also have different interpretations of what been equal is. Many feminists started teaching we are equal and the same. If we are all the same then why is there a need for the opposite sex? Those who believe this would definitely start believing that women don’t need men and we should knock them down at every opportunity.

Fact is we are equal but different. And we should be using theses differences to compliment each other and build each other up instead of always competing and trying to knock each other down.

Wow kendrick, that's some sick and twisted stuff you found. Yikes.

Anyway, feminism's mission statement and current effect on the world are two totally different things.

It's gone too far and men have recently been losing their rights within their own personal lives. Bias laws in family court. Bias laws making men seem guilty until proven innocent in many situations even though our law states that everyone is innocent until proven guilty.

It's practically assumed that the woman gets custody of the kids in the event of a divorce / breaking up of the couple.

A negative stigma has been created around men. That they are dangerous by nature, which in fact is not true in any sort of general manner.

Of course, I'd be much more weary about a man (or woman) who was raised by a single mother than anyone else, though. But, there is statistical data on that. Not just a few bad cases painting a broad false picture.

I think the definition still holds true and I agree with the cause. However, I also believe that there has become a need for men's rights as well which should not be ignored. I think most here believe both men and women's rights need to be addressed, however there are often sides taken to one or the other. There are also many trolls who try to gain attention....which they often do.

Frankly, I do my best to stay in the middle and ignore the trolls...unless I feel the need for a sarcastic remark toward them.

My issue with feminism is that many of their 'studies' have been found to be misleading and even outright fabricated... yet even after the issues have been raised and restudied using more realistic and reasonable levels, feminists of all walks still continue to press on the same untruthful message, such as 1 in 4 women are raped... 1 in 4 women are abused...

Oddly, when answers appear here saying that giving a woman a drink (who later has sex) has been raped in feminist definition, the answer is met with scorn from other feminists who say (paraphrased) "I don't believe a woman who's had a few drinks has been raped, I never said that!"

Ok, perhaps that particular feminist didn't say that exact phrase - but later on (or previously), the same feminist who complains about putting words in her mouth will spout out the same lines about 1 in 4 women being raped.

The one in four women raped myth came to be because the feminist author of the study asked if they had had any drinks prior to engaging in sex and then INCLUDED those who responded 'yes' as having been raped. They then released that study with a HUGE amount (25%) of women having been so-called 'raped'. When some of the subjects of the study discovered how their responses had been misused, they even wrote in to complain - but, since when has fact & reality got in the way of a good sob-story for feminism?

So, the feminist on Y!A either does believe having a drink+sex=rape OR she acknowledges that the feminist study was misleading, deceitful and untruthfully painting a LOT of men as being rapists just because they bought a drink for a woman and will stop claiming '1 in 4 women are raped'.

That's just ONE well known figure feminism uses to demonize the average man... but, we all know, feminism isn't about man-bashing, right? ;o)

you hit the nail on the head....with the exception of a few maniacs that's really the issue.

yet we discuss this and it's still an issue....

The way I see it is I believe in the original meaning of feminism...equal treatment for both males and female...or at least as equal as we can get. no man hatting or special treatments.

I call myself feminist, even though I am aware for a lot of nasty and "twisted" things have been said and done in the name of feminism...but they should find a new name not I.

Dropping the word feminist...or letting it continue as it has would be a shame and a dishonor to a lot of men and women I very much respect..who worked very hard to get me the freedoms I have today.

We were just discussing this very issue at the Women's Center on my school campus just the other day...well about the word "feminism or what does it mean to be a feminist" and why in today's society strong independent women refuse to admit they are feminist. During the 80's and 90's there was a huge backlash against the movement itself and against women, mostly orchestrated by the morally superior right. I realize this may sound like the beginnings of a conspiracy theory, but REALLY... most movements experience backlashes by parts of society that isn't wanting to except a significant amount of change, since a movement is just that, a significant amount of change in a short period of time...I like to call "backlashes"...growing pains. Anyway, as an adolescent growing up during that time I was taught that "feminists" are bad and being called one was horrible. Now that I am older and have discovered what it truelly means to be a feminist (a women who believes in equality of the sexes) I realize that I am a feminist! I am proud to be a feminist! I wish every woman understood that simple definition. Yes we have internal problems like all movement, but it's how we deal with those problems and move on in order to better our lives and future women's lives that matters.

I am proud to call myself a feminist.

The problem is that the movement has been distorted, and yes, I'll admit that some feminists have helped this happen, and there is no convincing anti-fems that we are not here to dominate men.

Feminist doctrine does not call for the eradication of the male gender. We do not blame all our problems on men. It is a political and cultural ideology.

But no matter what I say on this site, others will proclaim that I am a man-hater. I also think feminism has gone under the radar and little to no education has been given to people outside of college.

People come on this site and rail against the evils that are feminists-but there is no proof that this occurs or is the opinion of the majority of feminists.

The problem is there could be one woman who cries for the eradication of men and all of them will then say that all feminists are evil.

It just makes no sense-there is little intelligent discussions going on here anymore. No one is willing to listen to the other person. I can admit that some feminists take things to the extreme-but some do not represent all. Why can't others see this?

This is why the GWS has conflict.

:)

and I'm glad to see that you don't believe in the dictionary. The dictionary deffinition is correct-it is the people who change that definition who are wrong. If you want to call people who say they are feminists but have extreme ideas- maybe you should call them Radical Feminists- just like there are Radical Christians, Radical Muslims, Radical anything. Or zealots, whichever. But please don't try to change the English language when it is convienient for you to do so. :)