Why is so much feminism about penis envy and wanting to get even with men rather than women's rights?

Hmm, an interesting question, and one i've considered vaguely recently too.

I agree with some elements of your phrasing, but not all. Although i'm assuming of course you're not being literal in some aspects - eg. the phallic envy obsession - the desire is for equality (normally to improve female circumstances to the previously higher male level, than literally wanting a banana in their pants shall we say?) I'm guessing you're being flippant to add sauce to the question, which is fair enough, and keeps the question from being too dry?!

Certainly, you make a grand point - why do some focus on the trivial inequalities, when much more significant examples exist, which arguably have a higher priority to resolve amicably for all since they would bring much greater benefits to the women directly involved, and less directly those in the surrounding environment?

From those i've quizzed personally, the impression I get is they're simply focussing on their own priorities - key aspects in their own lives, that co-incidently affect women generally, than specifically what I would genuinely consider a purposeful crusade for truly equal societies (across the globe) which I'd interpreted to be the core of feminism. However, I accept i'm not a feminist, so may not interpret the situation correctly?

A common example that the media enjoys rolling out is the friday night drunks - pictures and moral commentary of the antics of those inspecting their earlier meals at the end of some binge drinking night out. Remember when you just saw men in a state in the street, or fighting, the women were the sensible ones trying to dissuade them, or drag them away from trouble etc? Depending where you live, etc, but nowadays you can even see the roles reversed! Equality in action for some . . .

As a general response to the increasing pressures and demands in society upon individuals (plus media led missions to remind us we must buy everything to be successful, popular, sexually attractive, happy, etc etc) does mean we're becoming increasingly selfish. This influence is a powerful factor, and does creep into sub-societal genres, such as feminism for one example.

Combining those elements, and you'll find it's only natural for the average modern feminist to be tempted towards the selfish, not selfless side of the movement. It's hard work not to be selfish when the situation is considered superficially, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't strive for it?

Christina Hoff Sommers said:

"Well, I do worry about a new generation of feminists who have been given a lot of misinformation. They are on every college campus and are now out in the community. Maybe ten percent of 18-24 year old women are very angry people, intoxicated with hatred, believing that maleness is synonymous with violence. Now, this is not true, but they have been fed these statistics"

While some feminists may still focus on legitimate issues, overall feminism has become about male bashing and trying to achieve special treatment, not equality. It went from having 56% of female support to under 25%. Even within the feminist movement, the development of third wave feminism, the ifeminist movement and critics by feminists like Christian Hoff Sommers are all born out of a realization that feminism has been turning into something that is less and less about equality and more and more about entitlement and male-bashing.

It's not a fringe thing as some claim. As you said, feminists hold Dworkin up as someone to be admired.

I do think their are some legitimate issues feminists could be focused on, but they are the minority of the focus these days, and even when legitimate things are brought up, the male - hating, entitlement seeking feminists corrupt the issues. Take rape for example - A horrible crime, that should be lessened, but instead of taking productive steps, often feminists state false statistics, claim all males are potential rapists and try to use the issue to seek privileges instead of being productive. It's a shame.

~

When you look at women as a group, we're diverse each with differing opinions and views, there's no 'woman template' nor is there a 'golden rule' to which we all subscribe. Ergo not all feminists feel as above or hate men. If anything, these views are more representative of 'radical feminism' and should therefore be quantified as such i.e 'radical feminists' rather than 'all feminists.'

I love my family, wear make-up and high heels and fully understand women have different aspirations- at the end of the day we all benefit from progress, it' all about choice without discrimination. I am PASSIONATE about ALL women being educated!!!!! . I am PASSIONATE about women being the best they can be - not be held back or berated because of their sex !!!!! I don't have penis envy, nor do I hate men. Yet on YA I've had personal insults and very rude comments, just on the basis of my response to questions such as this. Lot more hate and venom from the other side! None of my posts on YA promote radical views nor do I name call. The truth is you've got 'bad' feminists and you've also got 'bad' non-feminists, many of whom haven't actually done any research on the topic.

Unfortunately feminism now has a bad rep but the Oxford English Dictionary defines 'feminism' as "the advocacy of women’s rights on the ground of the equality of the sexes." Therefore, anyone, who is for women's rights is a feminist by definition, albeit a non-radical one.

PS - Seeking equality while taking advantage of your sex is ridiculous I think, but goes back to my point in the paragraph.

Feminist theory was created by angry lesbians in a society where heterosexual women had it real easy but homosexual women had it really, really, really lousy. Back then, they had to work for crappy wages (because society was used to paying men enough to support themselves and their families, but not women who lived alone) and were extremely discriminated against on account of their sexual orientation. Those angry misfits were the ones that created the theory. They pushed it with the help of men in the system who realized that having men AND women in the workplace created so much competition in the labor force that it was actually a very good deal for the economy, forget the fact that the family unit and society as a whole would get shot to hell.

Now, if they could only get the women to be gullible enough to buy the crap they were selling!

Anyway, that being the case, why should we be surprised by any anti-male sentiment in Feminism?

Whenever you awaken in Denver adventure awaits you and with hotelbye could be the first step to this particular adventure. In Denver you are able to explore the massive, fortress-like Denver Art Museum. This memorial has a great collection; series that features: American Indian, African, European, Asian, and Oceanic, Spanish colonial and pre-Columbian works. The remodelled American Indian galleries are especially amazing, protecting a broad array of countries and tribes from the United States and Canada. This intensive collection has obtained a popularity for the duration of North America, with pieces that amount 2,000 decades of history. In this memorial you may also discover a separate gallery dedicated to photography. The Denver Art Museum has grabbed the eye with its special design, influenced by the peaks of the Difficult Mountains.

it seems she isn't the only one complaining about things.

You see your own view of the feminist culture in your own world small as it is,

There are huge womens and equality groups that are formed up of men and women trying to liberate yooung women from male dominated cultures. but I sometimes don't think liberating them is what is needed.

Consider the following. A young woman goes away for a month to spend with a special ghana tribe, the girls are circumsised and never see the men except at night when if the men want sex they call them over have sex and then the woman goes back to sleep with children. This may seem horrible existence. but look at it after this young woman had finished her month with them.

The women control everything except livestock because only men can trade and they care for the goats and camels. The women are always together in bonding, they look out for each other, care for each other and live together as a harmonious strong family. Again they do everything, they cook, clean, fetch water, firewood, make their huts etc. The men are rarely seen and the women are happy for that. They don't need the men in any way except to make sure the are protected by numbers in case of being raided, they need the men to breed for their children to be born which they raise. If they could self fertilise and never needed to trade and had peace, women in this and other tribes would be self sufficient with total control over their lives and never need a man in their life.

they actually use the men and the men in their subconscious way know they are not the strong ones or important ones. this is why they try to be more dominant and make sure they get a wife. to keep them in village.

it reminds me of a lion pride, the lions does nothing except keep other lions from killing the cubs. that is his second duty apart from breeding.

I love men i just don't see why you think feminists are all men haters. we are equality believers who believe that women are not women but people and should have the same rights as men, and unfortuantely 2/3 of the world deny women these rights.

Why would you want a penis? You have to have balls too always dangling around, wearing loose fitting boxers and they're hanging out and too tight hurt the little guys.

Penis envy? Dear God. I thought that was one outdated idea that went the way of the dodo.

Have a look at the NOW organisation's website, for what feminists actually are interested in.

Denver: did you say somewhere that you were bisexual? If so, I can only sympathise with those girls who do wish you had a penis.

Because feminism is no longer about women's rights it's about enslaving women to "get back at men" or whatever

Nice to hear about your imaginary world where you get to decide what others think but In the real world feminism has nothing to do with penis envy. Maybe and your imaginary friends should seek help for your illogical hatrid of women.

If your for women's rights you could have fooled me. Most people who care about rights don't stoop just to slander others who have a difference of opinion. Try reading up one feminism, maybe even talking to a few, instead of just saying hateful things about them. Penis Envy is just a saying if a woman wants the rights a man has she must really want to be a man. Women want respect not a sex change that's just stupid.