Women Against Feminism.... criticism

[Josh F]

If you're not familiar, this is a group of women who post photos holding signs saying why they hate feminism.  Their reasons are so dumb though!!!!

 

I hate feminism because I'm proud to be a stay at home mom. I hate feminists because I don't mind cat calls.  I hate feminism because me me me me me.

 

Its never issues like circumcision, the draft, alimony, corruption in family court, corruption when registering you as a sex offender, men paying for the single mother state, etc.  

 

Anyone else feel me on this?  

[Kevin Beal]

I think that by and large, the signs they write are in response to the signs by the "i need feminism because..." campaign, rather than raising awareness of men's issues.

 

The specific points about cat calls and the defense of stay-at-home parenting are popular "i need feminism because" signs where feminists equate cat calling to rape and stay-at-home motherhood to slavery.

 

My guess is that they aren't even aware of the men's issues you mentioned. I think it's more about feeling fed up with the victim complex shit that many feminists are keen on pulling.

 

Most of the signs are just a rephrasing of other signs already posted, but I generally appreciate seeing them pop up on my facebook feed.

 

And to be fair to them, the sentence completion is directly to do with them, so if they are talking about themselves and how it directly affects them, then that's kind of to be expected. "I don't need feminism because of things don't don't really affect me so much" wouldn't make a whole lot of sense.

 

That being said, it would be nice to see them acknowledge men and boys more. 

[Josh F]

I told my girlfriend about this post.  She was sharing a bunch of stories about men cat calling, super aggressively, even as a young child.  I don't think the feminist approach to the issue is right, but its one of the few things they talk about which is worth talking about.  Is it rape culture?  I don't know, in some cases I can easily see the connection between some creepy old man grabbing his dick and saying vulgar things to a child and rape.  I personally hate cat calling and the people who do it, its extremely disrespectful.  I guess the rape culture theory makes their point absurd by including things like guys asking women out, or looking at attractive women in public.  

 

Comparing stay at home moms with slavery is ridiculous.  If anything, having to work all day to pay for a family you barely see sounds more like slavery, to me.

 

As for these ladies and their comments.... I think that male issues do effect them.  Something like "I don't need feminism, because I'm divorced and I don't need to steal my ex-husbands income" or "I don't need feminism, because I don't want my son shamed for masculine"  

 

Am I way off base here, or are women just solipsistic in general? 

[Kevin Beal]

I don't know, in some cases I can easily see the connection between some creepy old man grabbing his dick and saying vulgar things to a child and rape.

This is vile, disgusting and horrible. But this is not what most people are referring to when they say "cat call". It just means that whistle that first goes up in pitch, then down. And I regularly cat call people that I am fond of and know well enough that it won't come as a shock, men and women.

 

I'm not saying that men's issues don't affect women, but these women tend to be in their 20's and probably don't have husbands with ex wives or children. Most appear to be college aged women who come into a lot of contact with social justice warriors.

 

Maybe you aren't off base at all, I'm just saying that I didn't have the same reaction.

 

*edit

Apparently, cat call is broader a term than I had thought. From Urban Dictionary:

 

 

Cat Call

When a guy gives the wert whirl whistle or yells at a babydoll for the purpose of getting attention and in hopes of a future hookup. This is usually done out of the window of a car. Typically a Pontiac Firebird, or Camaro.

 

99.9% a hookup never arises and it's just the thrill that keeps these going.

[Josh F]

yeah I feel ya.  At first I was like, oh great, women finally challenging feminism... but then I saw this one posted today... and it isnt the first really goofy argument I've seen.  

 

"I have a personality besides being an edgy, contrarian, special snowflake tumblr twat"

 

 

Good on them, of course... keep it going.  Would be nice if they brought up some of the actual laws in place hurting people instead of how feminists make them feel... but thats jsut me.  

[hannahbanana]

I saw a response to Women Against Feminism...it told a bunch of hypothetical stories about women who live in 3rd world countries who face actual violence because they are weaker or more vulnerable as women, and therefor we need feminism...even though mainstream feminism has barely anything to do with women in 3rd world countries. I wouldn't be surprised if their posts are all "me me me," because that's most of what most feminists are all about too.

[Josh F]

oh, don't get me wrong, the Jezebel feminist crowd is insanely horrific.  They remind me of those commie protestors who shout CONSENSUS at people who disagree with them, its so childish.

[Psychophant]

Ach, the only problem I see here is similar to all the ostensibly good flavours of feminism like sexpositive feminism etc., they have no impact in reality. If you state that you against slavery and pro-selfownership, you have exactly zero impact on anything. It is like saying "I don't like sauerkraut, it makes me puke."

[Josh F]

indeed, well put.  Its rare that I see them make a moral argument, its normally an aesthetic one... me no likey. 

[PatrickC]

Some of the issues I have had around this recent campaign seemingly (and not in every case mind). Is..

 

'huh feminism is preventing me from getting the goodies men can give me'.

 

I'm probably hyperbolizing here somewhat perhaps and there are some parts to this campaign that I have liked (women speaking their minds as Kevin pointed out) compared to the many leftist nonsense out there from the usual feminist suspects. I just think that real empathy (with men) takes a little more than a Twitter campaign.

[MMX2010]

Billy Chubbs, returnofkings author, is really cynical about Women Against Feminism...

 

http://www.returnofkings.com/41607/womenagainstfeminism-is-typical-female-attention-whoring

[Matisyra]

 

Some of the issues I have had around this recent campaign seemingly (and not in every case mind). Is..

 

'huh feminism is preventing me from getting the goodies men can give me'.

 

I'm probably hyperbolizing here somewhat perhaps and there are some parts to this campaign that I have liked (women speaking their minds as Kevin pointed out) compared to the many leftist nonsense out there from the usual feminist suspects. I just think that real empathy (with men) takes a little more than a Twitter campaign.

 

 

That's my take on it too.  The Women Against Feminism women are the feminists your mother should have warned you about.  I'm sure they all like the rights to vote, to own property of their own, to be able to get work, access to birth control, etc, but they stop liking feminism the minute it implies that they might have to do for themselves.  So many of those posts were about needing a man to lift heavy stuff and open jars -- classic male disposability stuff, really.  

 

They also don't really have a good critique of the marxist patriarchy theory overtaking feminism, and that's just lazy to me.  It's so easy to rip apart. 

[Josh F]

So i sent my message to the people from that page, and I dont know if that is related but suddenly a slew of topics regarding men's and boy's issues has popped up, to my utmost happiness!!!