I heard a rather peculiar interview the other day… or part of one, at least. I finally turned the radio off when the conversation became to strange for me. I didn’t catch the name of the person being interviewed, but I caught enough to know I didn’t care to listen to any more.
The woman being interviewed was hailed as being a trailblazer, a feminist par excellence. She apparently earned this distinction on the basis of films she had made over the past 5 or so decades. The first, filmed in the sixties, showed this woman having intercourse with her boyfriend of the time with their cat watching the proceedings. The second showed her drawing forth a scroll from her vagina and reading from it. (She said it was her intention to capture “vaginal energy”.) Note to self: Don't even THINK about what that might mean...
At any rate, I won’t dwell on the films in question, but what I do want to ask is this:
What exactly do you envision when you hear the word “feminism”? Does that word have a positive or negative connotation to you, and can you articulate why you feel that way? Does the fact that the woman interviewed made these films make her a feminist? If not, what does? Do you consider yourself to be a feminist?
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I don't normally think of it as a good thing. There are to many radicals out there that have turned 'feminism' into a cause that is way out there. I believe in equality for all people, not just equality for the 'people' of my favorite cause.
ReplyDelete~Kimberlee
www.TheSpunkyDiva.com
Thank you for typing "vaginal energy" again. I'm going to add it to my list of awesome phrases this week! So, I owe ya one.
ReplyDeleteFeminists? Sort of a negative connotation. Seems often associated with angry, bitter, dry, short-haired women. Totally not true, but there it is.
A best case scenario feminist for me is someone who recognizes that the sexes are equal, but different. Reality and history have placed us in a context where fiery idealism does little besides estrange the two sexes even further. (Holy crap I just typed a coherent thought!)
Men have definitely come (or, we're trying) a long way towards opening up, being a bit more sensitive, playing fairer, and treating women with equality. Yet, we still need to be "men," too. What woman doesn't want at least a *little* John Wayne in her man? In the same way, women can take an aggressive role in being more assertive about their rights, yet remain a lady. Because I know most guys still like a little Audrey Hepburn in their ladies. Or, for me, maybe Greer Garson.
In the end, it's not the views of a woman that distinguish her as a feminist. I think two feminists could disagree- vehemently- on a host of issues, yet remain similar in their passion for individualism, decency, and self-confidence.
There. That's my one "fine I won't try to be funny for once" thought of the day. You're welcome!
Caleb
Blog hopping! I'm your new follower and would love a follow back! www.adeliciousobsession.com Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI envision NONE of that! I don't consider myself a feminist in any way. I have issues with the double standards that exist in some feminist minds. Just as I have issues with "reverse racism" I think there is a flip side to feminism that isn't pleasant.
ReplyDeleteHi Sue, Yes, we will be running our Easter hop until Easter. We would love to have you include a link to the Hopping Along To Easter Blog Hop.
ReplyDeleteThank you for following, I'm following you back!
Have a great weekend!
Cindy
I have a positive view of feminism. I grew up in the fifties, when most women stayed home and really were not considered equal with men. Women were the secretaries, never the managers. There were few women doctors and no women pilots. I don't remember any women in politics; women didn't direct or produce movies. Women weren't encouraged to be all that they could be.
ReplyDeleteMy mom wished her parents had encouraged her to go to college and have a career, but in the forties, women got married and had children. If you married an abusive man, you stayed with him. A woman couldn't make enough money to support her children if she could even find a job.
As for the movie that feminist made, it is immoral for sure. But of course men have been making immoral movies from the very beginning.
I think if a woman has children, it is the best thing to stay home and raise them. It is a harder job than any outside the home. But without children to raise, what is a woman to do with her life? I think it is great that now we can accomplish anything.
Sue-
ReplyDeleteThis is a great post. I LOVE that we celebrate people who do stuff just to do it-like it's an accomplishment. Sure, you can pull paper out of your vagina- but why? Is anyone any better because you did that? Sure you can tape yourself having sex- but why? Have you added anything of value to our cause, culture, community, children?
It's like the saying "Just because they make it in your size doesn't mean you should wear it."
I do, in a way, consider myself a feminist- defined by dictionary.com as "a person who advocates equal rights for women." Shoot- sign me up, I'm all for it. But what these no brained women have turned it into...
I tell every young woman that I can that 'free choice' is the biggest crock of you-know-what ever sold to us women. There is nothing free about it- more women are in bondage now then ever before. Bondage of raising kids with no father, soul ties to our many sexual partners, STD's, the mental torture of past abortions, loneliness, loss of self-esteam, etc. I could go on forever.
I probably would ahve listed to the whole interview, though. Morbid curiosity... :)
We're following you now! Thanks for linking up on the Blog Hop!
Tiffany
I'm really liking Caleb's comment on this! Very well said. Found you on the blog boost;)
ReplyDeleteHi! following from
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I hope you visit me
and return the follow!
:0)
Some people are just too weird!
ReplyDeleteGood idea no mental pictures please!
I would have turned the radio off as well! Visiting from 6WS.
ReplyDeleteI think of feminism as a good thing in the beginning, because it was about equal voting rights. Over the years it has been diluted and twisted to become something the founders of feminism would not have wanted. Susan B. Anthony was pro life, but you don't hear about that. She would be so ashamed of what feminism has become.
ReplyDeleteI'm your newest follower. I came over from Tots and Me: Hopping Along to Easter Blog Hop-Week 1. Please stop by and say hi sometimes http://granolagrizzlymama.squarespace.com/.
To me feminism is about having choices and being free to make them. It has nothing to do with 'vaginal energy' (what a bizarre term!) Feminism is also about taking responsibility for your decisions and choices. I am a child of the 50's. One of my heroines is a woman a worked with a few years ago. She became a doctor in the 50's and was the only woman who graduated from her medical school class (I cannot imagine how hard that must have been!)and she worked in Africa fighting malnutrition. She never married, she knew the choices she made for her career likely wouldn't lend themselves to being married and having children like many of her contemporaries, but she chose to do what she loved in an area of the world that needed her skills. She followed her passion, but never complained about things she missed or having to do things for herself. Feminism is making decisions and accepting the responsibilty for the outcome of your decisions--so yes, I'm a feminist, and proud of it.
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