My point was pretty much that I don’t feel like semantics are really beholding anything. There’s just no end to following that logic. The other commenter accused me of being ashamed of defending men’s interests because of my position. Isn’t this literally being ashamed of calling myself feminist cause I disagree with the extremist minority? If you’re 95% of a feminist, you’re pretty much a feminist. There’s disagreement even internally to pretty much every movement out there. Not everyone agrees on everything.
I’m genuinely confused as to why one would need “wiggle room” for anything, who we need to “win over”, and what is that “side” you’re referring to.
Movements as large as feminism have plenty of internal disagreement. There’s no party line, no code of conduct, it’s a bunch of people fighting over similar principles. Do you agree with literally everything from every movement or political allegiance you associate with?
I don’t want to be part of the feminist movement because I vehemently disagree with some of the things feminists do. I don’t want us to be called to task for those things, or have to explain them or implicitly support them. I don’t want to have to say “we” when talking about feminist theories or actions.
Which is why you should choose your affiliations carefully, especially for a fledgling movement that is still finding its ideological footing. I think men’s lib is something that should be seen as closely aligned with, but distinct from, feminism.
The men’s liberation movement ranges back from the 60s, developing pretty much at the same time as second-wave feminism. The movement as an official legal entity isn’t a thing now, but it used to be openly pro-feminist. The men’s right movement literally rose from a chunk of the liberation movement that left because of exactly this.
I like “feminist adjacent community for men”. I’m a fan of that.
I don’t like “feminist community for men”.
95% of the time, anyone concerned with men’s struggles should agree with feminist takes.
I just don’t want us to be beholden to the 5%.
My point was pretty much that I don’t feel like semantics are really beholding anything. There’s just no end to following that logic. The other commenter accused me of being ashamed of defending men’s interests because of my position. Isn’t this literally being ashamed of calling myself feminist cause I disagree with the extremist minority? If you’re 95% of a feminist, you’re pretty much a feminist. There’s disagreement even internally to pretty much every movement out there. Not everyone agrees on everything.
That “pretty much” is huge imo. It gives us wiggle room to disagree without also attempting to win the rest of feminism over to our side.
I’m genuinely confused as to why one would need “wiggle room” for anything, who we need to “win over”, and what is that “side” you’re referring to.
Movements as large as feminism have plenty of internal disagreement. There’s no party line, no code of conduct, it’s a bunch of people fighting over similar principles. Do you agree with literally everything from every movement or political allegiance you associate with?
I don’t want to be part of the feminist movement because I vehemently disagree with some of the things feminists do. I don’t want us to be called to task for those things, or have to explain them or implicitly support them. I don’t want to have to say “we” when talking about feminist theories or actions.
I still genuinely don’t understand how this is any different than basically any other ideological affiliation.
Which is why you should choose your affiliations carefully, especially for a fledgling movement that is still finding its ideological footing. I think men’s lib is something that should be seen as closely aligned with, but distinct from, feminism.
The men’s liberation movement ranges back from the 60s, developing pretty much at the same time as second-wave feminism. The movement as an official legal entity isn’t a thing now, but it used to be openly pro-feminist. The men’s right movement literally rose from a chunk of the liberation movement that left because of exactly this.
And then we abandoned it to the Andrew Tates of the world. Because it threatened feminist moral supremacy.