PART 4 of 4: Thoughts on #WomenAgainstFeminism
If feminism wants to improve its public image, it needs to be even louder at disassociating itself from people that represent their message badly, than the people delivering that message.
If feminism wants to improve its public image, it needs to be even louder at disassociating itself from people that represent their message badly, than the people delivering that message.
When the Ku
Klux Klan or the Westboro Baptist
Church commits acts of hatred in the name of Christianity, there are groups
that work very hard to say ‘that is not my Christian message and here is
why…’ It is not the job of non-feminists
to distinguish between people who ‘really’ represent feminist equality ideology,
and those who don’t, in the same way that it is not up to atheists to debate
the finer points of the Christian religious ideology. It is the feminist message, therefore it is
the responsibility of feminism to police that message, to educate their own first,
to ensure those that represent it know the difference between first, second,
and third wave feminism, intersectional feminism, radical feminism, guerrilla
feminism, or just outright misandry.
Because when someone commits to anger or hatred in the name of your
beliefs, they still represent your beliefs according to anyone who doesn’t
share them.
By splitting into equality denominations and promoting that feminist
denomination, feminists can protect feminism as a whole. Catholicism is marred by the stigma of
protecting its alleged priest paedophiles, but Christianity as a whole is not. The same will become true of feminism.
If angry or radical feminists do not represent your feminist
beliefs, tell them very loudly to pipe down, because right now they are very
loudly telling anyone who will listen that their beliefs and opinions are yours
too. If you have an equality ideology,
own it and declare it with pride because
you’re fighting for a better world, but doing so may mean publically
separating yourself from people who misrepresent your beliefs. Learn or create a name that represents your equality
beliefs and declare it whenever you speak about them. If one day you tell me that you represent
‘coloured’ feminism, ‘transgender’ feminism, ‘lipstick’ or ‘stiletto’ feminism
or whatever denomination you like—I’ll smile, shake your hand and tell you that
I’m Equality
Agnostic.
No comments:
Post a comment