I saw some good friends the other day, a married couple that I adore and haven’t seen in a while. They introduced me to their parents/in-laws and announced to the mother that I was also a feminist. Mother explained that she was active in the early stages of the movement, I gave her the fight-the-man fist salute and joked about the non-existent special handshake of the feminist club. It was all very light-hearted and perfectly fine, these people are absolutely lovely, but it did get me thinking.
It’s not like this woman and I both went to Cornell or are from the same small Idaho town. No, we just both believe that women are not the sexy supporting characters that leave the real business of life to men or that child-rearing is the sole reason for our existence.
I think I have a hard time understanding why any sane and humane person out there wouldn’t be a feminist, so it’s always weird to be singled out as one by people that I consider sane and humane.
I’ve decided that the next time I get introduced as a feminist to a group of strangers, I’m gonna ask the introducer why they’re not. Should be interesting. Hope I don’t get beat up.
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August 26, 2008 at 7:46 am
TP
That’s an incredible insight. Though I’m sure it’s mostly denial, cynicism about labels, and fear of not pleasing the ruling class, it still gets the ball rolling.
Most men just don’t believe that male supremacy exists, for example. Even the slightest challenge to their supremacy is seen as evidence of what they consider oppression.
August 26, 2008 at 1:10 pm
Malika
“Dizzy’s a feminist, just like you!”
“Dizzy here believes women are human beings! You two will have so much in common.”
This is why people think feminists have no sense of humour, yo. Because we laugh at things that seems normal (like pointing out one feminist to another) and we don’t laugh at ‘normal humour’ (like a male friends’ ‘I’m a porn-hound’ jokes).