I believe it is necessary to seriously discuss the stance that I, personally, take on feminism and misandry. Feminism is more straightforward than the complex issue of misandry - which may seem simple to begin with.
Harken, Sisters.
Feminism is of course the movement of change regarding more rights and legal protection for women. Particularly concerning women in the East and developing countries. However the issue is no less dead in the third wave of feminism in the West than it was during the nineteenth centuries or when our Sisters burned their bras for our rights. It has been a topic present in society prior to the nineteenth century. This is not a new fight. It is not a new voice.
Euripides of Ancient Greece write rousing verse surrounding Medea; the independent woman driven by revenge and spite. We ask the same questions now that she did: why can a man just leave his wife for another woman and not be questioned? Why is it expected that women be treated merely as inferiors or domestic workers? Why are women the frail and incapable? Why are women the damsels in distress?
Quite simply, although much progress has been made, if a woman acts like a man, she is considered to be a slut. Society accepts the polygamy of men. Yet not the polygamy of women. How is there a difference?
In a modern context and from my understanding, if women want to compete with men and be accepted as men, they have to act like men. With this concept I disagree completely. I believe that women, in all our femininity, elegance and differences, ought to be given the same reverence and consideration as a man. I refer particularly to the degrading way in which female sales assistants are treated. Currently, this debate shall not be delved into further, however I do urge you to consider remembering comments you've heard people make about "that stupid girl".
Why are the flaws of the female news reader always commented upon? Why is it the fat woman on television who is persecuted? Why is it the woman's fault when she is raped?
Even in the classic romance novel by Jane Austen, "Pride and Prejudice", we encounter the brilliant statement: what are men to rocks and mountains? Consider the view on marriage portrayed by Miss Austen throughout this novel and also keep in mind her own personal life -- she never married or bore an extensive romantic attachment thus proving she wasn't all talk. I wish that I could go into more depth but there is such a lot that I wish to discuss tonight and such a short time frame...
In short, modern feminism ought to put the femininity back into being a woman. Strong, independent, intelligent, complex, beautiful women ought to have just as much right on Earth as any man. We shouldn't have to act like men or conceal our views.
A huge reverent moment of thought for the Sisters who have gone before us paving the way and leading the feminist movement. We owe our stance in society to you.
And thus, we come to the topic of misandry. It is primarily the hatred, or contempt, of men or boys. It crops up in Ancient Greek literature, once again, and deals with the contest between sexes. it's quite an extreme concept if one views it completely seriously - I shall go into more detail later.
I'll just publish a small extract from SCUM Manifesto by Valerie Solanas:
As for the issue of whether or not to continue to reproduce males, it doesn't follow that because the male, like disease, has always existed among us that he should continue to exist.
When genetic control is possible — and soon it will be — it goes without saying that we should produce only whole, complete beings, not physical defects of deficiencies, including emotional deficiencies, such as maleness. Just as the deliberate production of blind people would be highly immoral, so would be the deliberate production of emotional cripples.
—Valerie Solanas, SCUM Manifesto
I personally feel that misandry can work against the good work of feminism: if we cannot respect men how can they respect us? Yet... through men we had the likes of Hitler and George W. Bush. Men brought us war. Generally I do believe, though, that the anger we feel towards men is valid. We have been wronged. However, I do also believe that it is important to take a mature approach to misandry and lead by example. Because, after all, Atticus Finch certainly was an amazing man. And he would have wanted us to lead by example.
Sometime soon, I will dedicate a post purely to the memory of Amazing Women.
I had a really, really good soy cocoa tonight - hopefully all the Sisters similarly indulged.
Treat yourself - it is not Maybelline and you are worth it.
May you find cupcakes hidden in your garden,
Empress.
Methinks Valerie Solanas can be your new guru -
ReplyDelete"Life in this society being, at best, an utter bore and no aspect of society being at all relevant to women, there remains to civic-minded, responsible, thrill-seeking females only to overthrow the government, eliminate the money system, institute complete automation and destroy the male sex."
"It is now technically feasible to reproduce without the aid of males (or, for that matter, females) and to produce only females. We must begin immediately to do so"
"The male is completely egocentric, trapped inside himself, incapable of empathizing or identifying with others, or love, friendship, affection of tenderness."
This stuff is awesome. Further reading at http://www.womynkind.org/scum.htm