why do people have such a problem with the word ''feminism''

i'v been reading about this a lot on the web. and everyone who is anit feminsit seem to have the notion that ''feminist are man haters'' . that's not true! even the so called ''exprets'' say this. the ones who wrote all the things that are wrong with femisem. i just dont get it!
the basic idea of femisiem is equal rights and indivuaiality for all. i do see my self as a feminist and i can tell you that i don't hate men. i do think that if every women was femisnt, there would be a lot less slef hatred, anorexia, and a whole lot of other crap that young women like myslef half to put up with. i dont get it?

P.S femisnt dont have hairy armpits, i should know because i shave mine every other day, lol

I believe that some of the reason that there is a problem with feminism is that even now men are afraid of women having independence from men and the women who side with them are afraid of losing the so call benefits that they think they have when they are dependent on men.

michele - I could not agree with you more.

I was the only person in my womens studies class that raised their hand when asked "who in here considers themselves a feminist?" and automatically I could tell the thoughts of students in the room staring me down..."lesbian"..."man hater" etc...

I love throwing men for a loop with that one. I'll ask them "do you believe gay people should have equal rights?" and they'll answer yes. I'll ask "do you believe everyone has the right to equal pay based on their qualifications?" and they'll say yes. And I'll tell them "you just told me you were a feminist". Then I explain that feminism is simply believing that everyone should be treated equally disregarding sex, race, sexual orientation etc...

I feel that a lot of it is that baby boomers still control a lot of businesses and organizations around the world. Nothing against my parents' generation but the men from that generation are who control these things. And they typically were not all for equal rights (especially the men at the top).

So now feminism and equal rights stand to threaten the hold that the white middle class man has on America (and the rest of the world). They have to spread this type of thinking to keep others from "converting". Feminist is almost a dirty word in this country. I have actually had men tell me TO MY FACE that they don't believe a woman should be paid the same as a man because we are prone to just leave because of getting pregnant!

To which I compared that the socialism that everyone hates. I said well what's my motivation then? You hate socialism because you say there is no motivation to work hard. If I get paid less than a man no matter how hard I work I may as well stay home and get welfare. You use this logic of a woman not being allowed to get paid the same as a man....but then look at women on welfare or WIC as a leach on society? Basically, that logic tells me that you think women are slaves and should do what you want when you want for the pay you want. Sorry....but I don't work like that

I also told him that, while everyone else can call me Jess....he has to call me Doctor HAHA!

women are the only group that is oppressed in every nation, all over the world,, being a feminist is merely self defense... if one is female~

Great thread, Dorian, and great post, Saluki!

I think the problem with the word feminist is the same problem with any other sterotype. There are few extremes that create the stereotype and end up tainting the word for all the less extreme. I looked at a couple of all girl colleges, and there was definitely one that I refused to go to because the majority of the girls there were of that extreme branch of feminism, which just plain makes me uncomfortable. Again, not all of them, but it felt like some of them were giving off this extremely defensive, hostile vibe. It's kind of the same thing with religious fanatics (and sugar..)-- too much of a good things isn't good anymore.

Perhaps if fewer girls were afraid of being stuck with this stereotype, we could be more courageous with being called feminists, thus redefining the word and the connotation with it.

I am a feminist, not a fanatic.

Feminism gets a bad rap - like any other philosophy - due to the extreme viewpoints, such as "ALL men are violent brutes" or "women are not REAL women unless they act like and believe _____ ".

Feminism means a different set of things for different people, it seems to me. I'm a male and consider myself a feminist. For me personally it means: the genders are equal, but different (we each tend have our own gender-specific strengths and stereotypical traits, but that isn't a black-and-white issue); one gender vying for some kind of "power" or "privilege" over the other is to me simply vindictive; and a woman has every right to define herself according to whichever set of norms she chooses, as long as they are not inherently self-limiting (and again, that is open to a wide degree of personal interpretation).

I believe that every woman should have the freedom of choice to define her own self - not limited by what either men OR women as a group or within a subculture declare is "the one right way to be". I believe people have a right to simply be themselves at their optimal personal best, not constrained or judged by someone else's definition of how one should act or be treated according to gender, and that discrimination based on stereotypical gender expectations and assumptions is simply unfair.

I think its strange that those who want equal rights get a title (feminist), as if not believing in equality is normal.

Now, why they have a problem with it?
I have no idea. Stereotypes are probably a huge part of the problem. I wonder how many people actually dislike feminism, compared to how many just dislike the word because of the associated stereotypes?

I mean this in general, not personally to anyone in this thread; it's just how I approach and think about this problem for myself.

I don't know "people," don't personally know anyone who embraces a feminist role as one of their major roles (or many who care what others think of their roles) and don't know anyone at all who has a problem with the word "feminism".

I think most societal arguments are press constructs to cause drama so there will be "news" to report upon. I don't take social news I read or see on television as much more than "entertainment" and, if I'm going to be entertained, I read/watch funny stuff like grocery store tabloids or "Inside Edition" on TV so I don't have to think seriously about what they say, can laugh and enjoy feeling my emotions because of a good story more than have to evaluate a real situation that needs my attention.

I have degrees in sociology and history and what "feminism" means to me is probably not what it means to the average person on the street. Just as I don't care what someone I don't know and who doesn't know me says about the roles I choose, I also don't care what their relatively uninformed/uneducated opinion is either. Everyone has an opinion about just about every subject but I only care about opinions of those closest to me or in situations that directly impact my life and where I can judge how knowledgeable the person might be about the subject and whether they are trying to help me understand the subject or just sell me their opinion.

oh anthor reason why i think people have a problem with the word. i think it's because i lot people think that it's not needed anymore. women's rights have come along way sense the 60's and 70's, so why do we still need it(a lot of people think this). but sexisem is still defentianly alive in to me. there's a book that explains this a lot, i think it's called ''femisem's work is done''? i dont know it's availbe on amazon. i havent read it yet but i plan too. i plan to read a couple books on this topic. help me refresh my femisem theory

Labels are rarely a good thing. They lead to negative impressions. After 15 years in a male-dominated profession, I can attest to the fact that there are still a lot of problems. I've been called emotional, asked if I have PMS when upset, judged based on my gender and more.

even in the "female dominated professions", many women are so well trained they mimic the male dominant behaviors, denigrating other women and even themselves,, oh let there be an end to it sooner rather than later~!