Why a Radical Feminist Blog?
Why blogging at all, for that matter?
Speech – whether it be via the news, a political rally, newspaper commentary, or a blog – is very powerful. The first amendment to the U.S. Constitution recognizes that power and assigns it to the people of the US – ALL people. This allows people to express unpopular ideas which might just change society.
I rarely do anything idly or without consideration. I've always been a bit of a serious person. I've been told since I was very young I have a gift for writing – I want to use that gift in a powerful, meaningful way.
I see promoting women's rights and fighting myths about those who work for women's rights as strongly compatible with that stance.
"But why a RADICAL feminist?" I hear you cry. "Why not one of those nice, liberal feminists who don't believe they have to quit shaving their legs and wearing makeup in order to follow the party line?" Well, as there are still people asking these questions, in spite of the mountains of evidence that this view of feminists is shallow, misinformed, regurgitated misogynist propoganda meant to twist all meaning away from women who courageously fight entrenched sexism without much reward or recognition; I have to continue to defend the right of women to breathe, exist, take up space, speak, shout, scream, sing, dance, eat, fall in love, have sex or not have sex, work, walk on public sidewalks no matter what time of day, receive medical care without fighting restrictions invented by religious loonies, play sports, wear the clothing they like best, get an education, vote, have a bank account, own a business, create art, not do the dishes, and all the other things which most men take for granted as their rights as a human being.
And that is why I'm here.
September 5, 2006 at 4:56 am
I love you.
September 12, 2006 at 2:49 pm
[...] Well, I explained my reasons for this particular blog and blogging in general here, but let me add to this that I began blogging when someone gave me a livejournal code way back when they had invite codes, and I quickly found it addictive and a great way to improve my writing, as well as a voice for myself I had been lacking in my daily life. [...]
June 2, 2007 at 7:07 am
Being surrounded by sexist assholes is not limited to a blog. Look out the window… Or down from a satellite… Or a space station…
November 5, 2007 at 9:00 am
There are a few things I need to understand.
Why do women shave their legs and use makeup (similar to men pumping iron) ??
1) To feel good about themselves
2) To attract men
If the reason is 1, it couldn’t be any better
If the reason is 2, then are not women themselves sexist assholes ??
If you think otherwise, I would be glad if you could direct me to some readings that would enlighten me.
The world needs to have and maintain a healthy balance amongst all the sexes (male, female, trans-sexual) and genders. And for this to happen, all have to contribute their lot and view others as themselves and vice-versa. Trust in social-justice has to be reaffirmed and all this is not going to happen we we focus on the problem rather than root. What I believe is required is a revolution, not in a country, not in a state, not in a family, but within oneself. And all this is not going to materialise in the blink of an eye, but will take its own course of time. We need to start now, and then only we can dream that down the line , one of our generations will breathe free air in a world thats free of prejudices.
November 5, 2007 at 9:51 am
Direct you to some better reading? You clearly haven’t even read one thing I’ve written here, based on this and the other comment you’ve left. You are bent on denying the need for feminism to justify your own misogyny, which you disguise as “egalitarianism”. You have a bad case of “but women are just as bad”.
But to answer your moronic question, although it is discussed at length several other places here:
Women wear makeup and shave their leg because of enormous social pressure demanding they do so. If you can’t see or feel that pressure, you are such an idiot there is no further use talking to you.
In fact, come to think of it, there *is* no use talking to you. Shut up and read and learn, or go away.
November 6, 2007 at 7:33 am
There is a thin line of difference between feminism and male aversion. You seemed to have blurred it.
Am no misogynist, but someone whose trying to understand the concept of feminism as a whole. Apolozies if you find my posts moronic, but you definetely need to read the post again and understand the context !!!
>Women wear makeup and shave their leg because of enormous social pressure >demanding they do so.
Is the social pressure you are talking about driven ONLY by men?? Isn’t there a race amongst the women to look beautiful to attract men…be it through makeup or cosmetic surgery ?? Isn’t this pressure buildup fueled more by women themselves rather than men?
There was this advertisement for a product called ‘Fair and Lovely (a cosmetic product that boasts of making skin fairer) ‘. In that, they ridiculed a dark skinned woman, and then its shows how the product works wonders for her by making her fairer in just 6 weeks. With this new complexion she is now the charm of the town, and that she is now more socially acceptable. This advertisement was taken off the air due to protests by women and human right activists. Ironically, the brain behind this advertisement was a woman (need evidence??). These are not isolated or exceptional cases !!!
How woman perceive themselves is no different from the way men perceive woman. There is no denial of this fact in partial or whole. And if you deny it, it would be better you stop pitying yourself, take a chill-pill and look around yourself – for you yourself are the part of the WHOLE rotten system.
So, you can act stupid and be a male abettor, or look at the whole rotten system and think and work on improving it without any SEXUAL BIAS.
May be you are in the wrong part of the world, or your luck is terrible to have men in your life who abusive. But that doesn’t make ALL the men demonic.
I have not read all of your posts, so I really don’t know the way you think (and whether you think at all). But this comment is in response to what I could make out of you from the previous comment of yours.
November 22, 2007 at 5:45 am
As a non-shaving, non-makeup wearing femme, I love this blog! I just did a web search for, “Do women have to wear makeup to attract men?” and this came up. For whatever reason, men seemed to be scared off by the fact that I’m confident in my intellect and beauty. So confident that I don’t feel the need to conform to society’s standards. Rock on radical feminists! Maybe one day women and men will actually be equals and I’ll find a guy who accepts me for who I am without all the makeup and perfection that the media tells men they need in a woman.
April 3, 2008 at 10:15 pm
Hear hear. My wife hasn’t shaved since she was 18. Why is hair considered unsightly on women yet painting icky chemicals on is sexy? I don’t get it.
There’s a lovely girl who works at a local coffee house who doesn’t shave nor does she hide it. It’s really very refreshing. Let the stupid men who want dolls with denuded skin and fake boobs whack off to pornography. I guarantee if every woman, or even a significant portion decided to save time and money and stop shaving, most guys would get used to it.
And the good ones would breathe a happy sigh of relief.