Feminism is one of those things that I think people get sick of hearing about and females sometimes feel like they shouldn't talk about it because they don't want to sound preachy or annoying or be accused of 'playing the gender card'.
Cartoon by Cathy Wilcox SMH 14 Oct 2012
When Julia Gillard last week, spoke out on misogyny in politics, she was accused of exactly that and her speech seemed to invite even more misogynist attacks from other prominent Australian people.
While some took her words as something positive that probably should have been said a long time ago, many fought back with even worse comments than the ones that had previously caused her to speak out in the first place.
There was a lot of things that were said that pretty much suggested that misogyny is excusable and that she was overreacting by ah....well basically by doing nothing more than calling a spade a spade.
Now from talk of her cleavage...then a rude radio host suggesting that her partner was gay because he was a hair dresser.... to the many vicious attacks by the coalition, this past fortnight has been particularly brutal toward our P.M and if you ask me, she has handled it with great poise
Feminism in Politics- Australia
I talk about our Prime Minister a lot.
People may think that this makes me an outspoken Labour voter.
First can I just say that I listed Labour as my SECOND option in the last election.
I just feel that she is hugely misrepresented in the media and that she says a great number of intelligent things and is for the most part, quite eloquent but is often advertised as being the opposite.
Considering all of the things she has had to put up with, I think she has handled it well.
For me and many others, this has only made us respect her more. I definitely think she is the strongest candidate for the face of our country right now.
My first vote last election was for Greens, even though I don't think the Greens alone have the experience to be a strong enough party to run this country on their own just yet.
My belief is that they will be in the future and they need as many seats as possible to be able to make real change.
Right now, I believe that a combination of The Greens and Labour is the best option for our country.
You may completely disagree, this is just my personal opinion and it’s open to debate.
We could probably talk more about policies amongst ourselves and learn more from our friends than we will learn from watching Channel 9...or apparently Sunrise for that matter
The Greens are forward thinking in a lot of ways and especially when it comes to feminism. They have a number of policies that I believe will help to pave the way for women in the future.
Their party alone is comprised of a much higher ratio of men-women than some other parties.
Whatever your political views are, it can not be overlooked that certain comments made by the coalition are inexcusable
(I have posted this picture already but I am posting it again)
Affirmative action
Affirmative action is frowned on by a lot of people...perhaps more specifically white, upper-class men.
Was that mean? Sorry...kind of
“Why should some woman get a job that I am more qualified for?”
When you think of it on an individual case basis, it might tread on a few toes.
BUT the fact is job opportunities are being given to pave way for groups that may have otherwise been excluded from a specific area and not afforded the same opportunities in their past.
The same goes when talking about indigenous initiatives, people get mad and say dumb shit like
“Why do I miss out on something because I am white?”
These initiatives are about giving people opportunities that they may not have otherwise had.
While as a male, you might think personally that you are more qualified than another person to have a job, you have to ask yourself why there are not more women in that industry?
Is it because women can’t do that job? Or is it because there has never been the resources available for them to do that job?
That is why some scholarships and certain kinds of jobs are created specifically to help certain groups that might need a head start because they have been discriminated against in the past.
I know on the other side of things it can make the person getting the job feel uncomfortable.
‘Am I just getting the job to fill a quota?’
No. You are getting the job because you are an eligible candidate and somebody believes you will be good at it. Your work now will benefit other women in the future.
When it comes down to it, there are numerous studies that show that initiatives like affirmative action work.
When it comes to women being able to accelerate in the business world, their success assists other generations to move forward as well.
Women Vs Women
Feminism has become a more offensive word than some actually offensive words. With prominent female celebrities there like Lady Gaga claiming
“I am NOT a feminist, — I hail men, I love men”
This shows the kind of negative connotation that can be associated with the word ‘feminism’.
Being a feminist is not about thinking that women are superior to men, it is about believing that women are EQUAL to men.
It's worrying when celebrities say things like this as they are looked up to by a younger generation of women who start to think 'Oh being a feminist isn't cool. Better not'
It shouldn't be a war females vs females
Sexism in young people
The amount of lady-shaming I see around is upsetting and it comes as much from other females as it does males.
I have worked in schools where I’ve heard an astounding amount of girls refer to each other as sluts based on how many sexual partners they have had.
I remember it from when I was in high school myself and the way that girls would talk about each other and I’d be lying if I say that I didn’t take part or pass judgement at some point or another.
Mean.Girls
Sex is a choice
‘Sleeping around’ is somehow a much more aggressive term when associated with women than it is with men.
In High School,
While a guy could have sex with several women within a short amount of time, what’s the bet that those several women will still be thought of as promiscuous?
(despite that each of them may not have been sleeping with anybody else, other than that one guy)
So the guy comes out looking victorious and gaining respect around his piers and the girls are left feeling ashamed and embarrassed.
From teaching sex- education in schools, I have come to learn how many young people are unaware of the risks. I don’t just mean the physical risks but the emotional risks too.
Too often I have spoken to young girls who didn’t want to have sex, were pressured into it or did it to make somebody like them.
These risks don’t decrease as women get older and sadly the stigma that comes with it doesn’t decrease either.
It is every adult women’s right to make choices about their own body. This means it is up to them to assess the risk involved with having sex with somebody and make a decision based on that risk.
Sadly females are faced with more than one problem that I believe many men don’t face.
While we can have as much sex as the average man, we are not treated equally when we do.
Men can boast about their sexual conquests but if women are to talk freely and do the same, from what I have seen, we face, what seems to be a multitude more criticism.
A girl should be allowed as many sexual partners of her choosing without be labelled a slut.
People seem to ignore the deeper issues like 'If a girl is having a lot of sex due to self confidence issues- why are we calling her names instead of trying to help her?'
And what if a girl is just having sex because she likes it as much as men do?
Why shouldn't she enjoy the use of her genitals?
Then comes the talk. What if sex results in pregnancy?
This could be one big topic on it's own between religion and legislation that tries to stop women from making choices about their own body..instead of getting into that I'm just going to leave this over here...
Men should be feminists
Men should be feminists, as feminism has the potential to benefit them as much as it does women.
Your dad, your brother, your son your partner, they should all give a shit about how their gender is portrayed in the media.
It should upset them when people say things like “Oh she was asking for it” when rape occurs.
Does it not offend you when people imply that the only thing that is stopping men from raping women is clothing or being somewhere alone at night?
… if it was not for clothing and sunlight, you’d all be out on mass raping rampages everyday- right?
Obviously that is not true.
It should piss you off when people make those comments and you should stand up for yourself and stand up for the females you care about.
When you hear somebody being degrading to women, think
‘What if that was my mother? My sister? My daughter? My friend? How would I feel if somebody treated them that way?’
Ah Bill B
It still goes on
Some people are blind to the fact that sexism even exists, especially so close to home but I am sure most women can recall more than one occasion where they felt mistreated just for being female.
‘Women aren’t oppressed in western civilisation’ seems to be a common view
Several tests and studies show that this is not the case.
I will post a few links at the bottom of this page if you feel like reading up on stuff that will make you angry.
THAT'S SO SEXIST MAN!......(......uh Is it? Is it really?)
Women, like any other group need to be able to take the piss out of ourselves sometimes.
Often I will watch a comedian, saying things that are so funny that I can't breathe.
Then the next day I'll read a headline that says "Sexist remark by________" and you'll see that it has been completely taken out of context.
Before you read part of a joke in a news article and spread it around, telling all your friends how Louis C.K is a sexist prick who makes jokes about rape
...first find the original source and see the context that it was in, don't base your entire opinion of a person based on one thing that you have heard.
He, along with many other comedians and prominent people may often be misquoted but are actually fucking hilarious when their jokes haven't been portrayed in a way that is completely different from what was intended
Yes by all means, call out real sexism but learn when something is a joke and think about who is saying it.
A lot of humour comes from giving the audience the benefit of the doubt,thinking that they are intelligent enough to realise the comedian is not being literal and more often than not, they are making a point and challenging societies perceptions, not expressing their own.
However some jokes have just run there coarse
'Get me a sandwhich' might have been funny the first time somebody said it but some people need some new material.
...Also if you are the kind of dude that says that stuff on the regular, I suspect nobody is ever going to get you a sandwich...but you know, enjoy playing on your own dick for the rest of your life.
To me, feminism is about equal rights.
If you adopt a similar theory I feel like that means letting go of some outdated traditions.
I want to be respected and treated well by people because I am a person, not because I have a vagina.
So yeah that's sweet of you to open the door but we can split the bill.
'Also a Pimms and lemonade thank you waiter.'
I am not saying all traditions need to die in some kind of horrific Game Of Thrones way
....( I've never watched that show but I take it from my Facebook news feed that it was a pretty horrific end to the season... there was blood and stuff...yeah I really do not care about that show)
"Nah take it back"
I just mean that I don't need for those traditions to be upheld.
Kind gestures are still kind gestures and that goes with anybody not just male/female relationships
I do get frustrated by girls who are all for feminism and crying "THAT'S SEXIST" when it suits but happy to constantly be ignoring reverse discrimination when it means that a guys going to a do a job for you, that you are capable of doing 'but shouldn't have to because you're a lady'
It's all give and take and give dudes credit where credits due, because many of them are on our side.
When it comes to feminism, while Australia is way ahead in terms of the rest of the world, it's obvious from the past weeks that we still have far to go
Below are websites that may be of interest
Facebook:
I love this facebook page, check it out and like them.
They are always updating it with current articles
https://www.facebook.com/#!/DestroyTheJoint
Campaign. Who needs feminism?
I need feminisim so that The P.Ms boobs aren't a headline
share why you need feminism
https://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn#!/WhoNeedsFeminism?fref=ts
Want accurate information and coverage on the P.Ms cleavage?
http://nofibs.com.au/2013/06/17/the-truth-behind-the-cleavage/
