MeerderWörter’s Comments (group member since Jan 08, 2016)

MeerderWörter’s comments from the Our Shared Shelf group.

Eternal wrote: "@ Everyone

Has someone maybe created a list that shows these different opinions (which include maybe on this topic as well)? Since I am new to all of this, it seems there are massive amounts of d..."

Well, in sociology five different forms of feminism are distinguished:
liberal feminism
socialist and marxist feminism
radical feminism
black feminism
postmodern feminism

I want to add that the source I use (Giddens, Sociology, 2009) is a bit "old", but still, they should have known about white feminism.


Edit:
I actually forgot probably the most discussed feminism besides white feminism here, which is of course intersectional feminism!

I think it's a great deal of learning if you talk to somebody who is discriminated in many ways, if one might say so.
Listening to the ones affected is always the best you can do.

I don't think there is another reason, for we are discriminited against ascribed characteristics, not achieved ones, normally.
Therefore it is difficult/impossible to really become the other one.

I'm afraid I can't give you a better answer, for I myself don't know a better one, but if anybody has a better solution, I, too, am eager to hear it.

Savannah wrote: "I find this an interesting choice, mostly because I have read a lot of reviews on this book which were written by feminists, and they seem to have many issues with it. They even wrote that they fou..."

That's exactly what I fear: that it is full of white feminism. But I haven't read it yet, so let's see if I think so after reading it.
In German Amazon, it's available for 10,99€ if new (5 copies now), and 6,49€ (or cheaper) if used. Kindle Edition is 7,99€, other editions Another print is not in stock, but maybe it will be when they discover it being our bi-monthly read. Who knows?

April Reads wrote: "I don't think I'd be able to catch up cos I just joined today. But I will fond this book and read it. Thank you for all the recommendations and I'm looking forward to the next book."

You don't need to rush:) And since they're bi-monthly since July, I think you can.

And welcome aboard!

Savannah wrote: "Interesting question, one which I have never been asked before.

In my own situation, the answer is no. I am a heterodemisexual. However, I see no reason why other men and women could not experien..."

Thank you for being so open, and for me, you're always welcome in the LGBTQIA+ - group. I've never seen this image, but it explains a lot.

Other words to describe feminism?
Vital, crucial for humanity
self-determination

Why I use the word to describe myself as a feminist? Hm, good question, but I simply believe in gender equality and want to make people aware of so many issues. So why not use a "controversial", yet well-known verb to do so?

It's a pity I can't be there, but I hope you folks ROAR!!!

Elisabeth wrote: "I just joined OSS some weeks ago. Mom & Me & Mom has made me discovered Maya Angelou. I love the way she describes her life. She didn´t have an easy life but she made the best of it and she also he..."

Now, Elisabeth, your comment made me smile. Thanks for appreciating that people take their time and put their thoughts in here. Comments like yours make me want to continue here.

Bunny wrote: "Yes, if I can strain my analogy a bit further without breaking it... :-) If its like height, people who are one and a half meters tall (five feet ish) are extremely common and people who are two me..."
Bunny, that definitely is totally a thing, I'm exactly that size:)

James wrote: "I believe a person should be proud of the way he or she was born. There came a time I got confused for a female on some occasions. Even my mother made that mistake unintentionally. Just because I w..."

Your comment not only comes off as transphobic, but also interphobic. Now, I get what you want to say, but not every one of us is cisgendered, female/male.

Ross wrote: "Hi Eternal, the philosophy of Feminism is simple it is the commitment of those to correct the imbalance in rights afforded to men over women. To eliminate this injustice and achieve gender equality."

You put that very eloquent, Ross:) Eliminate injustice indeed!

Eternal wrote: "@ MeerderWoerter Sounds great. Now I am already 3 months into the current book list, but do you have any suggestions for me to read that might give me the full experience or partial experience of o..."

Now, I'm happy I was able to help you:=)
If you haven't read My Life on the Road yet, that's definitely worth reading. It taught me so much about US-American history(which is very sparsely taught here in Austria, like, not at all) and it also made me realise a lot of issues, the importance of taxi drivers for example, or that there were in fact societies that were not patriarchal. And it also taught me a lot about democracy, to be honest.

I also think that Persepolis is a great read, simply for the fact that one hardly ever hears anything about Iran and that area of the world from the people's perspective really.

Apart from OSS' book list:
I also read Middlesex (you might have heard of it), it was published in 2003, and explores the history of a Greek-American family, over the time of three generations, and Cal/liope is an intersex character. The intersex issue is not so big in the plot, but it's still really worth a read.

I must say I haven't read any books on gender specifically, but I plan to do so. So, if anybody comes across good books about gender/happens to know good books about gender, I'd really like to get to know these:)

I have began reading these two books tho, which I think are difficult to read, but really worth it:
Fixing Sex: Intersex, Medical Authority, and Lived Experience
Hermaphrodites and the Medical Invention of Sex

Oh, and while I'm at it: Hermaphrodite is a word that is considered harmful by intersex individuals and shall not be used as a description unless told to do so.


Now, I wouldn't say feminism is a research group, but most of us (myself included) are so new to the idea, that we first have to figure out what feminism means, and what is feminism and what is feminist and what not. We have to learn so much.
I think feminism is a concept, but it's also activism. Activism is more important than concept, but you need a concept before you can act, therefore we're still very much debating here. Debating is needed, very much indeed, but I'd say it's both, activism and research.

Shana, you were absolutely right to report this, there's no excuse to harassing somebody. You should wear what you want and what you feel comfortable in, we're not here to take dictation.

Ross wrote: "Sorry if I was unclear I meant if the word is abandoned it will be seen as abandoning the idea and people that make feminism.

Why well becuase the people who oppose women rights will use it as an..."

Okay, now that makes sense. I thought you'd disagree with me, which I found confusing. I definitely agree with you:)

Ross wrote: "The problem I have MeerderWorter is that the people who oppose feminism do not share our egalitarianism. If we abandon the word feminism they won't and only the negative aspects will be seen.

Ther..."

Ross, maybe you missunderstood me, I'm not for abandoning the word ( for the reasons that you listed), but I don't understand your last sentence adressed to me. Why should I stop using the word feminism, why is it risking the concept of the women's rights movement?

James wrote: "Robert wrote: "As far as I'm concerned the whole "movies are sexist or racist " debate because of who they choose to hire to make the movie is silly. I mean let's take it a step further and look at..."

I definitely have to agree with you here, James. Being in a minority group is difficult enough, and therefore proper representation is what is very important. That's the thing that annoys me here - the lack of representation.

Laure wrote: "Robert wrote: "As far as I'm concerned the whole "movies are sexist or racist " debate because of who they choose to hire to make the movie is silly. I mean let's take it a step further and look at..."

I'd also agree with you. Race is more often discriminated against than gender, although both are discriminated against, but the extent is different.

Sure, we have to concentrate on action, but the word which we use for that is also important.

Now, I partially agree with you, history definitely shows us how far we have come. But I think we would also actually give in to our opponents when we'd choose a new word.
The old definition still is valid, I think, facing human's rights violation even more than just "normal" violations.

Jessica wrote: "Ross wrote: "It is a strange thing feminist take a stand to address a clear injustice and the face accusations of being anti man. Yet men do nothing or even contribute to the problems and no one is..."

I'm going to read that one later...
Now, here is a good example why white feminism is not what we should aim for:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/t...
I was reading the "Feminism in the Media" topic and James was so nice to put a link of it in his comment.

The article actually made me angry, I think it's just another example why feminism is a bad word for some, although I think the ones who say it's bad citing this aren't privileged white people in general, but persons of color.

They changed sex and race altogether? How is that not sexist? And racist too!

But then we also have the casting of Johnny Depp in Fantastic Beasts, which I am also very uncomfortable with!

Reading this article now, I only come back to Gloria Steinem: "Double discrimination means double the work!"

Oh, and here we have another example why feminism is a bad word for some - for me, feminism is about race and gender, as well as many other issues, so I don't see why it should be a problem, but tell me otherwise if I don't see why it's harming.
White feminism indeed:(

Discussion with oppressed groups is always a great way to get new insight/new information, it might even change the way you see gender etc.

I believe it's just like studying - you have to decide what you want to know better and immerse yourself within it! And there are always other people to learn from, and new topics to explore.

As Emma said: It's on us to make feminism reality, not like a regime where you get your commands and you have to oblige.

Gender is totally my thing! And sexuality as well, but gender is just this one thing I'm really interested in. There are so many genders, and we need to make people aware of the concept of non-binary and all the sexual orientations.

We should all start by telling the people we know. We have to start somewhere.