#WomenAgainstFeminism says patriarchy is over, yay!

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      Today I found out that all women are equal, feminists are whiny, grouchy babies, and I need to make my man a sandwich stat!

      At least that’s the conclusion I’ve reached after reading all the tweets containing the hashtag #WomenAgainstFeminism.

      Yay! The patriarchy is over!

      (Pro-tip: It's not.)

      At first, I was angry and thought this:

      But then I read this and had a revelation:

      And that's not completely wrong.

      Full disclosure: back in my early 20s, I used to be a woman against feminism. Not because I didn’t think women deserve equal pay for equal work or protection from domestic violence or to be treated as well as men are in society, but because I assumed being a feminist meant hating men and burning my bra.

      Like this woman:

      There was simply no way I could get behind that because I am both rather fond of men and non-saggy tits. And YOLOing, although we didn't call it that back then.

      But then I started learning about feminism and realized I would not be where I am today if not for my feminist foremothers who fought for my rights to vote, attend college, and hold down a job that didn’t involve squalling infants suckling my boobs into droopy oblivion.

      (Not that I look down my nose at any woman who makes that choice for herself, because feminism is about having the agency to make your own decisions!)

      I then further realized that I'm an educated white woman with a hell of a lot of privilege that other women don't have and that my first-world feminist problems, while real, pale in comparison to the problems of other women who aren't me.

      So now I'm a damn feminist and I'm proud to report that I've never burned any article of clothing, except for that time I accidentally melted the sleeve of my hoodie while making a fire.

      (I mean, what was I thinking trying to start a fire? That's obviously a man's job.)

      One of the most visible users of the hashtag on Twitter has been Holly Fisher, a self-described "Christian. Wife of an Army combat-infantry vet. Mom of 3.", who has glorious insights like these:

      Women on average earn 76.5 percent of a man's wage, and obviously 76.5 percent rounds up to 100, so totally equal.

      Thank goodness I shaved my armpits this morning. I hope all the men I come in contact with today appreciate it! Oh, wait... will my wanton armpit depilation inadvertantly encourage men to lust after me? Shit, I better put on a long-sleeved T just to be safe.

      But obviously the patriarchy is over now, right? I mean, I shaved my armpits and everything.

      I mean, obviously it's over because after a male blogger uncovered an eight-year-old video of a monologue former Vision Vancouver park board nominee Trish Kelly did about masturbation, she didn't quit the municipal campaign so as not to be a distraction from all those brave men who are courageously running for office, too.

      (OH WAIT SHE DID!)

      Besides, feminist trailblazers like hero-mayor Rob Ford, who smokes crack and demeans women constantly, well, he's still running for office, women be damned—that's so feminist it hurts.

      Society loves women. Loves them. See?

      Ugly bitches gotta be told, yo!

      (Oh, thank goodness a man is here to mansplain the hashtag, because I was going off on a pearl-clutching, anti-man tangent.)

      Now I know that it's not those pioneering feminists these #WomenAgainstFeminism have a problem with; it's feminists like me who they dislike so much.

      Why? Because I don't think one in two women should be sexually assaulted in her lifetime? Because I think women who use birth control aren't irresponsible? Because I don't pretend rape culture doesn't exist? Because I think a woman can be both a good employee and a good mother at the same time?

      So, to everyone gleefully rubbing their hands together at this anti-woman hashtag, remember this:

      And I'm terribly sorry, boyfriend. I guess I should be making you more sandwiches.

      It’s just that yours are so fucking delicious.

      Comments

      15 Comments

      andy

      Jul 21, 2014 at 3:42pm

      cool story, bro

      Scott

      Jul 21, 2014 at 3:55pm

      Stop trotting out false statistics, you liar. The 75 cents myth is totally busted, and so is the 1 in 2 raped stat. Also, you're supposed to be a professional working for a publication, stop writing like a sarcastic spoiled child

      Miranda Nelson

      Jul 21, 2014 at 4:02pm

      1) The 76.5 cent figure is from a 2014 study by the Equity in Business Leadership centre. The study is linked in the article.

      2) I said one in two women will be sexually assaulted, not raped (they are different). That figure is from Stats Canada (http://www.canadianwomen.org/facts-about-violence)

      Anything else you'd like to learn more about?

      Scott

      Jul 21, 2014 at 4:25pm

      The study re the 75 cents does not take in to account different life choices that women make, such as working part time or staying in a 9 - 5 job rather than travelling.

      You're going to claim with a straight face that your peers make 25% more than you? For every one woman out there working alongside a man with the same pay structure, there is another one making 50%? Give your head a shake. 75 cents, though it holds a kernel of truth, presented as you have is a lie.

      The 1 in 2 will be sexually assaulted, if anything like the "1 in 4 will be sexually assaulted I. College" lie rely on a definition of sexually assaulted that the participants themselves didn't agree with. Not to mention that the majority went on to have further sexual relations with their "assailant".

      Plus, your link goes to a survey that was a one time voluntary survey across all ages from 1993. That's a great survey to extrapolate whatever numbers you like from. Hence, my label as a lie.

      Cel

      Jul 21, 2014 at 5:08pm

      Do you realize that even the source you cited as proof that 50% of Canadian women are sexually assaulted, does not actually say that?

      http://www.canadianwomen.org/facts-about-violence

      "Half of all women in Canada have experienced at least one incident of physical or sexual violence since the age of 16."

      Notice the word physical. Meaning, in 1993, half of the female respondents of the survey reported experiencing either physical or sexual violence.

      As for your wage gap claim - it is quite dishonest of you to pretend that women earn 76% of what men do for doing the same work. Women choose to work less hours, are more likely to choose less demanding, lower-paying jobs, and are more likely to choose to quit work than men are.

      And the overall argument of your post - that women (or people in general only oppose feminism because they are ignorant - is quite weak.

      Many people oppose feminism because they are informed, and disagree with specific feminist positions and actions.

      Sarah Beuhler

      Jul 21, 2014 at 5:19pm

      It is an axiom that the comments on any article about feminism justify feminism. Sadly. Thanks for fighting the good fight, Miranda!

      trish kelly

      Jul 21, 2014 at 6:25pm

      When is she going to publicly explain why she dropped and didn't run as an independent? I'd like to know her side.

      @@Cel

      Jul 21, 2014 at 10:24pm

      Thanks for the link to a think progress article that boldly proclaims that discrimination causes women to be paid less.

      Let me explain why that article is misleading, rebutting their main points.

      1.women earn less out of college with the same degree. Rebuttal: women are less likely to move away for a job, take one with a long commute, or take a job that requires travel. They also don't tend to specialize the way men do. They also put in less hours than men do our of college, there was a famous study recently comparing women and men mba's specifically: the men got jobs faster and worked more hours the first year than the women. Cutting out lots of different types of jobs, working less and taking less demanding jobs = less money.

      2. Women earn less in practically every job. Rebuttal: interestingly, they point out how that includes some woman do instead fields us as nursing. Where the majority are women including shift supervisors and hr drones, why would they earn more? It turns out men are more likely to (again) put in more hours. They are also more likely to continue their education on the job and specialize in fields and becoming anesthesiologists, etc.whereas their female counterparts are more likely to stay in the general work. Same thing with doctors, btw, women are more likely to go in to general practice and men specialize in sports medics, become surgeons, etc. all of which pay more for the "same" job.

      3.women earn less when they juggle family and careers. Rebuttal: well no shit, Sherlock. You mean a woman who is more likely to be called away to pick up a sick child at school won't be given the same workload or opportunity? A woman may have less responsibility when she has to go home and take care of a family (esp. Single mothers) than her single make counterpart? Maybe instead of "discrimination" it's called "making rational decisions wi the best interests of the business in mind".

      This is just the tip of the iceberg. Instead of throwing out e magical yet mysterious "discrimination" maybe you should recognize that human beings, for the most part, make rational decisions based on available evidence. Those that are wrong are less likely to succeed in competition with others, ergo, they are rational actors instead of all men sharing some mythical feeling towards women that they all happen to have in exact same amounts.

      Bruce

      Jul 21, 2014 at 10:31pm

      @cel

      "...Women choose to work less hours, are more likely to choose less demanding, lower-paying jobs, and are more likely to choose to quit work than men are.."

      Probably true, but ask why? And you missed the telling stat that the pay gap is much smaller, 90%, for women vs men in their 20's. Adjust for urban vs rural, and it should be smaller still.

      Part if that will be because older generations' careers bear the scars of growing up in less equal conditions. But I expect the larger part will be having kids.

      And here we come to where men can benefit from feminism. Speaking as a parent, the set of choices that career pothole arises from sucks for both genders. I think the largest block to gender career equality is lack of good affordable childcare. And feminists happen to be prominent backers of that.