tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post894148947511323265..comments2024-02-29T02:54:19.767-05:00Comments on Babbling Books: Feminism and BooksBrian Josephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-5883785188811105002014-12-13T21:16:57.488-05:002014-12-13T21:16:57.488-05:00Hi Brona - I really like your religious allegory a...Hi Brona - I really like your religious allegory and used it myself in the above comments. Those with controversial options and those who are fanatics seem to have become ingrained in the minds of many as to what feminism is.<br /><br />I do agree that most people are moderates which to me make them moderate feminists.<br /><br />I appreciate your comment about each of us documenting our own journeys. For me, that is a good part of what this blog is about.Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-49233906998404294242014-12-13T20:14:30.875-05:002014-12-13T20:14:30.875-05:00All we can do, Brian is document our own journey. ...All we can do, Brian is document our own journey. <br /><br />By adding to your knowledge base & taking the time to be self-aware, I believe these pieces by you will add significantly to the reasonable debate about feminism.<br /><br />Mr Books & I often discuss how feminism should be discussed by women & men. <br /><br />I often use religious belief to highlight the varieties of feminism. Like religious belief, feminism has fanatics, extremists & militants. There are lapsed believers, recent converts & various non-believers. <br />But most people reside somewhere in the middle - quietly believing and living their life by the philosophy of their choice.<br /><br />I look forward to your future posts on this topic.Bronahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11110584237325026052noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-43838481585661050342014-12-13T16:58:44.526-05:002014-12-13T16:58:44.526-05:00Hi Jane - Indeed many have cast dispersions on fe...Hi Jane - Indeed many have cast dispersions on feminism lately. There are some good signs these days too. Over the past year feminists and people focusing upon violence aimed at women have strongly asserted themseves on social media. The nasty backlash that I alluded to above has actually spurred new awareness and activism in and of itself.<br /><br />In addition I cannot say enough how heartened I am by Emma Watson's He For She Campaign. <br /><br />WWW.HeForShe.org<br />Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-56261026366348424912014-12-13T16:26:51.882-05:002014-12-13T16:26:51.882-05:00It's such a shame that the feminism label is p...It's such a shame that the feminism label is perceived as a negative these days--back when I was a teenager in the 70's it was an aspiration and I have never shirked from it.<br /><br />So glad you're embarking on this reading project--I look forward to many thoughtful, interesting posts.JaneGShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11094501834387622997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-92226410303621217962014-12-12T06:04:22.774-05:002014-12-12T06:04:22.774-05:00I just want to add that the harassment, and harass...I just want to add that the harassment, and harassment is too mild a word, terrorism seems more appropriate to me, goes way beyond just twitter and encompasses all social media beyond. <br /><br />Below is a link to one of many articles on it.<br /><br />http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/10/the-unsafety-net-how-social-media-turned-against-women/381261/4/Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-70944044615380694652014-12-12T03:35:34.710-05:002014-12-12T03:35:34.710-05:00Hi Caroline - Thanks for your kind words about the...Hi Caroline - Thanks for your kind words about the post.<br /><br />The "I'm not a feminist but thing..." seems to be function of labeling feminists based upon the very controversial views of a small minority.<br /><br />I wholeheartedly agree that that feminism and the empowerment of women promotes peace. The Pinker book not makes a very strong argument for it and even provides a lot of data top back that up.Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-48669023484573964582014-12-12T02:38:50.317-05:002014-12-12T02:38:50.317-05:00I'm very keen on following your posts on this....I'm very keen on following your posts on this. This one was already excellent. <br />Of course a man can be a feminist. I believe in equality and accepting differences. <br />What I find awful is that I've hear many women start something saying "I'm not a feminist but . . . " How can any woman not be a feminist? Why do we have to defend being feminists. <br />I had no idea things like this happened on Twitter. <br />People sometimes wonder why there are still wars in our world but as long as men think they are superior and women - children - animals - are inferior - there will always be war as well. That's why I think being a feminist and speaking for equality will serve peace in the end. <br />Carolinehttp://beautyisasleepingcat.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-23822079019272510132014-12-11T18:57:09.403-05:002014-12-11T18:57:09.403-05:00Hi Scott - Interesting what you mention about 19th...Hi Scott - Interesting what you mention about 19th Century authors. I have been reading alot of Anthony Trollope lately. His mother was a strong advocate for Women's Rights and he definately showed these sentiments in his books. <br /><br />In fact, I just ran into this quote in The Last Chronicle of Barset concerning men's poor treatment of women.<br /><br />"there are men who will allow themselves all imaginable latitude in their treatment of women, believing that the world will condone any amount of fault of that nature"<br /><br />Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-70707935273937978202014-12-11T16:47:12.735-05:002014-12-11T16:47:12.735-05:00Brian - Great. I'll be eager to see what you t...Brian - Great. I'll be eager to see what you take on in your explorations of the subject. I've been struck recently by how many 19th century writers, men included, take on feminist issues, and, conversely, by how so many contemporary male authors seem to pay almost no heed to them. It's a bit depressing.seraillonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17654593356535433945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-62301757247516960672014-12-09T11:12:05.080-05:002014-12-09T11:12:05.080-05:00Hi Tracy- Thanks so much for your comment. The que...Hi Tracy- Thanks so much for your comment. The question about some Feminists being too critical of men is one I long to have. The conditions that I described above made it impossible to have on social media. <br /><br />Without a doubt some folks have views on men that are questionable. I would argue that any broad based belief system, such as Christianity, liberalism, conservativm, supporters of capitalism, all seem to have adherents with very questionable positions.<br /><br />I do tend to think that feminists tend to get tagged with the most extreme beliefs (thinking about it, perhaps Christians to do too. This is something unfair that my fellow non believers do).<br /><br />With all that, as I alluded to above, it seems that some feminist writers and theorists hold views that I strongly disagree with. Some of these thinkers have been influential upon a lot of feminists. Always up for a challenge, I do intend, to cover some books that present these views.Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-83184966419079894402014-12-09T08:07:15.158-05:002014-12-09T08:07:15.158-05:00Ooh, looking forward to this greatly. Something I ...Ooh, looking forward to this greatly. Something I have very mixed views about in that I'm all for equality and yet feel men sometimes get a raw deal at the hands of some (and I stress some) women/feminists.Felicity Grace Terryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17852843882007267665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-80066116195947600472014-12-08T15:08:03.097-05:002014-12-08T15:08:03.097-05:00Hi James- To the extent that I plan on choosing so...Hi James- To the extent that I plan on choosing some authors who have views that may be incongruous with mine, despite supportong femism, it may be a little difficult. I also expect to be interesting and fun. Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-64163705166519483942014-12-08T13:20:15.351-05:002014-12-08T13:20:15.351-05:00I think you have chosen a difficult task, but a wo...I think you have chosen a difficult task, but a worthy one. One aspect that resonates with me is your recognition that there is a spectrum of positions among "feminists" and that not all of those who espouse the name adhere to the most extreme of these positions. <br />Good luck in your project. I will read your comments with interest.Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00561320676355168336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-39581761240212638312014-12-08T06:20:13.760-05:002014-12-08T06:20:13.760-05:00Hi Delia- I never knew about that Stephen King sto...Hi Delia- I never knew about that Stephen King story! It is a great story and it is indeed relevant. Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-31912384368536287782014-12-08T04:46:11.138-05:002014-12-08T04:46:11.138-05:00And in turn your comment makes me think of how Ste...And in turn your comment makes me think of how Stephen King wrote Carrie and threw the manuscript in the bin only to be rescued later by his wife who sent it to a publisher. <br />And speaking of housework, I really like this quote: "A clean house is a sign of a wasted life." I don't completely agree with it but I do agree with the idea.<br />I look forward to your next post.Delia (Postcards from Asia)http://www.wrongspelling.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-83881345664132176462014-12-08T03:49:36.594-05:002014-12-08T03:49:36.594-05:00Hi Delia - Interesting and sensitive are good word...Hi Delia - Interesting and sensitive are good words to describe it. <br /><br />That quote is making me think as I just finished and will be blogging about Estelle Freedman's No Turning Back: The History of Feminism and the Future of Women. In it she looks into the issue of the value of the household work and other work provided by by women to men who have achieved success. The question that is explored is if the success would have been possible without that support.Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-69181194138438634542014-12-07T22:27:54.861-05:002014-12-07T22:27:54.861-05:00That's an interesting topic and a very sensiti...That's an interesting topic and a very sensitive one. There's still so much work to be done in this area. This reminds me of a famous quote - I'm probably paraphrasing but this is what I remember - "Behind every great man is a great woman".Delia (Postcards from Asia)http://www.wrongspelling.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-43434409140065751512014-12-06T22:32:19.344-05:002014-12-06T22:32:19.344-05:00Hi Violet - i have been exposed to many anti femin...Hi Violet - i have been exposed to many anti feminists lately, ranging from the civil to the downright vicious and sadistic. I agree that there is a psychological barrier the minds of some men when it comes to treating women equally and when encountering women with strong opinions.<br /><br />Ironically a really popular anti feminist argument is that feminism is divisive and that we need to treat everyone equally. <br /><br />I will definitely be reading some of the 1970s feminists as I really want to examine some controversal views and perhaps challenge my own perceptions.<br /><br />I am just finished reading No Turning Back, The History of Femism and the Future of Women by Estelle Freedman. In it there is a lot of emphasis on the many Feminisms. I will be blogging about it shortly.Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-43115421072120056522014-12-06T22:10:54.826-05:002014-12-06T22:10:54.826-05:00I agree with your definition of feminism, although...I agree with your definition of feminism, although there are SO MANY feminisms out there these days. For me, it's all about equality for everyone, regardless of gender, race, religion, age, etc. It's about acceptance, inclusion, and mutual respect. <br /><br />I don't see why anyone would disagree with that idea, but some people do. I think there are deep-seated psychological reasons underpinning their stance. :/<br /><br />Are you going to read any of the 1970's feminists? Some of them were real firebrands and quite off the planet, but I think that was due to their incandescent rage!<br /><br />I've heard a bit about the 'men can't be feminist' arguement. I think it's rubbish. Men need to talk to other men about their sexist behaviour and make a stand against it, because women have tried and tried and there's still a long way to go. It's a difficult situation, though, because there are so many mixed messages in society. Violethttp://still-life-with-books.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-11165764694004742162014-12-05T20:57:20.320-05:002014-12-05T20:57:20.320-05:00Thanks Maria.
It was the fact that I was so naive...Thanks Maria.<br /><br />It was the fact that I was so naive. I thought that such determined and widespread hatred of women was a thing of the past. <br /><br />It is not just traditional hate speech that I have observed. While, as I mentioned there are people arguing rationally against Feminism there is a large number of men, who are seemingly calm, using what I believe are passive aggressive tactics against women who speak out against violence.<br /><br />For instance, a women speaks about a violent attack on social media. She names no perpetrator so it cannot be argued that anyone is protecting a wrongly accused person. Multiple men demand proof that she was attacked. Or a women speaks out about rape, multiple men calmly ask her a non related question meant to goad her such as "why do feminists hate men".<br /><br />I have interacted with a lot of committed feminists over the past year or so. Only a tiny few harbored hostility to men. As a feminist I have no problem with men either :)<br /><br />The contention that women are intellectually inferior to men is infuriating, but also laughable.<br /><br />Some men are really threatened by empowered women. I must admit not understanding it all. Such thoughts and feelings are not in me. Perhaps it is because I have always been surrounded by strong and intelligent women.<br /><br />As you know I agree with you on the other issues too.<br /><br /><br /><br />Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-90671858574786092402014-12-05T14:28:52.811-05:002014-12-05T14:28:52.811-05:00Oh, Brian, what an EXCELLENT post!! You have made...Oh, Brian, what an EXCELLENT post!! You have made your position very clear, and your honesty is so refreshing!<br /><br />You have made an extremely important point in regards to violence against women. It's an unfortunate fact, however, that the early feminists were also subject to violence, although directly. When suffragettes protested in large cities, they were pelted with bottles and rocks. Nowadays, it's harassment on social media, but the violence is still there.<br /><br />I don't understand why some men feel so threatened by the idea of female equality. And, as you also point out in this post, these men insist that women are intellectually inferior to men!! I don't get mad when men point out that, physically, women are not as strong as men. That is certainly true, although I also believe that we are not as weak as some insist we are. However, the idea that a woman is considered intellectually inferior by these men totally INFURIATES me!! That is just NOT so. Besides, brain wins over brawn any day. The great ideas of history have made sweeping changes that were never brought about by sheer physical force.<br /><br />Another thing that infuriates me is the stereotype of feminists as man-haters. That, too, is totally FALSE. We female feminists do NOT hate men. What we hate is the oppression of the patriarchy, perpetuated by a LOT of men to this very day. It's a fact that women were once considered the property of men, and, unfortunately, many men still think this way. We can even still see this in the custom of a father "giving away" his daughter to her new husband, during the wedding ceremony. And women still, for the most part, take on their husbands' last names when they marry. <br /><br />Like you, I do not agree with all the tenets of feminism. As you know, I am staunchly pro-life, for instance. I do firmly believe in contraception, but only if it doesn't harm the life of an unborn child. But I do agree -- quite vehemently -- that women have every right to be paid an equal salary for equal work. We also have the right to determine our own destinies. And we certainly have the right to walk without fear through city streets. Furthermore, the double standard, which is STILL around, has got to go. Men have GOT to stop boasting about how many women they've "conquered". <br /><br />Of course, the changes in such things as rape culture and the double standard have to come about through collaboration from feminist parents. This is still all too rare, unfortunately.....<br /><br />I first learned about Christine de Pizan from your blog, by the way, so I thank you for introducing me to her work!! <br /><br />To sum up, I commend you for this post, and for having the courage to begin a series of such posts. And I'm glad you have comment moderation in place, so the haters won't have a chance to spoil things. As you say, polite disagreement is welcome. Hate speech and threats most certainly are NOT.<br /><br />Thank you so much for your thoughts!! : )Maria Beharhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13635809880830316283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-45094433535231644282014-12-05T11:52:13.711-05:002014-12-05T11:52:13.711-05:00Hi Ebook- Thank you!
I've already finished o...Hi Ebook- Thank you! <br /><br />I've already finished one book that I will be posting about soon.Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-66993248776137686592014-12-05T11:50:31.866-05:002014-12-05T11:50:31.866-05:00Hi Suko - One of the arguments that I hear against...Hi Suko - One of the arguments that I hear against feminism is that full equality has been reached in Western nations but I agree, there is still progress to be made. The harassment that I refer to alone is evidence of that.<br /><br />My next post will be on a feminist non fiction book.Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-31682057959983335832014-12-05T11:38:55.792-05:002014-12-05T11:38:55.792-05:00I left a comment, but it didn't post so I will...I left a comment, but it didn't post so I will try again. Bravo for taking on this topic and exploring the various sides to it. I look forward to hearing about the books you discover.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-13975289032862754702014-12-05T11:31:29.196-05:002014-12-05T11:31:29.196-05:00I applaud you for exploring this topic and also lo...I applaud you for exploring this topic and also look forward to hearing about the books you discover.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com