Would you call yourself a feminist?

I was raised with Gloria Steinem's definition of feminism shaping my understanding, and have called myself a feminist since I was a child:

"A feminist is anyone who recognizes the equality and full humanity of women and men."

A more modern and inclusive version of that same idea, adopted by UN Women:

"Feminism is the belief that everyone, regardless of gender, should have equal rights and opportunities."

Feminism is a very complex grouping of movements and ideologies, but I think "membership" within them is very simple: if you believe in equality regardless of gender, you're a feminist.

Yes, absolutely.

You don't have to understand a woman's experience so much as you have to not be a dick when she tells you her experience.

Look at all the men that got butthurt over "bear vs rando man" and I'm gonna be honest, I'd choose the bear over many of them too. They refused to listen to what was actually being said by that statement.

Yes 100% bc the literal definition of feminism is the equal treatment for all genders. I don't go around just telling people that. They can probably just tell I am bc I'm not shitty to a specific gender...

I hesitate to call myself a feminist because it seems like there is a presumption of understanding women’s experiences

Being a woman is the only thing that gives someone access to women’s experiences, but being a woman doesn’t automatically make someone a feminist. Neither thing presumes the other.

I had professors ask us to raise our hands if we're a feminist, and usually every young man did. This was in the Obama administration, before the right became so fascist, but still. We don't expect you to have an equally deep understanding or to be familiar with academic feminist works. We just expect you to believe women are equally valuable individuals, who have the right to pursue their own happiness, live their lives how they want to live them, and be supported by their community in their health, wellbeing, and pursuits.

Of course I would and I do. I find the arguments that there are many branches of feminism to be a reason to not consider yourself a feminist to be kind of ridiculous. There are multiple branches of everything. Not all anarchists agree, not all socialists agree, not all communists agree. No group is a monolith with perfectly aligned values and thoughts.

Yes, I'm a cis man and I am a Marxist feminist. Feminism is not exclusionary to cis men, and Marxist feminism is critical as patriarchy is a secondary contradiction that rests upon the primary contradiction of class society. Attacking sexism attacks capitalism, and attacking capitalism attacks sexism. They are connected.

Feminism is a social movement, made up of the practical activity of people in solidarity with each other. While centering and amplifying the voices and experiences of women and other victims of chauvinism is absolutely essential, remember that there is an incredible need to organize. Movements need people to take notes, make phone calls, promote campaigns, educate, show up to events, share our own experiences where people we care about were victims of patriarchy, and much much more.

Feminism isn't just an idea, and patriarchy victimizes men as well as women, though obviously in drastically different ways and to drastically different degrees. Ideas don't make up social movements, people do. Ideas help us name the world/the problem, which is the first step of revolution, but actual abolition of social structures takes work. Leaving all that work to the victims of patriarchy actually reinforces patriarchy.

Patriarchy and other consequences of class hierarchy are defeated by the contradictions that they create in society. A man who devotes himself to the abolition of male dominant society is the embodiment of such a contradiction. That's what we are, don't over think it. Just roll up our sleeves, listen and take good notes, offer to help organize and always center the voices and experiences of the victims of patriarchy.

Yes. Even in the most cynical light, standing with women is within my own self interest because my rights will surely erode alongside theirs. But also i like women and am disgusted with how they are treated socially and economically, and want that to change for the better. So a feminist i am.

Absolutely would call myself a feminist and here's the reason. Calling yourself a feminist is a declaration that you aren't in performance for brownie points for men's sake and you aren't going to fade to the background the first second the going gets tough. Feminists don't "hate men" but the fact that their issues get sidelined the minute anybody's feelings about their personal masculinity gets hurt means most of the time any discussion about women's issues become about mincing around insecure men.

Feminism is egalitarianism, it is strictly NOT female superiority. The issue with calling feminism egalitarianism is it tends to be a label summerizing the passive part of the movement that asks nothing of people.

Systems that aren't artificially adjusted just end up replicating the same shit they always had over and over and the adjustments don't feel fair or equal to the people who have always benefitted before the change. Justice sometimes meaning giving up something to the party in need. Damn near everyone is up for equality in theory, but the moment they are asked to give up anything suddenly it's women's superiority. They don't look at being passed over for the promotion in favor of an equally deserving and more generally underrepresented woman as being just or needed when it's them who doesn't get chosen. They still in their heart of hearts believe that whenever a woman comes out on top it's not because she deserves to be there.

And it's hard. It's hard to put justice first. It's hard to hire someone who isn't your close personal friend who looks just like you and instead choose someone who acts or looks different who you won't be as comfortable around. It's hard to change your culture to be mindful of needs you don't personally have to make someone else comfortable. The whole POINT is that it's hard. Everything that is hard for you is a comfort, a point without personal friction you have, a PRIVILEGE that you are purposefully choosing to not cash in on anymore because that privilege was never on the table for someone else.

If you aren't willing to face the minor discomfort of being devisive and calling yourself a feminist and gaining the ire of other men what other comforts are you not going to give up?

Yes, of course. I don't feel the need to lead with it unprompted because that's not where I focus my attention in terms of advocacy, but:

1. Anyone who isn't a male chauvinist is a feminist by process of elimination
2. As a bicycling advocate, feminism comes with the territory because biking was a big part of the women's lib movement back in the Victorian era. (Quick explainer, deeper dive)

Woman here and we could use more male feminists

I understand what you are saying, but you don't need a lived female experience to be a feminist.

I will declare you one. You are a feminist. Be proud.

Hard yes. If you believe in equality and justice what the fuck else would you be?

Though, I suppose there are those that don't... They can fuck off

No, never.
Because I don't even understand what feminism is. There's so many conflicting opinions under that umbrella that the label doesn't even make much sense to me.

Yeah. I wouldn't bring it up as a non sequitur but it's pretty important.

If Feminism is equality between genders, then yes, I am a feminist.
But if Feminism is unconditional trust towards women, then no, I'm not a feminist.

In my experience people who call themselves feminists often put women above men, and will deny any criticism towards them because they're women, and women never do anything bad.

In my humble enby opinion you can call yourself a feminist if you believe in equality between genders. There are many flavours of feminism and they often contradict each other. You will never be a perfect feminist in every feminists' eyes. And you shouldn't try to be.

I prefer the term "egalitarian". Functionally the same, but firmly places the focus on equality regardless of gender, and creates distance from the toxic misandrists who have tried to co-opt the "feminist" label.

In the sense of "do women deserve equal treatment in society?" 100%!

I idolized my grandmothers as a kid, and they did a better job raising me than my actual parents. Both sides of the family always seemed much more matriarchal to me.

The one time I was ever in charge of anything was at a fairly sexist job and I repeatedly fought to get the ladies' pay more in line with the guys, I reported a few people to HR for making my staff uncomfortable, and I ensured the one employee got a private lactation area after she had a baby.

Now I volunteer with animal rehab, and that is a field that is about 90% women, and they are all so badass, compassionate, they do every job, and come from every walk of life.

To see all I've seen and to not think anyone deserves the same treatment as me because of their gender would be insane. I don't like labeling myself, because I'm always not going to fit someone's definition of that thing, they can call me whatever they want, but I like to see whoever is around me getting treated right.

Yes. I was raised by feminist parents and have always supported equal rights and equal pay, and stood against misogyny and sexism. You're right go not want to be presumptive, but the answer to that isn't to shy away from feminism, it's to listen.

I don't know.

My concern was always about showing respect to others, regardless of gender. I want for others what I want for myself.

I grew up surrounded by womens and, as a kid, I heard horrible stories about men behaviour but also heard countless dismissals from women to women about those same male behaviours.

As a teen, I became so concerned of my existence as a man, I went so deep into neutral and non threatning territory I had girls telling me I was being flirted with because otherwise I wouldn't notice nor correspond. I was quick to point out bad attitude/behaviour from guys towards girls as well, which did not make me popular with my peers.

As an adult, I started working under the supervision of women. No concern, no friction. I did became extremely aware how women would easily create and maintain terrible and damaging relations between them, for futile reasons. Even today, where I work at, where the majority of responsability roles are women, the way even polite conversations are held are laced with tension.

I reached a point where I act in accordance to my conciousness. I loathe disrespect, I get revolted by hearing anyone talk less of others. And I am learning to call others on their words and actions, regardless of gender.

I do recognize a lot of violence, of all kinds, is still enacted upon women because they are women, solely, but I am also aware a good deal is still dismissed and even abided by other women.

YES

I'm a woman who calls myself a feminist because I don't want to let the transphobes known as TERFs (Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminists) have the word. (Potentially useful to highlight that whilst not all transphobes are TERFs, all TERFs are transphobes)

Some people are opposed to using the term TERF because of how misogynistic TERF ideology is — they don't just hurt trans women, but all women. Whilst I agree that their form of feminism is harmful to women everywhere and vehemently disagree with their views, there is no "Council of Feminists" who decree who gets to call themselves a feminist. So if I want to call myself a feminist, it means having to share the room with TERFs. I don't like that, but I'd rather do it than let them define what it means to be a feminist.

I think in the purest sense yes, a general platform of equality for genders.

However I'm growing increasingly cynical and wary of continuing to advocate more in this direction. Not that it's inherently wrong, it's that the movement has been co-opted by the capitalists. Very swift to make sure women still bear all of their responsibilities, now also must enter the workforce in order to make a combined living family income. Yet no additional social supports. Men's gender roles changing in society, but absolutely no future planning or accommodation for what men are supposed to change into, or what role to take.

We are slaves and I think it's always important to remember that. We get the scraps we're allowed. And all of the forward progress isn't as forward as we want to self-smugly believe. We are still being played as the underclass.

Maybe but if you forced my hand yes. The following is just my own viewpoint of feminism I have basically never interacted with literature or the community. (Yes I know I need to!)

I believe feminism is more than women's right. It's inherently the rights of everyone. The focus on feminimity I would say is because it's the largest oppressed class under patriarchy.

Women's rights are linked with trans rights because you must be able to accept the rights of whether or not someone identifies as a woman, a man, enby, or any other type of identity.

It links with men's rights because not only do men have privelage they also lack freedom of expression which also interlinks with trans rights. Men have privelage but they have also lost the right to decide the kind of man they want to be that doesn't follow within the narrow perspective of what society expects. That's harmful to both men and women.

Following in line with the last 2 it links with race because men, women, and trans people are a part of racial minorities. Inherently by treating anyone of a racial minority different you are trampling one someone's rights be they man, woman, or trans person.

That:'s just big topics without getting into parental rights, the rights of people with disabilities, immigrants, etc.

Following the you don't necessarily need to know a woman's experience to be able to acknowledge it's validity.

More than anything I think to strive for equality for everyone is feminist AF. I might be diluting what feminism is though.

No I’m not a feminist.

Feminism has had several waves with varying ideology behind it and I definitely don’t agree with all of the ideals espoused by feminists.

I’m a humanist egalitarian which better describes my position.

I once met a girl (or should I say, she once met me), who wore a shirt that said: "Feminism is the radical notion, that women are people, too. "

So, yes, I consider myself a feminist.

No. I think every sane person is against sexual harassment. Term has become so broad and there are many things under that label that I disagree with. And because its so broad and popular it has attracted all sorts of slimy politicians to it.

My eyes roll 720 degrees when I see prolific feminists addressing EU parliament and taking photos with all sorts of celebrities and politicians. At the same time there is loud silence when the most high profile sexual scandal comes out that involves one of the top politicians in the country. And the rest of "feminist" nomenclature just rolls with it domestically and internationally. Bunch of spineless politicians.

I would say yes, but the term is much less often used today than in the past and some people have very strange notions of what it means. I don't think I've ever had the need or opportunity to use it to describe myself, even though I would fit the reasonable definitions.

yeah it's useful to call yourself a feminist and it doesn't cost much. you might be overthinking this, do not deprive yourself of future interactions with people who share your values

It's really hard to call yourself a feminist when you realize that all major achievements of western feminism aren't the direct result of activism but rather capitalism. To paraphrase DiCaprio's Character from Django, activism had their curiosity, the financial incentive had their attention.

Industries and governments realised that they were essentially not capitalizing on 50% of the population.

Women in the work force wasn't a noble grant of freedom, it was an increase in production and profit. If it were truly as noble as it is made out to be, they would've given them equal pay from the start.
Same thing goes for women being able to have their own bank account. Women having their own money means they will spend it, driving the economy. Even the right to vote just provides another angle of attack to influence and radicalize the population. Those are the 3 corner stones, work for capital and pay income tax, spend your money and pay sales tax and vote for whoever the TV tells you to vote. Everything else is just comfort to sweeten the deal. That's also why 3rd wave feminism has grinded to a halt. The is no capitalist financial incentive to give women even one more inch of freedom than they already have.

Women haven't won anything they've just gotten of the side lines, right into the corporate meatgrinder.

And now we're here, where a two head family can't afford to have a child because both members working 9-5 can barely support themselves financially, yet alone have the money or time to have a child. And neither corporations nor the government are eager to support them as if giving back even a single cent of profits is a cardinal sin.

My opinion as another cis dude: there are three things at play. (1) What is the definition of "feminism?" If you believe that women and men and everybody in between and beyond are equally worthy members of society and should not be discriminated against in any way, then you fit my definition and can call yourself a feminist. (2) I recognize that this is a hot button issue for some people unfortunately. I also see that other people may operate under a different definition. I give shit to anybody with opinions on the matter that go against (1). I don't necessarily use the word "feminist" in that context because some words - good words! - have a way of closing people off like an oyster. "Woke" and "feminism" are two examples. Worthy concepts behind both in my view but the mere mention makes some people stop listening. Especially those who would benefit from widening their horizons. Humans are capable of rational thought but we don't always do or behave that way. I'm dogmatic in my opinion but I'm not dogmatic in the language that I use so I try and adjust it to fit the situation. (3) Even among supposed allies you'll find oddballs. You don't want to be a self-professed feminist who mansplains feminism, just as an example.

In this mixed minefield, I think I want to be judged more by my actions than the terms I use.

Probably more egalitarian than feminist, just because of the bad branding over the years. Same principles still apply, though. Equal rights, equal pay, full maternity/paternity leave, equal draft laws, equal dress/beachwear, etc.

Having differences between genders has always rubbed me the wrong way. People are just people.

No.

I don't have a gender (I lost it somewhere, sorry), and I still call myself feminist.

I think feminism is something more related to the fight against a type of oppression rather than an identity thing.

I believe that every human is a human with equally complex lives who all deserve equal opportunities and the right to self-determination regardless of gender, race, or any other uncontrollable factor.

So yes, I would consider myself to be a feminist.

I think the whole appeal of feminism for me, is the questioning and evaluation of rigid gender structures. I'm not sure if it's my place to call myself a feminist or not (since I'm non-binary). But I do think that feminism and queer issues are contiguous.

I absolutely call myself a feminist even if the word isn't maybe entirely descriptive anymore.

This is our fight too.

Yes and if someone had a knee jerk reaction to that that gives me valuable info about them. If they want to know more about it they’re free to ask, or make assumptions, doesn’t matter to me how other people feel about the word.

100% I'm a feminist in the original sense of the term, and not the radical (misandrist) way it's come to be recognised as. As a man I don't pretend to 100% relate to the BS women have to put up with on the regular, but I can listen, I can empathise, and I can recognise it stems from a society in which men are viewed as "superior" for some reason.

Similarly, I recognise a lot of issues men have also stems from our patriarchal society. For me it's not about quantifying the harm (although if I had to, hot take but on average I'd say the people not in power have it worse), but about pointing to a problem and saying "This is stupid and causing a lot of harm to everyone, why keep it?"

Yes. Though there are men who just wear the word as a label without changing their behaviour, it’s up to men to set a positive example of how we should treat women and each other.

Fellow cis-gendered male feminist, we outchea

I wouldn't, but some definitions I've heard fit me, I personally just call it basic decency + common sense

Of course you're a feminist, you have feminist beliefs.

In shorthand, it just means you want equality. It's practical and makes sense that everyone takes this stance. We should all be feminists.

I think modern feminism does more harm than good, since it is what makes separation visible in the first place. Since I view separation as the root of virtually every problem in human history, I would therefore consider myself a “humanist” who views all people—regardless of gender, skin color, origin, or other characteristics that could serve to create separation—as equal. We must overcome this division.

I wouldnt, because it is not mine to claim the descriptor, if anything, I get highly suspicious if a man feels the need to mention they're a feminist. If a woman describes my behaviour as feminist I'll gladly wear it, and I do believe it would be a validation of what I believe in / my values.

I wouldnt have 5 years ago, but I would today, but I'd still say I'm a Marxist first

So many in this thread confusing feminism with egalitarianism. We have different words for a reason.

I am an egalitarian because I believe everyone is and should be treated equally.

I remind myself that it's mindfulness, speech and conduct that that matter. Labels by themselves are meaningless.

I used to, but I don't think I should any more. I've been kicked out of two feminist spaces:

1. Someone said childcare is exclusively a women's issue, as in men cannot or do not help with it, and I disagreed.

2. Someone said it was hilarious that some men think there are unique challenges men face that women do not, and I disagreed.

So if 100% of feminist groups I've joined don't believe I'm a feminist, I guess I'm not a feminist. I guess you could say I failed the purity tests.

I grew up being taught feminism is about equality between men and women. It's not about one sex being dominant over the other. In that sense, yes, I'm a feminist. But unfortunately, I later learned in life that feminism and gender equality is taught differently in different places, or not at all. Feminism has morphed in the minds of many that it's about women getting privilege.

No. I would not. I don’t like the label - but I’m in no way opposed to their position. Rather smugly I’d like to claim I’m an egalitarian.

I did until the gender wars intensified online. Now suddenly the word feminist conjures up images of wild misandrists.

I still believe in the core concepts, but now since all the big systemic fights have already been won its just Bill and Ted rules.

I'm not. Because I find that the movement possesses extremist views and perspectives that I simply cannot follow.

I do support the rights for women to have abortions, their body their choice, to have more equality and other things and I don't support misogyny. But I also do not condone the idea that men are all bad because a woman experienced just a couple of bad apples. I don't think women should have advantageous edges over men, because again, the idea is about equality, not about getting a leg over someone based on gender.

Fuck the -ists and -isms. Consider policies and actions on their merit, not the label. I support things that help people live better lives. Feminism is a freighted word no matter who is using it but no one has right to claim their freighted definition is 'THE' definition, not even you. If you want to help women, don't worry about what people call you, just help.