Feminists Who Don't Hate Men's topics - tribe.net

For the Toy Geeky Feminist, I give you ...

PaulaC — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 14:23:06 GMT

Turbo Heather

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Cy-k4OGX5U

posted in Feminists Who Don't Hate Men - 1 reply

Okay ...sometimes I hate -=some=- men...

PaulaC — Wed, 06 May 2009 05:00:28 GMT

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article6211470.ece

WHEN Pooja Chopra was 20 days old, her mother Neera was forced to make a choice - kill her child or forfeit her marriage.

Neera decided to keep her daughter, defying the wishes of a bullying husband who wanted the baby destroyed. She knew she would be thrown out of the family home.

Twenty-three years later, Pooja’s survival is being celebrated throughout India. Now a vivacious young woman, last month she won a beauty contest to become Miss India World. She has also become a symbol for the campaign against a tradition that values boys above girls; it is said this has led to an imbalance in the ratio of Indian men to women and to social problems.

“When my mum walked out on my dad, she said to him, ‘One day this girl will make me proud’. All my life I’ve wanted my mum to be proud of the decision that she chose me,” Pooja said last week.

Neera has been thrust into the limelight by her daughter’s success. She has been dubbed Mother India and has already been approached by one Bollywood director who wants to film her story.

For Neera, the memory of her husband’s cruelty remains a “nightmare”. He had a respectable job but was a philanderer, prone to domestic violence. After the birth of her first child, a girl named Shubhra, he made her life a misery.

When she became pregnant again, seven years later, Neera clung to the hope that if the baby was a boy her marriage could be saved. Instead she had Pooja. Her husband and his relatives refused to visit the baby in hospital.

“I had to make a choice,” Neera said. “I left the house with my girls and I haven’t seen my husband since.”

He married another woman and refused to give any financial support to his daughters. Neera worked incessantly to provide for them: “I used to struggle for shoes, socks, uniforms. Sometimes I couldn’t put two square meals a day on the table.”

Pooja had nothing to say to her father, who “does not exist” for her. “I don’t even know if my father knows it is me, his daughter, who has set out to conquer the world,” she said.

“Today, when people call to congratulate me, it’s not me they pay tribute to, but to [my mother’s] life and her struggle. She’s the true woman of substance.”

posted in Feminists Who Don't Hate Men - 2 replies

"Self help" groups, women's repro health

Cat — Thu, 07 May 2009 02:51:02 GMT

I've been reading about groups of women who learn how to check their cervix themselves in what is called a "self help" group. There's also something called menstrual extraction, that I'd like to know how to do for myself. I'm looking for a group in L.A.

posted in Feminists Who Don't Hate Men - 1 reply

help a student out!

Katherine — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 02:40:29 GMT

My name is Katherine Wilson and I'm a graduate student in San Francisco. I'm trying to gather information about women's attitudes regarding current societal issues. If you would like to participate in this study, the survey is listed here: http://womensattitudesresearch.webs.com/. It shouldn't take more than 10 minutes to complete and you can enter to win a $20 gift certificate at Amazon.com.

Thanks!
Katherine

posted in Feminists Who Don't Hate Men - 0 replies

Stop the War on Women’s Reproductive Rights

Steven — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 17:45:46 GMT

Stop the War on Women’s Reproductive Rights

Unite to Fight the Right Wing!

Protest the Anti-Abortion “Walk for Life”

--Phone banking & demo prep with Radical Women

Thursday, January 22, 7:00pm (dinner at 6:15pm)

New Valencia Hall, 625 Larkin St. , Ste. 202, SF

calradicalwomen@yahoo.com or 415-864-1278

--Abortion Rights Demonstration

Sponsor: Bay Area Coalition for Our Reproductive Rights

Make the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade ruling that affirmed a woman’s right to abortion a day of mass outrage against ultra-right bigotry.

Saturday, January 24, 2009, 10:30am

Music Concourse, Embarcadero, end of Market St. , San Francisco

We call for:

Free abortion on demand; No forced sterilization!

Defend immigrant rights; Stop the racist Minutemen!

Civil rights for queers; Rescind anti-marriage Prop 8!

Contact: Bay Area Coalition for Our Reproductive Rights (BACORR)

bacorrinfo@yahoo.com or www.BACORR.org or 415-864-1278

posted in Feminists Who Don't Hate Men - 1 reply

"Help Sarah Palin support Planned Parenthood!"

PaulaC — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 00:26:48 GMT

I blogged this, but thought to also post here. :)

feministphilosophers.wordpress.com/2008/09/20/help-sarah-palin-support-planned-parenthood/

Sort of. Actually, not really at all. But a very fun idea, passed on by Den Bro in comments and Andrew in an email.

Instead of (in addition to?) us all complaining about how horrible she
is, let’s all make a donation to Planned Parenthood in Sarah Palin’s
name for reminding us of the importance of protecting our rights for
birth control, women’s health and reproductive choice. This is a
brilliant idea for $10, or even $5.

And here’s the good part: when you make a donation to PP in her name,
they’ll send her a card telling her that the donation has been made in
her honor. Use this link: secure.ga0.org/02/pp10000_inhonor

You’ll need to fill in the address to let Planned Parenthood know
where to send the “in Sarah Palin’s honor” card. I suggest you use the
address for the McCain campaign headquarters, which is:

McCain for President
1235 S. Clark Street
1st Floor
Arlington , VA 22202

PS: make sure you use that link above or choose the pulldown of
Donate–Honorary or Memorial Donations, not the regular “Donate
Online”

posted in Feminists Who Don't Hate Men - 2 replies

Hillary Down... but Sarah Palin Up??

guesswho — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 21:28:31 GMT

Ok fellow feminists, my head hurts on this one...

Let me see if I've got this straight, please tell me if I'm wrong:

-Hillary didn't get the nomination.

-A whole bunch of pissed Hillary supporters have pledged to vote for McCain because they somehow feel Obama is to blame for their champion falling (which I think is just retarded frankly), see this article for more info: http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/06/angry-clinton-s.html

-As if that weren't weird enough, McCain decides that since Obama did *not* choose Hillary for his running mate, that he'd try to further win over her supporters by announcing Sarah Palin as his running mate.

I have several problems with this turn of events.

**Disclaimer: These are my personal thoughts, not to be attached with feminism itself in any way**

First, ladies, STOP WHINING! Hillary put up one hell of a fight, and in the end she didn't get the nomination. It happens. That doesn't mean Obama's evil, it doesn't mean men are evil, it means a political candidate lost. Freaking out and vowing to vote for your sworn enemy due to a seriously misguided sense of vengence is completely ludicrous. Don't throw away your right to choose because you're pissed off and desperate to see boobies in the oval office.

Second, is McCain stoned or what?? Because he chose to wait and see who Obama named as his running mate before unveiling this woman (making sure he didn't pick Hillary), he is clearly using her to pander to Hillary's supporters despite the fact that she is a life-long member of the NRA, pro-life, and actually currently under government investigation (see http://www.economist.com/world/unitedstates/displaystory.cfm?story_id=12032126 ) after only being governor of Alaska for two years.

So in other words, he figures we're so stupid that any woman will do, even if she stands for everything we're against and has a horrible track record as a politician on top of that. And the really sad part is, he's kinda right.

It's nice to see a woman potentially up for office, but come on dude... couldn't you have picked a better one without it being blatantly obvious that you're only choosing her for her gender?

How much more sexist can you get?

Sorry, I know I had a point here... ugh. Anyway... thoughts?

posted in Feminists Who Don't Hate Men - 3 replies

Sexism and Politics

guesswho — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 21:33:38 GMT

I saw a blog today where a woman was discussing Obama's acceptance speech from last night... she said she was severely disappointed that he didn't say anything to the women who are hurting due to Hillary's loss.

I have my own thoughts on this one, but I'd like to hear yours first.

posted in Feminists Who Don't Hate Men - 0 replies

Happy Women's Rights Day from Radical Women!

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 16:12:01 GMT

Happy Women's Rights Day from Radical Women!

Dear Friends,

Greetings on the occasion of Women's Rights Day, the anniversary of the signing into U.S. law of voting rights for women on August 26, 1920.

We honor the courageous women who fought for this hard-won measure. They were not handed the ballot; they demanded it and took it. They traveled the country organizing public support, appeared before Congress and state legislatures, invaded polling places, were arrested and jailed, chained themselves to the gates of public buildings, held hunger strikes, and suffered forced feeding. They endured slander, insults, catcalls and other attacks on their freedom of speech as they took their message everywhere: women must be free and granted their full rights as citizens. These foremothers deserve our thanks for their valiant efforts.

But the struggle is far from over. Voting rights are still a fiction for many people of color. Living standards and job opportunities are plummeting. Women still lack economic parity with men, control over our own bodies, universal healthcare and childcare, safe and well-paying jobs, affordable housing, quality education -- all the things that make life livable and sweet. And the world still desperately needs freedom from poverty, bigotry, war and violence.

These essential needs will remain out of reach as long as we live under a system that imposes discrimination and poverty on the many in order to generate wealth for an elite few. That system, the capitalist system, will remain in place as long as the twin parties of business, the Democrats and Republicans, control Congress, the White House, the legislatures, Governors' mansions, and city councils. Working women and men need to break out of the two-party quagmire and change the status quo. Voting for anti-capitalist and socialist candidates is one very important way to use our hard-won and valuable voting rights.

But we also need much more than protest votes. Women, especially women of color, are drivers in crucial organizing taking place in the antiwar, racial equality, immigrant, labor, welfare rights, student and queer movements. Radical Women foresees a vast new upsurge to replace capitalism with the shared abundance and liberated human relationships of socialism. To that end, we are holding a national conference in San Francisco from October 3 through 6 to discuss "The Persistent Power of Socialist Feminism." The gathering will develop an action plan to mobilize a radical, multi-issue feminist movement. Activists and scholars from China , Australia , Central America and the U.S. -- including courageous civil liberties attorney Lynne Stewart-- will be in attendance to offer their insights and wisdom. Plan to attend and add your thoughts and experiences to the mix. Check out our website http://www.radicalwomen.org/2008_conference.htm for more information, or phone 206-722-6057.

Now is the time to come together to set a bold new course for women!

Anne Slater

National Organizer

Radical Women, U.S. Section

625 Larkin Street Suite 202

San Francisco, CA 94109

Phone: 415-864-1278

RadicalWomenUS@gmail.com

www.RadicalWomen.org

Radical Women National Conference

The Persistent Power
of Socialist Feminism

October 3-6, 2008
San Francisco
The Women's Building, 3543 18th St.

Speakers
Embattled civil liberties attorney Lynne Stewart
Activists & scholars from Central America, China, Australia and the U.S.

Key topics
* Multi-racial organizing in a society divided by racism
* The dynamic leadership of youth and queers
* Women of color and immigrant women spark a labor revival
* For a U.S. feminist movement independent of the twin parties of war & reaction

Workshops
Organizer skills training * Strategy workshops
Radical culture & more!

For more information, to register or donate, go to
http://www.radicalwomen.org/2008_conference.htm

Radical Women's 41st Anniversary Conference occurs at a very important time. Around the world, women are part of a bold resistance to reactionary social and political forces. In Latin America, women and indigenous people are providing vibrant workingclass leadership against crippling neoliberal trade agreements. In Mexico, "Adelita" brigades shut down congress to oppose privatization of the nationalized oil industry. These movements provide a powerful stimulus to the entire hemisphere.

In the U.S., women are both targets and opponents of repression. In the anti-war, racial equality, immigrant, labor, student and queer movements, organizing is sparked and driven by women, especially women of color. They demand justice for Sean Bell and Black youth in Jena as well as funding for services in New Orleans. They oppose racist shock-jocks and lead unionization campaigns. They have stopped shipments of Iraq war supplies on the streets of Washington State. They defend civil liberties and continue the fight for affirmative action, childcare, and an end to sexual violence. They infuse the immigrant rights movement with militancy inspired by anti-imperialist upsurges in Latin America and fueled by the fight against U.S. xenophobia.

U.S. women are fighting tooth and nail to keep gains won by past generations, as well as to advance women's cause. But feminist reformists and NGOs hold back the movement by diverting organizing into single-issue and Democratic Party politics. Radical Women looks for inspiration and strategies to our revolutionary socialist foremothers, and to the civil rights militants, students, lesbians, and unionists who spearheaded the Second Wave women's liberation movement. Such women today are the sparkplugs for radical change and, by working in coalition with supportive men who have their own stake in achieving human liberation, they can truly shake the status quo.

Now is the time to mobilize women who are open to revolutionary alternatives to capitalism. The Radical Women conference is an opportunity to grapple with ideas, examine the limitations of reformism, gain the confidence to challenge the system, and build the ranks of socialist feminists. Radical Women has a time-tested program, decades of experience, and the responsibility to reach out, connect with, and train women who are outraged and ready to take action to change the world.

If you are interested in attending or helping with this exciting and historic event, contact the Conference Organizing Center at radicalwomenus@gmail.com, 206-722-6057 or 722-2453. All genders are welcome.

For more information, to register or donate, go to
http://www.radicalwomen.org/2008_conference.htm

posted in Feminists Who Don't Hate Men - 0 replies

The Paradox of Declining Female Happiness

~J~ — Tue, 20 May 2008 06:42:59 GMT

http://bpp.wharton.upenn.edu/betseys/papers/Paradox%20of%20declining%20female%20happiness.pdf

Abstract:
By most objective measures the lives of women in the United States have improved over the past 35 years, yet we show that measures of subjective well-being indicate that women’s happiness has declined both absolutely and relative to male happiness. The paradox of women’s declining relative well-being is found examining multiple countries, datasets, and measures of subjective well-being, and is pervasive across demographic groups.

Relative declines in female happiness have eroded a gender gap in happiness in which women in the 1970s typically reported higher subjective well-being than did men. These declines have continued and a new gender gap is emerging—one with higher subjective well-being for men.

posted in Feminists Who Don't Hate Men - 4 replies

What is a feminist

MidnightOrchid — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 01:47:17 GMT

Everyone I believe has a different idea about what makes someone a feminist. OI thought it might be interesting to read what each individual believes a feminist is. I don't want this to turn into a “your not really a feminist if you believe...”. It's only meant to be a discussion to see how similar and or different we are.

posted in Feminists Who Don't Hate Men - 6 replies

Even in Texas I am surprised

MidnightOrchid — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 04:01:09 GMT

So I went to the local community college to see if there were any grants I could apply for. The counselor was a complete and utter male chauvinist ass wipe. I was dressed in purple & black jeans that look a little punk with a long top that is cut short on the hip on one side and long on the other. Something I made and it did have the home made look to it.

The first question he asked me was

“Do you clean houses? Work at Walmart?”

I just stared at him like he was talking in an alien language. I finally snapped out of it and said no, that I work in search engine marketing. Apparently he didn't hear me because he than asks me where did I keep my money? In my car? He was serious! After already having a bad couple of days I said...

“yea, I put it in my gas tank, think that's a good place to keep it? “

He actually asked me “seriously?” I said no.

After having a demonstration of how to go online and apply for an application to attend – step by step.... We went through some more stupid questions about my life that is not needed for a grant including income questions that were needed. After being told my income was too high for Texas grants he said

“have you ever thought about maybe getting a boyfriend or getting married so you have someone to help you financially pay for college?”

I was pissed! I think my jaw actually dropped for a bit and I asked

“Have you ever thought about being gay just for the butt sex?”

Than I got up and walked out!

No he didn't follow me nor did he say anything...That or I was just too pissed off to hear anything.

posted in Feminists Who Don't Hate Men - 11 replies

Marry Him!: The case for settling for Mr. Good Enough

msdynomite — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 20:06:13 GMT

Marry Him!: The case for settling for Mr. Good Enough
by Lori Gottlieb
http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200803/single-marry

This was posted in another tribe and I thought it would be relevant here. It is a very long article, but honestly if you don't have the time or inclination to read it all you get the gist in the first half. That's where she bandies around the feminist term.

to borrow the summary from a fellow triber:
"It's basically all about how women in their 30s should "settle" on whatever man they can find, so they can raise their offspring more easily. Basically, you don't have to love the guy, you'll barely see him anyway (because he'll be working too hard to support his family), so you're just using him to raise a child. The article is written by a bitter single mother. Of course, this woman assumes that all women are just longing to bear children, with lines such as: "Of course, we’d be loath to admit it in this day and age, but ask any soul-baring 40-year-old single heterosexual woman what she most longs for in life, and she probably won’t tell you it’s a better career or a smaller waistline or a bigger apartment. Most likely, she’ll say that what she really wants is a husband (and, by extension, a child)." "

Putting aside the writer's views on marriage and family (which I personally found appalling), I thought her view on feminism would be an interesting point of discussion.

My take: I felt that she was misusing feminism as a shield, alternately claiming it when it suited her, then condemning it when it didn't. I categorize her as a "tourist feminist". She seemed to have a misunderstanding of what feminism means and was quick to label those who were secure with their independence as liars. I'm curious what others thought.

posted in Feminists Who Don't Hate Men - 10 replies

Anti-choice invasion of SF and Counter Protest.

PaulaC — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 20:08:21 GMT

"Apologies to any ...members who do not agree with this action, as I realize that not everyone is pro-queer, or pro-abortion, or pro-whatever, and I don't wish to force-feed my politics to anyone.

Ancillary to the main counter-protest, there is also a Queer Kiss-In (thanks HL) at Justin Herman Plaza at 11...info on that follows the BACORR info.

************************************************************************

Dear Defenders of Women’s Rights,

While California voters rejected Proposition 85, the parental notification act in last year’s elections, the fight for reproductive rights continues and your help is needed.

This January will be the 35th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. The rightwing remains on the offensive and for the fourth year running will be coming to San Francisco on Saturday, January 19 for their annual “Walk for Life—West Coast”. But, as in previous years, Bay Area Coalition for Our Reproductive Rights (BACORR) activists will be organizing a multi-issue response to the anti-abortionists. We are initiating a January 19th Coalition to bring together local and national community groups and activists to organize a counter demonstration with one united voice. We need you to join this important effort and to send the message that the San Francisco Bay Area stands for reproductive rights and that Roe v. Wade must be defended and expanded.

In past years our efforts were endorsed by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, San Francisco Labor Council, ACCESS, East Bay NOW, Watsonville Brown Berets, California Coalition for Women Prisoners, Radical Women, Code Pink, Women of Color Resource Center, GABNet, the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, and many more.

Here’s what we need you to do:

1. Attend the upcoming January 19th Coalition meetings: Wednesday, November 28 at The Women’s Building, 3543 18th St. (between Valencia and Guerrero) in San Francisco. The meeting will go from 6:30-8:30 p.m.

2. Endorse the counterprotest of the “Walk for Life—West Coast”. We ask for a $25 donation, but any amount is appreciated. Contact bacorrinfo@gmail.com for donation information.

3. Commit to bringing folks to the counterprotest on Saturday, January 19, 2008!

Please call 415-864-1278, email bacorrinfo@gmail.com, or visit www.BACORR.org for more information.

BACORR stands for: free, accessible abortion on demand; no forced sterilizations; universal healthcare; pre- and post-natal care and childcare for all; safe and accessible contraceptives; an end to discrimination against people of color, queer, immigrant, and youth communities; embracing (not controlling or denying) sexuality; providing reality-based sex education in our public schools, and more. Fight back with BACORR!

In solidarity,

Anita O’Shea
Bay Area Coalition for Our Reproductive Rights (BACORR)

************************************************************************

This info from the Queer Kiss In MySpace page:

************************************************************************

Taking back the streets of San Francisco as a radical city, we are kissing to defend Queer rights, Women's rights, and Human rights.

On Saturday, January 19, 2008, 10,000 right-wingers will be bussed in to line the Embarcadero to attack queer and women's rights. Supporters of "The Walk for Life, West Coast," has called San Francisco "one of America's darkest cities." The religious right-wingers are coming to San Francisco to gay-bash and criminalize abortion.

The Queer Kiss-in is an action to defend San Francisco as our city; a radical city.
Let's show the out-of-towners that they can't closet our Love.
That their Hate is not welcome.
That we won't allow them to extinguish our Freedoms.

We, Queers and our friends, will make-out the point that San Fran is a safe space for all of us!

Bring your lovers, friends, comrades, lips, and fresh breath. Wear RED so we can find each other!

When: Saturday, Jan. 19, 2008.
Where: Justin Herman Plaza
Time: Assemble at 11am, first Kiss at noon, stay for the march, more Kisses to follow!
Look for: People holding big red lips signs, wearing "Kiss me, I'm Queer" shirts.
Open to: Queers and their allies. "

posted in Feminists Who Don't Hate Men - 0 replies

Keep it down, folks!

guesswho — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 04:53:29 GMT

It's too loud in here ;)

On another note, why haven't any of you stopped by my store yet?? It's just oozing feminism! http://www.allabouteve.us

posted in Feminists Who Don't Hate Men - 5 replies

Gagged by San Francisco Examiner online

MidnightOrchid — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 22:33:00 GMT

So I've been reading a comments thread about a women who was beaten on a city bus and the attackers have not been charged with a hate crime (article explains it best). A few times I see a link in the comments and try to grab it but the screen refreshes... I go back and I can't find it.
Try again and again and again.... Than I realize it...it dawns on me. The San Francisco Examiner is deleting ALL comments that

1) Has a link to protest that the women's attackers are not being charged with a hate crime
2) Has a link to an agency or an attorney that stands up for the rights of women
3) Any comment that motivates people to conduct a peaceful march of protest demanding that the district attorney charge the attackers with a Hate Crime.
4) Comments they just don't like.

I've seen about five different comments that were posted and than the screen refreshes and PROOF they're gone.
Where are our rights to Free Speech!

Women beaten on a bus and the attackers are not being charged with a hate crime
http://www.examiner.com/a-1089067~Students_beat_woman_on_city_bus__police_say.html

I emailed Human Rights Watch

I am hoping that SOMEONE with any kind of power will give a shit about this women.

Human Rights Watch
1630 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 500
Washington, DC 20009 USA
Tel:1-(202) 612-4321, Fax:1-(202) 612-4333
hrwdc@hrw.org

posted in Feminists Who Don't Hate Men - 0 replies

a backup resource for Feminists Who Don't Hate Men

msdynomite — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 01:03:04 GMT

Since Tribe has been having difficulties I realized it would suck to lose good places like this and the people in them. So I got proactive and made a "backup" site called Tribe Refugees, which includes some discussion groups to parallel favorite tribes.

I've created a Feminists, Not Man-Haters Group as part of the larger Tribe Refugees network. You can use the site as a place to:
- chat during the donut times
- "backup" your Tribe contacts
- retreat to should Tribe just finally kick it

You need to first signup for the site (Tribe Refugees), then join the Group (Feminists, Not Man-Haters -- which is just a matter of clicking the Join Now link).
Feminists, Not Man-Haters: http://triberefugees.ning.com/group/feministsnotmanhaters
Tribe Refugees: http://triberefugees.ning.com/

If you'd like more information about the Tribe Refugees site:
How to Join: http://triberefugees.ning.com/forum/topic/show?id=1400844%3ATopic%3A25
About the Site: http://triberefugees.ning.com/forum/topic/show?id=1400844%3ATopic%3A4901
Similarities between Ning and Tribe: http://triberefugees.ning.com/forum/topic/show?id=1400844%3ATopic%3A6716

Please note: the site/group was intended to support this tribe, NOT compete or detract from it. I just thought you guys might like to know about it so you can bookmark it, or signup to squat your space, or go ahead and participate. :)

posted in Feminists Who Don't Hate Men - 1 reply

Invitation to Join Men's Defense Issues Rights & Liberation

ZTM — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 17:38:27 GMT

I'm inviting all here to join a new tribe called:

Men's Issues Rights & Liberation

http://tribes.tribe.net/mensdefense

After heeding the call of feminism. There should be a echo off the canyon walls from the voice of men. This tribe is for those who have graduated from feminism, and may feel the need to express issues of men.

That men aren't all brutes. Disgusting and dirty.
That men can do things other than work a job and pay for things.
That men can be feminine without loosing their masuclinity.
That men should be trained or allowed to be gentle and caring as well.
That men can and should be strong and dignified, but are not robots.

Some woman may understand this but society does not.

So thats what the tribe is about.

We recognize the need for women's rights.
But if there needs to be a change in the view of women
Then the change of the view of what a man is - has to change too.
Becuase the old view is one that has a ugly and nasty view of women, and there is a reciprocal view of men amongst women now just as common.

Thus this tribe is dedicated to reform.
Focusing on defending men from hate oppression, and manipulation.

While we all understand the feminineity of women, and perhaps are understanding the masculinity of women.
We are all totaly blind and unelightened on the fact of the feminine within the masculine...
Thus the Men's Issues Rights & Liberation is not strictly a social oriented one but also a spiritual and emotinal one. Much of what we are told customerily today about what a man is - is cruel and destructive. Linguistics itself has been rigged to portray men as bad: "The Bad guys"

I ask you to join my tribe with an open mind.

A tribe where the sensitive/romantic anxious man can be respected and brought out in dignity, and not in shame.

Men have to go inward into the darkness and into the privacy of heart to heart communication to expose the injustices that have been instiutionalized crystialized and paved over against him in culture and in the psyche of every individual. This is heroic work, and no one but the man himself can do it, it is a surrender, and a realization of self. Women are of course welcome and encouraged to join the dialouge.

Namaste,
ZTM

posted in Feminists Who Don't Hate Men - 2 replies

Bridging the Gaps

PaulaC — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 06:42:38 GMT

So I have experienced this many times in my life, and I've experienced is a few recently. There are plenty of misunderstandings that have gone on between men and women, some are more scarred than others after such misunderstandings. One of the toughest places are from the guys who are so ready to point the 'man-hater' finger when I do not comply with their world view.

Today it was from a class-mate in a kayaking class. We were all supposed to be learning, and he offered to assist me out of my kayak, and I said as nicely as I could that I wanted to try on my own since I thought this was part of the learning process. He reacted as if I tried to reach out and scratch off his penis.

Now, you and I know that not all guys are like this, in fact I encounter them only once in a while anymore, but when I do, I actually want to try to find a way to bridge the gap, but am still at a loss at how to do this without completely conforming to their initial perspective/offer, which in some cases seems to not be forward thinking. I mean, if a man opens a door for me, I thank him, and go in, and I will also open a door for a man and smile nicely, but only about 30% of the time will the man actually go in, even if I offer a second time, it become an ego battle after that.

There is also a man in one of my tribes who is going through his own struggle and process, and has discovered a cosmology which I find to be a bit suspect, but has also made statements which do not paint feminism in a positive light. I know that he has likely been abused by women reacting strongly to what he has said, but I have a hard time just sitting idly by when feminists are made to be feminazis [my word] again.

How does one bridge the gap with the guys who recoil so much when a woman merely wants to be self-sufficient?
How does one stand ground about feminism not being about man-hating and yet fine a way through the walls to the man making that claim?

posted in Feminists Who Don't Hate Men - 5 replies

an interesting thread on gender and sexuality

msdynomite — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 20:25:41 GMT

I've come across some interesting threads that deal with women and sexuality in Burning Man related tribes lately. I thought this one might be worth sharing with this group since you folks could probably contribute some insightful things: http://burningwoman.tribe.net/thread/3f68b969-fe03-4cd3-b285-bb90680463dd

posted in Feminists Who Don't Hate Men - 3 replies

Newbie from Seattle

Arctic Daisy — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 07:13:37 GMT

Hello All,
I am 39 years old and I first heard about Feminism last year. My boyfriend is a feminist and he introduced it to me. Let me tell you that it has been the most empowering experience of my life!
I have recently moved to Seattle and am looking for more feminist to hang with. Does anyone have any ideas about where I should look?
Thanks,
Daisy

posted in Feminists Who Don't Hate Men - 3 replies

Feminist movement subverted by a SECRET AGENDA?

ronin — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 08:40:03 GMT

My objective is neither to offend any sexual preference nor start a quarrel with anybody. But would love to hear any comments about the below mentioned writing..Although a little bit long but interesting...

President and First Lady Clinton,
I submitted an article titled Sleight of Mind - Strategy of Deception to Feminist Studies Magazine. I learned of Feminist Studies Magazine in a message submitted to a Feminist Pedagogy e-mail list I subscribe to. The article is about how Equal Rights For Women is being hurt by pro-gay/lesbian and pro-abortion advocates who are attaching their causes to the Women's Movement. I posted the article to the Feminist Pedagogy list.
I was accused of posting an article not relevant to Feminist Pedagogy. I queried my accusers and received vague and ambiguous responses. After further probing I was accused of homophobia. I have been banned from further postings to the list. The list consists of over 150 people. My accusers numbered less then 15. Many of the same accusers had chided me for posting pro-life articles to the list in the past.
A person referred to me as "the oppressor" and admitted they were lesbian and pro-abortion. That individual at least had the courage to admit that it was not the relevance of the content of my posting that they objected to.
The facilitator posted a message to the list that asked others to flood my mail-box with hundreds of messages. Fortunately, the members of the list ignored that suggestion. I don't consider that type of posting to be appropriate, do you?
People who aren't gender confused (aka normal heterosexual people), and pro-lifers (aka people who believe murdering their unborn child is wrong) are being prevented from presenting their views in Feminist Circles.
The University of Maryland Women's Studies department publishes Feminist Studies Magazine. The Women's Studies Department writes, "For 25 years, FEMINIST STUDIES has played a pioneering role in publishing significant work in feminist theory, political analysis, research in literature, history, and the social sciences, and creative writing."
The University of Maryland Women's Studies faculty vitae include references to race, the American Ethnological Society, gender, homosexuality, ethnicity, religion, lesbian theory, granulation of heterosexuality, lesbian scholarships for Quakers, Urban Anthropology, sexual identities, Lesbian Teaching in the Queer Nineties, Local and Global: AIDS Activism and Feminist Theory, etc. etc. etc. What I did not find was reference to Equal Social, Political, and Economic Rights for Women. The faculty vitae can be found at http://www.inform.umd.edu/EdRes/Colleges/ARHU/Depts/WomensStudies/wmstfac/.
People who are embracing feminist causes should be aware that they may be involved with a group whose true agenda is far different from the perceived agenda of achieving Equal Social, Political and Economic rights for women. If the true agenda of Feminist/Women's Studies is not Equal Social, Political and Economic Rights for women is this fact being made clear to students and parents of students entering this discipline?
President Clinton, you are a Council on Foreign Relations member. On 15 May 1959 a document titled Training Under the Mutual Security Program was released. CFR member Army General Richard G. Stilwell drafted the document as a member of a special Presidential committee for CFR member Eisenhower. Air Force General Edward G. Lansdale wrote much of the material. The document is included as an Appendix to a book called THE SECRET TEAM. The Stilwell committee document of 1959 Training Under The Mutual Security Program includes recommendations for a group to bring about attitudinal shifts in people of other nations and our own through an "educational" program. [1]
The last paragraph of the Stilwell committee document states
"The Ultimate Requirement ...The Executive Branch agencies need to maintain continuing contact with the research institutions...our basic deficiencies in linguistics, in political awareness, empathy and cross-cultural comprehension can only be rectified through a measurable reorientation of the American educational system. Contribution to the development of guidelines for such reorientation is an important responsibility of State, Defense and Health, Eduction and Welfare in close collaboration."
The Stilwell's committee document, states:
"the nerve center of an expanded program is the Country Team. The Country teams must assume a new order of responsibility as regards selection and programming of trainees, both with and independent of the local government. It has heavy coordination tasks in several areas. It needs comprehensive and up-to-date biographic registers and other data. All Teams will require a full time individual as central control point; most will need some personnel augmentation."
The Stilwell Document recommended the "Country Team" go domestic. The Stilwell's committee document recommended the "country team" would "inform or influence public opinion - for agencies of the U.S. Government" within the United States -- including the public school systems.
Lloyd Free was one of the first country team Public Affairs Officers. Lloyd Free worked with a psycho-political researcher named Hadley Cantril. The Rockefeller Family funded their work. Many members of the Rockefeller family belong to the CFR. In 1947 Lloyd Free was Special assistant to the Director of the Office of International Information for the department of State -- Lloyd Free ran the Italian Country Team. The research institutions, recommended by CFR member Stilwell's committee, were Cantril's and Free's Institute for International Social Research and The Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton University. Both have ties to Cecil Rhodes Round Table Groups. Both have ties to the Council on Foreign Relations. The Institute for International Social Research at Princeton and the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton were but a small part of the preparations of a power structure established between London and New York Round Table Groups that "would penetrate deeply into university life, the press, and the practice of foreign policy." [2]
The Stilwell Committee report recommended these institutes penetrate deeply into the American Public School system. Did Council researchers, at the Institute for International Social Research and Institute for Advanced Studies, develop extensive research projects and psycho-political operations focused on several generations of American school children to brainwash them?
In 1918 Lewis Madison Terman was a Major in the Division of Psychology for the Surgeon General's Office. Terman was appointed to a five member board to revise Army mental test methods for use in schools. Terman was appointed head of Stanford's psychology department in 1922. During the 1920's Terman was co-author of the Stanford Achievement Tests. In his book Measurement of Intelligence, we learn that the tests were used to measure racial levels of intelligence. Terman writes, the level of intelligence dullness is:
"very, very common among Spanish-Indian and Mexican families of the Northwest and also among negroes. Their dullness seems to be racial, or at least inherent in family stocks from which they come. The fact that one meets this type with such extraordinary frequency among Indians, Mexicans, and negroes suggests quite forcibly that the whole question of racial differences in mental traits will have to be taken up anew and by experimental methods. The writer predicts that when this is done there will be discovered enormously significant racial differences in general intelligence, differences which cannot be wiped out by any scheme of mental culture. Children of this group should be segregated in special classes and be given instruction which is concrete and practical..." [3]
In the 1930's Terman applied his bigotry and talent for testing to the measurement of masculinity-femininity and to the study of marital happiness. Terman's study included categorizing certain traits as "female" and certain traits as "male." Males that showed high "female" characteristics on Terman's scales include firemen, police officers, and clergy, all of who had high moral and ethical standards. Terman's work on masculinity and femininity laid much of the groundwork for the modern application of psychometrics to personality study. There are two genders, male and female. [4]
Terman's study is an exercise in gender confusion by a racist and sexist. Was Terman's study part of a well planned Council on Foreign Relations/Army Intelligence Psychological Operation to destroy the traditional family, create tension among different cultural groups, and retard progress of the Equal Rights Movement for Women?
Are results from intelligence tests and Nationwide tests such as the Scholastic Aptitude test, Legal Scholastic Aptitude Tests, and Medical College Aptitude Tests made available to researchers at Council on Foreign Relations research organizations such as Cantril's Institute for International Social Research to help them prepare psycho-political PSYOPs focused at the nations youth and evaluate the effectiveness of those psychological operations? As a parent, how do you feel about that? Were experiments conducted upon our children without our knowledge? Isn't there something illegal about that? Are part of the psycho-political operations focused at subverting and retarding the Equal Rights Movement for Women?
Has the true agenda of the Feminist Movement and University Women's Studies been subverted to weaken the traditional family structure and weaken religious beliefs? If a student is sent to the University and is not confused about their gender and the student returns home gay or lesbian should the parents sue the University for the damage they have caused? If a student is sent to the University with religious convictions and returns home confused about those convictions has the student been properly educated?
There is something seriously wrong in the area of Feminist Studies and Feminist Pedagogy. Feminism is being used as a platform to advance tolerance of gender confusion, and pro-abortion sentiments, not to further equal rights for women.
Serious damage and disservice is being done to the Feminist movement and to the progress of achieving equal rights for women. The damage is being done by a small well organized segment of Feminists and Women's Studies people. This small group has its own agenda and has taken control of the Feminist movement and Women Studies discipline.
President Clinton, your daughter will be attending Stanford University. If she returns home a lesbian, who has abandoned her faith, and believes that it is perfectly within her rights to kill her illegitimate child will you feel that the University has done a good job in educating your daughter?
The article submitted to the Feminist Pedagogy List follows. When I responded to the allegations that my article was not homophobic my response was rejected by the list server. I had been removed from the list by the facilitator.
roundtable
1 Prouty, L. Fletcher Col., US Air Force Retired, The Secret Team, The CIA and Its Allies in Control of the United States and the World, Ballantine Books, Inc., 201 East 50th Street, New York, NY, 1974 pg 499
2 Quigley, Carroll, Tragedy and Hope, Macmillan, New York 1966, p. 953
3. Who's Who, pg 864; Dictionary of American Biography 1985 pg 626; The Measurement of Intelligence, by Lewis M. Terman, Houghton Mifflin Co., NY, pgs 91-92;
4. ibid; Terman, Lewis, Catharine Cox Miles, Sex and Personality, Studies in Masculinity and Femininity, Russell and Russell, N.Y.
To: FEMPED-L@UGA.CC.UGA.EDU Feminist Pedagogy List From: roundtable@mail.geocities.com (roundtable) Subject: Sleight of Mind - Strategy of Deception

To:Mary-Jo
Feminist Studies
c/o Women's Studies Department
Woods Hall, University of Maryland
College Park, Maryland 20742

Mary-Jo,

I would like to submit the following article for publication in FEMINIST STUDIES:
Sleight of Mind - Strategy of Deception by roundtable
If American women achieve equality, our nation can be a role model for other nations. Fighting against folkways and mores of other nations slows progress towards achieving equal rights for women. Concentrating efforts to achieve equal rights for women in America increase the chance for success everywhere.
Limiting equality for women to include opening opportunities to enter the profession of their choice, receiving equal pay and recognition for their accomplishments, increase the chance for success. Obtaining these rights achieves equality for women. Obtaining these rights allows women to be free to think.
A society in which women are less than equal is cheated out of half of its thinking power. Not providing equal opportunity for women keeps society from having many of its most able thinkers enter professions requiring clear and intelligent thought. This weakens the entire society.
An illusionist uses misdirection and sleight of hand to effectively manipulate their audience into believing they are seeing one thing when in fact they are seeing nothing of the sort. Magicians are forever sawing women in half and putting them back together again. Magicians perform their misdirection and sleight of hand with the purpose of baffling and amusing their audience.
Misdirection and deception are sleight of mind strategies being used to prevent women from achieving equal opportunity. Attention from the harm such inequality does to society is misdirected to another issue. The other issue is connected in some way. The other issue embroils people in emotional arguments having nothing to do with equal opportunity for women. At least three issues are used effectively in this way the "gay and lesbian" rights issue; the abortion controversy; and the "feminist" issue -- none are what equal opportunity for women is about.
This article will use these issues to misdirect you. As you read you will lose sight of the equal opportunity issue and find yourself caught up in another argument. This should not baffle and amuse you -- it should alarm and forewarn you.

The Gay and Lesbian Issue

Humans are heterosexual. Humans have two physiologically, and biologically identifiable genders. The gender difference is clear cut. At the heart of the "gay and lesbian" issue is the argument for the recognition of an alternative form of sexuality. This is a false argument. Normal sexuality can result in the birth of a child.
Whatever experience two homosexual men or two homosexual women are undergoing -- it should not be considered a normal sexual experience. It has nothing to do with the possible birth of a child. It has nothing to do with sexual reproduction. Equating this relationship with normal sexuality is a dangerous and confusing. The discrimination felt by this group is not caused by the same prejudice preventing equal opportunities for women.
There are logical reasons why a person may fear and find Homosexuality distasteful. Homosexuality is considered perverse by many religious groups. Homosexuality is simply not normal sexual reproduction or practice; it is not practiced by members of other species of the animal kingdom. Equating the plight of a group denied equal opportunity to think or work in a profession because of gender; to the plight of a group shunned for an act considered by many in society to be abnormal is a poor analogy.
This argument is not being made by psychiatrists, psychologists, and medical practitioners, making sex education programs in public schools suspect. If the simple fact homosexuality has nothing to do with sexual reproduction isn't being recognized by health care professionals how can educators attempt to teach elementary school children about this misunderstood perversion?
If adults seem to be confused, how can youngsters learn anything from them except to be confused. The subject of sex education is better left to parents. Trying to teach youngsters at an early age, something adults are confused about is lunacy. Attempting to make something abnormal normal is lunacy. The best strategy would be avoiding the issue as long as possible.
Nothing in the arguments in the last several paragraphs have anything to do with why unequal opportunity for women harms all of society.
Attaching equal rights for women to equal rights for gays and lesbians complicates and confuses the issue. It equates the prejudice resulting in the failure for women to achieve equal opportunity to the prejudice preventing gays and lesbians from achieving equal opportunity. It takes a clear black and white issue and makes it grey.
Some gay and lesbian groups are aware of this. I was recently on a college campus. It was women's history month. A gay and lesbian group put up a display of large photos of well publicized lesbian women. The women were in the military, in the space program, in the entertainment field, and in the women's movement. The display had a very small quote from Eleanor Roosevelt. The display had a small crinkled picture of Rosa Parks. I think the group was trying to say something.
Groups and individuals that use misdirection to consciously undermine equal opportunity for women are mean-spirited, immoral, unfair and treacherous -- they lack character. Another group is connecting equal opportunity for women with the equal opportunity for gays and lesbians. They misdirect attention from why unequal opportunity for women harms all to lessen competition from women. They act in their own self-interest while consciously acting detrimentally to the interest of all.
Indeed, if women achieved equality abnormal relationships between members of the same gender might disappear. Men who did not feel macho might not consider such feelings to be feminine and seek the attentions of a "real" man to protect them; women might not shun the normal relationship of males because of fear and frustration resulting from the unfair conditions under which their gender has been forced to exist.

The Abortion Issue

The universe of single parents has more single mothers than single fathers. This is because illegitimate father's are siring illegitimate children with more than one woman.
In the universe of single parents, 80% of the parents who raise the child are single mothers. While the single mother raises the child the single father is out siring more illegitimate children. The irresponsible idiot calls this making loooooooove; it is nothing more than the lust and selfish self-gratification of an arrested adolescent. This is not the way a responsible normal mature male acts. The irresponsible idiot is rewarded. Another person accepts full responsibility for his actions and raises his child.
If an unwanted pregnancy occurs there are several choices. One choice is abortion. The mother is the only parent that can have an abortion. The mother requires medical help to abort the child. The medical profession is being asked to determine whether killing a fetus is murder. This is unfair to the medical profession.
There is strong disagreement over whether abortion is murder. The argument that abortion is murder has merit. The argument that termination of an unwanted pregnancy resulting from rape is justifiable has merit.
No group seems to be willing to raise another alternative -- that the mother carry the child to term, have the child and give it to the father to carry for the following nine months. It is odd none of the women's awareness groups are actively pushing this choice. If the irresponsible father were made to take responsibility for his illegitimate child it might slow him down, preventing him from siring more illegitimate children.
The father could be given the right to abort the child during the nine months he carries it. The advantage of the father aborting the child, is that a physician isn't needed to perform the abortion -- the irresponsible idiot could do it himself.
Taxpayers who considered abortion to be murder, would not have their money spent on a procedure they strongly objected to. The medical profession would be off the hook and would no longer be responsible for deciding if killing the child was murder. The abortion issue would be solved.
Nothing in the arguments in the last several paragraphs have anything to do with why unequal opportunity for women harms all of society. The abortion argument misdirects the emotion felt by people towards the induced abortion of a fetus towards equality for women. If women were to achieve equal opportunity to enter the profession of their choice, receiving equal pay and recognition for their accomplishments, the abortion controversy would still exist.

The Feminist Issue

All families have men and women in the family. Two thirds of all families have children that are females. Why would the majority of family members sacrifice the rights and opportunities available to females to enhance the rights and opportunities available to males? I don't believe the great majority of American families would.
Since the majority of Americans, male and female, stand for equal opportunity for women why would one-half of a group of youngsters queried about their chances of becoming president have to honestly answer "No I may not become president because I am a girl." Would those youngsters fathers and brothers, mothers and sisters, grandfathers and uncles, and grandmothers and aunts, feel this is fair, or in the best interest of society?
Male members of families whose women are lawyers and engineers and doctors would certainly feel these women should be earning as much as their male counterparts; yet in all these professions the female professionals are earning 25% less then the male professionals. The fact there is still a disparity in salary means there is something else at work, preventing equal pay for equal work.
We are evolving into a society in which both the mother and father must work. What has not evolved is a shorter work week. We now have two parents working forty hours each. This results in less time spent together as a family. Children are robbed of parental guidance and support.
It makes more sense to have two professionals who each work 20 hours. Both adults would develop and practice skills to help support the family financially. Both adults would develop and practice skills to raise the children and help the family grow emotionally as a unit. As the children get older, and assume more responsibility, both adults can devote more time to their professions, or make use of their free time in other activities that help foster their personal growth.
Calling the principle that woman should have political, economic, and social rights equal to men "feminism" is a strategy of deception. It is a sleight of mind strategy that turns a societal issue into a feminine issue. It pits men against women. A society in which women are less than equal is cheated out of half of its thinking power. Not providing equal opportunity for women keeps society from having many of its most able thinkers enter professions requiring clear and intelligent thought. This weakens the entire society. This is as much a concern to men as it is to women.
Labeling the "Equal Rights Movement for Women" the "Feminist Movement" is a strategy of deception that takes clearly defined mission and applies a vague and ambiguous label to it. Instead of a movement based on the principle that women should have political, economic, and social rights equal to men the mission of the Equal Rights Movement turns into many things for many people.
The perception of the feminist movement is that it is pro-abortion and pro-lesbian. Many woman who are strongly opposed to abortion and lesbianism become the enemies of the feminist movement. Since women opposed to abortion and lesbianism are in the majority isn't it odd that the the equal rights movement for women has so many pro-abortion, pro-lesbian leaders?
Legalizing abortion denies unborn children the rights of life, liberty, and happiness. Abortion legislation declares the unborn child the property of the mother. Legislating women the right to deny the inalienable rights of life, liberty and happiness to children has insidiously bound abortion to feminism.
Abortion legislation encourages parents to act selfishly by killing an unwanted child. Abortion legislation is bound to feminism by allowing only the mother to make the decision to kill the child. Abortion legislation encourages a man to coerce a woman to kill a child that he does not want.
The abortion issue has turned a child into property that can be disposed of at will during a very brief period of its development. Giving only women the right to consider the child property turns the issue into a gender conflict. The abortion controversy is a very carefully planned psycho-political operation meant to pit specific target populations against each other.
This tactic is not new. It was used against women early on. The founding mothers of the Equal Rights Movement for Women recognized the trick and fought against it. Elizabeth Cady Stanton wrote in 1870, "When we consider that women are treated as property, it is degrading to women that we should treat our children as property to be disposed of as we see fit." The idea expressed in Roe vs. Wade, that human rights are dependent upon the wishes of others, is degrading to the Equal Rights Movement for Women and every other movement based on equality.
Thomas Jefferson made the "Golden Rule" the foundation of American Democracy by changing John Locke's Natural rights law from Life, Liberty, and Property to the inalienable rights of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. The change insures that decisions are driven by civic virtue instead of selfishness. The change probably resulted from Jefferson's understanding of the "Golden Rule" and a struggle Jefferson had with slavery. The original draft of the Declaration of Independence contained a scathing denunciation of slavery. Jefferson's change declares it immoral and illegal to consider one person the property of another. If you would be unhappy being owned by someone else then it follows that it is wrong to consider another person your property. If the original draft of the Declaration of Independence had been approved there would have been no slavery after the revolution of 1776. The original draft was not approved, slavery was not abolished, and a civil war was fought leaving a legacy of bitterness in America still felt today.
There are Laws of God and laws of man. The laws of man attempt to encourage people to act out of fear of punishment. The laws of man can be unfair and unfairly administered. A guilty person may escape punishment and an innocent person may be punished. The laws of man can profit one group at the expense of another. Unjust laws may encourage criminal behavior. Unjust laws may make an innocent person a criminal. Unjust laws may legislate breaking the Laws of God. The laws of man are costly to legislate and costly to apply. The laws of man attempt to remove criminals from society. Large groups of human beings must waste their lives in a bureaucratic, tension filled environment attempting to administer, apply, and carry out the punishment associated with a particular crime. Larger groups of human beings must provide the money for this costly bureaucratic framework. The laws of man are a poor substitute for the laws of God.
The Laws of God provide rules and guidelines for acting intelligently. Acting intelligently is acting in ones own best interest and at the same time acting in the best interest of all. The Laws of God include The Ten Commandments, The Teachings of Buddha, and the Laws of Mohammed. The simplest and most elegant rule and guideline for acting intelligently is the Golden Rule. The Golden Rule was discovered by at least two human beings. Confucious taught, don't do to others that which you wouldn't have others do to you. Christ taught do unto others that which you would have others do unto you. Using the Golden Rule to help drive your decisions helps you follow all the rules and guidelines handed down by God. No creature anywhere can simplify the Golden Rule, making human beings amongst the most intelligent creatures in the universe. Applying the Laws of God reward our actions with a better future. Our tomorrows will be less full of problems and guilt created by making poor choices in the past. Our neighbors tomorrows will be less full of problems we created for them. Living by the Laws of God rewards us with a more fulfilling and joyous life here on earth and an eternal life after death. The Laws of God are much more powerful than the laws of man. A society in which women are less than equal is cheated out of half of its thinking power.
roundtable

Subject: feminist studies
Sent: 03/27/97 16:43
Received: 03/28/97 08:11
From: Mary-Jo
Reply-To: Feminist Pedagogy in Classroom, FEMPED-L@UGA.CC.UGA.EDU To: Multiple recipients of list FEMPED-L, FEMPED-L@UGA.CC.UGA.EDU
FEMINIST STUDIES--the oldest continuing periodical publishing interdisciplinary feminist scholarship--launches its 25th year of publication with the announcement of its Spring 1997 issue.
The Spring 1997 issue includes articles on a feminist politics of nationalism in Galicia and the importance of alternative media to the study of cultural resistance; women in leftist underground political organizations in Iran; an ethnographic study of narrative performance in the Brazilian Amazon; the origins of 19th- century dress reform in the United States; on feminist revisions of romanticism and on third wave feminism; an art essay by Helen Klebesadel; fiction by Viviana Mellet(translated by Kathy Leonard); poetry by Kate Light and Ann Fischer-Wirth; and art by Mirta Toledo.
SSubscribe now to receive the second mailing of the spring issue and the first mailing of the summer issue. Summer 1997-- a Special Issue on "Feminists and Fetuses"-- will be a "classic," with articles on the new reproductive technologies; pregnant American women's dietary habits; the politics of "fetal personhood"; feminism and the narratives of pregnancy loss; among other equally stimulating essays, reviews, art, and poetry.
Stop by our website for the complete tables of content for both issues. (www.inform.umd.edu/FemStud).
Join our intellectual celebration and subscribe now!

posted in Feminists Who Don't Hate Men - 11 replies

Sad that these women are considered crazy.....

PaulaC — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 20:42:49 GMT

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/51B912FD-0D48-4B3B-ADA3-788BD47173B5.htm

"Why did I expect it to be easier this year? Going to Srebrenica was never easy. It's called a "high risk business" by the local Serbian police, even in Belgrade.

On the night before the Srebrenica anniversary, we held a commemorative vigil in the Square of the Republic, as has been our ritual for the past 12 years.

Standing soberly in black with lit candles, holding the banner 'Srebrenica - Not to be Forgotten', we stood in the city's largest public square; there was no press coverage because the Serbian press prefers to forget.

We numbered 103 women and were guarded by 100 police officers, almost one-to-one. We were isolated like a political virus from our non-existent audience, though in past years crowds have insulted us and beaten us.

Srebrenica is now a closed issue, according to local officials. After the sentence at The Hague tribunal in May, which declared the Serbian government not guilty of genocide - merely guilty of not preventing it - the Serbian authorities as well as the local silent majority can live in denial with official global approval.

This makes us 'the crazy women', the fools who still ride in buses to pay due honours to the 400 fragmentary dead, who today joined 8,000 others killed and missing, all buried in the Srebrenica mass graveyard after being scattered all over the region by their killers....."

posted in Feminists Who Don't Hate Men - 6 replies

Almost Feminism ...

Sat, 23 Jun 2007 22:40:59 GMT

I have a friend who is a well respected Financial Advisor and recently won the much coveted "Woman IFA of the Year Award" here in the UK. She's on the front of a very popular financial magazine that ANOTHER friend of mine reads so I had a flip through and there was a little Q&A in there which my friend was doing swimmingly well on until the last question; "What car do you drive?"

To which she replied, "a Mercedes c-class in girly mauve"

Yes, the winner of the much fought for and much ridiculed by men "Woman IFA of the Year Award" told the most popular financial magazine in the UK that her car is "girly mauve" ... she must be mortified.

posted in Feminists Who Don't Hate Men - 12 replies

irony

msdynomite — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 05:59:14 GMT

every time I come to this tribe I get the same ad: some implant-looking super-over-airbrused woman in a terrible bathing suit. totaly, comically fake image.
see here: http://tribes.tribe.net/seperatebutequal/photos/462c9f3a-98f6-4a8d-a39b-65e6d44be667

I only get this ad on this tribe.

the irony of this makes me laugh each time. I keep wondering what key words are mistakenly cueing it up. ;)

posted in Feminists Who Don't Hate Men - 5 replies

Informal Book Club?

guesswho — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 22:03:08 GMT

I've never had any luck with 'formal' book clubs where there are deadlines and meetings... so i figured I'd do a little informal sort of "hey you'd probably like this book maybe you should be reading it the same time I am so we can talk about how cool it is" sorta thing :)

The book I'm currently gushing about:

'Tales of a Female Nomad - Living At Large in the World' by Rita Golden Gelman.

http://www.amazon.com/Tales-Female-Nomad-Living-Large/dp/0609809547/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/105-0173639-6694060?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1181772158&sr=8-1

All I can say is... wow. This woman ROCKS.

posted in Feminists Who Don't Hate Men - 2 replies

Almost Father's Day

GrrrArgh — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 23:32:35 GMT

How many of you feminists who don't hate men feel that your father had something to do with it : )?

My father, though he made mistakes, like any parent, was incredibly important to my developing "humanism". He never expected less of us because we were female, he never thought that there was anything that we couldn't do because we were female...actually, my dad always taught us to take each person at face value, male or female (or intersex, I'd bet, if he'd known of such a thing at the time). I love men because all of the important men in my life...my dad, my grandfather, my uncle, my husband...all of them take people as PEOPLE first, not as "male people" or "female people" first. It seems to have made a huge difference in my life, and has certainly been important in my ability to be friendly and loving toward people, regardless of their sex.

So a week before Father's Day, I just wanted thank my Dad, for being the kind of man that I could respect, and for teaching me that many of the divisions between men and women are arbitrary, and not foregone. I'll tell him all of this, too (I have), of course. I was just feelin' the man-love right at this moment, though, so I thought that this would be an appropriate place to say it : ).

posted in Feminists Who Don't Hate Men - 2 replies

So um it's been a while.....I just found a great charity and thought I'd share.

PaulaC — Sat, 19 May 2007 04:54:06 GMT

http://www.equalitynow.org/english/index.html

In 1992, Jessica Neuwirth founded Equality Now along with Navanethem Pillay and Feryal Gharahi, to address the gender disparity in the human rights movement, which had grown to dismiss violations as “cultural” or “private”. Issues such as domestic violence, rape, female genital mutilation, trafficking, and reproductive rights were not part of the agendas of established human rights organizations.

If you're thinking of giving to charity, consider this one.

posted in Feminists Who Don't Hate Men - 27 replies

Nice to know I'm not alone...from the Feminist4Fathers

teri — Sun, 23 Jul 2006 21:05:48 GMT

Wow, there's a group of us? Damn! This is great!

I've been so disgusted by the radical feminists who've gone so far past equality, that I've changed my name to the ex-feminist4fathers. I can't believe men have to fight just to get equality to women in the family courts. Children are suffering because of this. I'd be honored if you'd take a look at my blog. http://feminist4fathers.mensnewsdaily.com

posted in Feminists Who Don't Hate Men - 11 replies

Now women have equlity

Aussie — Tue, 12 Sep 2006 23:56:36 GMT

We are in a post feminist world.

But gee's how those, old man haters, whom hate anything with a penis,; even a youn child. Now hate the post feminist.

Coz they are are all about having fun, even with they guy's. Just as a guy is happy to flop it out, now the post feminist are happy to flash their pink bites too, and the old man haters, manly dykes, hate you too.

I was born in to a family, where my soul was raped, and my childhood murded, at the hands of 3 gen, of women in my family, gran, mum, and sis too.

So when as a wee child, I had a bro of a neighbor, teach me the language of fellatio. If it was not for my soul being raped, and my childhhood murded. I may well of not growen up looking at this as tender touch, and not growen up to be a fag, but a breeder.

But I have growen up as a fag, and so many women of the dyke community, are just as evil, wicked, and full of violance, as the women I spent with as a child, in the str8 world.

So now the commuity I am meant to belong too, also is full of women whom think it 'tis OK, to hate, and abouse men, just coz they have a penis. This must be where the term penis envy come from....

But I have not growen up to hate women, as most of my friends are str8 women, and not gay men. Yet so many women fill this gives me no right to hate wo,en. But if a women sufferd the same as I. They have every right to hate men; huh?

Lets not forget women have done as much damage to this world, as men have, and for this we are equil.

posted in Feminists Who Don't Hate Men - 0 replies

Oh the different types of feminists.

noname — Fri, 16 Sep 2005 07:02:43 GMT

Thanks for replying to my last post; your opinion was a welcomed one.
I can see where you are coming from a little better when you chose the Title: Feminists who Don't Hate Men.

Although you did mention that you asked all your male friends what they thought of feminists and they all replied to you that they thought we weren't big fans of guys (or something along those lines) I hear that, but what does your guy friends opinion's have to do with how you title this tribe? Don't get me wrong, every opinion has it's place but you didn't make this tribe about or for men (or your male friends) so their opinion on the name shouldn't be relevant.... unless this tribe was made for guys who want to get involved in feminism (which I am not sure is the mission?).

As a feminist women I just think that the title acknowledges and validates that there are feminists who are man haters...and I still stand firm that you aren't a feminist if you are a man hater (I'm stubborn maybe? lol).

Maybe there are different attitudes towards and about feminism here in Vancouver Canada (or perhaps just in my circle) but none of my male friends or acquaintances, or female friends equate feminism with man hating, so I have never understood the need to differentiate feminists from man-hating ones and non-man hating ones. Obviously you know this site better then me (I am totally new here) so you have a better understanding of the need for the name due to your past impressions of the other tribes and previous people who have joined. So I have total faith that you named this room with a valid purpose.

I guess I am just shocked at how many different "brands" of feminism there are. I guess that's not too much different then Christianity...soon us Feminists will have all different "denominations" lol...but I hope not.

Take care sistas! Talk to you again soon.

posted in Feminists Who Don't Hate Men - 4 replies

yeah, but do you actually LIKE men?

Sat, 24 Sep 2005 22:09:39 GMT

Why does the name of this tribe say "who don't HATE men"

seems a little negative to me,

posted in Feminists Who Don't Hate Men - 11 replies

may GODDESS return .... feminist revolution now !!!!

Somaadi — Tue, 27 Dec 2005 16:38:25 GMT

Blessings to all , may The Great Mother Goddess of endless names and forms activate and manifest Her holy Shakti I AM presence in us and outside us , may the gregorian new year 2006 mark Her glorious return !!! thank you for .... being ! best wishes , a starseed lightworker & Goddess devotee
Jai Maa

posted in Feminists Who Don't Hate Men - 3 replies

I'm back!

guesswho — Thu, 08 Sep 2005 05:09:43 GMT

And I had an absolutely amazing time with many open-minded feminists at Burning Man. I highly recommend everyone go at least once :)

So here's a question for you guys that came up out there, I'm curious to get some thoughts on it:

There's a parade that happens every year there called Critical Tits, where women ride across the playa by the thousands topless. If you had the option would you join them on the ride because it is an empowering thing to be able to ride naked without feeling threatened, or would you choose not to do it because it's another opportunity to feel objectified by the men who stop and stare as it goes past?

Thoughts?

posted in Feminists Who Don't Hate Men - 14 replies

Busy busy busy :)

guesswho — Sun, 20 Nov 2005 20:24:17 GMT

Things have been crazy lately, and are bound to get crazier with the holidays coming up!

So here's something that was on my mind...

Within your families, are you expected to cook and clean up more often than the men are?

I don't ask this as an attack or anything, I'm just curious. I've noticed in my own family that, even though no one really says women are expected to do everything, they just do. Children under 18 are expected to help clear the table, but women cook and do all the finishing clean-up. I don't think it's a chauvensitic thing, it's just how things are done.

Any thoughts?

posted in Feminists Who Don't Hate Men - 6 replies

Prop 73?

guesswho — Tue, 25 Oct 2005 20:04:11 GMT

I just finally had a chance to read through the propositions on the upcoming special election here in California, and I was quite shocked to find out that Prop 73 would define abortion as "causing death of an unborn child". The reason I'm shocked is because I haven't heard ANYTHING about it on the news, and this is a huge event!

So please, please PLEASE get out and vote. I know it's a pain, but there's quite a bit at stake here. If you're pro-choice, NO on 73!

posted in Feminists Who Don't Hate Men - 0 replies

Hah!

guesswho — Sat, 08 Oct 2005 21:00:52 GMT

I don't even know if this is a feminist issue, it just made me laugh so hard I had to post it somewhere:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051007/ap_on_fe_st/ig_nobels

So the question is... are female dog hysterectomy scar-hiding implants far behind, or is this strictly a male enterprise?

*snicker*

posted in Feminists Who Don't Hate Men - 1 reply

Feminism and halloween?

guesswho — Mon, 03 Oct 2005 22:35:29 GMT

Is anyone else mildly annoyed at the abundance of sex-kittenish costumes for women but almost none for men?

Or is it just me being sad that the only cute butts I'll see in the Castro are gay? ;)

posted in Feminists Who Don't Hate Men - 6 replies

You aren't a feminist if you Hate Men

noname — Thu, 15 Sep 2005 11:29:45 GMT

I just joined this great tribe...but I needed to say that the name "Feminists who don’t Hate Men" is rather silly in theory.

A true feminist would not hate men, hatred is a form of discrimination and feminism is very much against discrimination of people based on their gender.

The whole feminist movement is geared towards creating equality between the sexes. Man hating works against feminism and shouldn't be classified as a form of feminism at all. As a matter of fact "Man Hating" is nothing but more sexism, no different than "Women Hating" It could be misleading to have the title "Feminists Who don't Hate Men" because it runs the risk of implying that Man hating is a type of feminism. Or that there are feminists who are man haters.

In my humble opinion you truly cannot be a Feminist if you subscribe to any form of sexism, even directed towards men.

I understand that the title is written to discourage the women who call themselves feminists even though they are really sexist-pigs of the female kind, but Perhaps this Tribe Discussion Title could be re-named something like:
"Feminists-Embracing both Men & Women

That way us true feminists won't be grouped with the "back-lashing" types.

Thank you for listening to my thoughts.

posted in Feminists Who Don't Hate Men - 10 replies

Role Models?

guesswho — Tue, 02 Aug 2005 05:35:42 GMT

Are there strong women in your life that you look up to?

My mom is my hero... but I also love the ladies that go to the dog park with me :) One of them stated that she was 66 today, and when another woman said she barely looked 50 (which is true) she said "Honey, it's all about gettin' good lovin' and not putting up with bullshit!"

I like her :)

posted in Feminists Who Don't Hate Men - 7 replies

Michael Buerk

BeckyT — Thu, 18 Aug 2005 19:00:38 GMT

I'm sure those of you in the UK have all read Michael Buerks ravings but if you haven't here's a link. It's quite amusing how hot under the collar the sexist old guard get when they think their monopoly may be coming to an end.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/4155228.stm

posted in Feminists Who Don't Hate Men - 0 replies

Motherhood and apple pie? Not in the 21st century

Tue, 16 Aug 2005 21:02:50 GMT

The 1950s was the heyday of the housewife when six out of 10 married women stayed at home. Days were spent in a routine of cooking, cleaning and caring.

But for the granddaughters of this postwar generation, life has become busier. Despite the advent of labour-saving devices such as washing machines, vacuum cleaners and convenience foods, women with children are finding that there are ever more demands on their time. Now, more than half of mothers work full time.

Inside the home, evidence published yesterday indicates, there has been a steady decline in the domestic workload. Half a century ago, mothers spent about 78 hours a week on domestic tasks. This has fallen to 48 a week. The main savings have been in cooking and cleaning - the jobs that have benefited most from modern technology.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/features/story.jsp?story=657105

posted in Feminists Who Don't Hate Men - 2 replies

Hey I thought....

PaulaC — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 19:00:15 GMT

I thought that the discussions with our Troll Mascott were pretty good. How come you deleted them?

posted in Feminists Who Don't Hate Men - 3 replies

Mixed feelings about a commercial

guesswho — Wed, 10 Aug 2005 20:04:42 GMT

Good: "Here's a word to those men who continuously go after women half your age: we don't miss you."

Bad: it's an ad for age-defying wrinkle cream.

I'm really happy that commercials are taking steps toward accepting older women as a happy and productive part of society, but it kinda bugs me that the only place they're doing it is in commercials for products that make them look younger than they are (I've also seen hair dye commercials do the same thing).

Feh.

posted in Feminists Who Don't Hate Men - 10 replies

Powerful women

Thu, 11 Aug 2005 16:52:43 GMT

http://womenshistory.about.com/library/weekly/aa010128a.htm

posted in Feminists Who Don't Hate Men - 7 replies

gasp PERIODS!

guesswho — Fri, 05 Aug 2005 05:50:28 GMT

There is an amazing book called "Cunt" by Inga Musico that I highly recommend every woman (heck, every man too!) pick up and read cover to cover. It goes over a lot of things involving women and their place in societies past and present, but there are some particularly interesting insights into periods in there:

Commenting on pharmecutical companies that manufacture birth control hormones:
"What, exactly, is the lifecycle of a woman's body doing under the jurisdiction of a medical science established, defined, and implemented by people who do not have cunts?"

Commenting on companies that manufacture feminine hygiene products:
"Why are words like "hygiene" and "sanitary" - which imply that a woman's cunt is unclean - acceptable in our society? Why are these people trying to sell me feminine deodorant spray? That's like hawking floral air freshener to a lady who lives in a rose garden. Also, excuse me, but what's so clean about dicks? One never hears of sanitary jock straps, deodorant condoms, perfumed Hershey-squirt protection pads or hygenic ball wipes, whereas I've heard tell of need for such products."

I love this lady. Read this book, it is inspiring.

posted in Feminists Who Don't Hate Men - 8 replies

lntro

ali-cat — Thu, 28 Jul 2005 23:45:52 GMT

Just wanted to say hi. :) <waves>

posted in Feminists Who Don't Hate Men - 7 replies

Forgive me if...

ali-cat — Mon, 01 Aug 2005 14:41:07 GMT

....l'm being redundant since l haven't yet read all the posts here and am sure that this topic has been covered given the Tribe....but l just HAVE to give great thanks for women who truly understand that feminism doesn't mean anti-paternal, or any other version of anti-men. l get SO fucking tired of women who enforce the other definition, and l get SO fucking tired of having to repeatedly say this is NOT what feminism is ABOUT.

On a side note but still related, l'm extremely grateful to be a part of a few tribes that are feminine-centric, since l tend to be such a 'masculine' (read: tomboyish and not girly girlish) female that l've sort of forsaken my genuine appreciation for female bonds and womanly traits and characteristics in general. l hope l have the opportunity to strengthen that within myself here, as well as with all of you.

Just wanted to say that. :)

posted in Feminists Who Don't Hate Men - 7 replies

Tangent

guesswho — Fri, 29 Jul 2005 08:10:58 GMT

Why is it that in movies, at the very end when they show the woman having a happy ending, there's almost always a child involved? I saw three movies today, and at the end of each one there was a child.

Why can't they be happy without turning into wives and mothers? When was the last time you saw a film where the heroine had a happy ending that was just her by herself?

posted in Feminists Who Don't Hate Men - 7 replies

Kinda funny

guesswho — Fri, 29 Jul 2005 00:19:34 GMT

What cracks me up is that I can bring positive feminism into just about any topic already being discussed, but don't have the foggiest idea how to start a conversation about it :)

So maybe if we all talk about shoes, I can get rolling. Or something.

posted in Feminists Who Don't Hate Men - 3 replies

Nominations: Men Who Are Honorary Feminists

multicoloredbelle — Fri, 24 Jun 2005 05:55:32 GMT

I want to start a discussion nominating men who are feminists at heart - and I want to hear your nominations too! :) I'll throw one out to start the ball rolling....

I nominate Leonard Nimoy - who has a new occupation, photographing women in the nude. He started with a book, Shekhina, described as "exploring the feminine face of God", and followed it up with his current project, Maximum Beauty. Here's a quote from an interview with Nimoy in the New Yorker:

"I had been working on female figures for a number of years, and a lady approached me and said, 'Your work seems to deal with mostly a particular body type.' She was about three hundred pounds — a very large lady, a very lovely lady, and she came to our studio and we photographed her."

After these shots, Nimoy conceived the idea for Maximum Beauty, in which he took a series of photos of the members of a burlesque troupe called the Fat Bottom Revue. Some of the photos from this project are currently on display at his website http://www.leonardnimoyphotography.com - and even more provocatively, some of them show his lovely rubenesque models in the exact same poses as shots of body-image-destroying supermodels.

Nimoy describes the project and the associated exhibit as showing the beauty and eroticism of what he refers to as "full-bodied people," rejecting the term "fat" as it is used in a derogatory manner in the entertainment industry.

posted in Feminists Who Don't Hate Men - 12 replies

Inspiring!

guesswho — Mon, 11 Jul 2005 14:37:24 GMT

I just had to post this here... what a great example of positive feminism and the changes you can make in your own society!

From washingtonpost.com

A Place Where Women Rule
All-Female Village in Kenya Is a Sign Of Burgeoning Feminism Across Africa

By Emily Wax
Washington Post Foreign Service
Saturday, July 9, 2005; A01

UMOJA, Kenya -- Seated cross-legged on tan sisal mats in the shade, Rebecca Lolosoli, matriarch of a village for women only, took the hand of a frightened 13-year-old girl. The child was expected to wed a man nearly three times her age, and Lolosoli told her she didn't have to.

The man was Lolosoli's brother, but that didn't matter. This is a patch of Africa where women rule.

"You are a small girl. He is an old man," said Lolosoli, who gives haven to young girls running from forced marriages. "Women don't have to put up with this nonsense anymore."

Ten years ago, a group of women established the village of Umoja, which means unity in Swahili, on an unwanted field of dry grasslands. The women said they had been raped and, as a result, abandoned by their husbands, who claimed they had shamed their community.

Stung by the treatment, Lolosoli, a charismatic and self-assured woman with a crown of puffy dark hair, decided no men would be allowed to live in their circular village of mud-and-dung huts.

In an act of spite, the men of her tribe started their own village across the way, often monitoring activities in Umoja and spying on their female counterparts.

What started as a group of homeless women looking for a place of their own became a successful and happy village. About three dozen women live here and run a cultural center and camping site for tourists visiting the adjacent Samburu National Reserve. Umoja has flourished, eventually attracting so many women seeking help that they even hired men to haul firewood, traditionally women's work.

The men in the rival village also attempted to build a tourist and cultural center, but were not very successful.

But the women felt empowered with the revenue from the camping site and their cultural center, where they sell crafts. They were able to send their children to school for the first time, eat well and reject male demands for their daughters' circumcision and marriage.

They became so respected that troubled women, some beaten, some trying to get divorced, started showing up in this little village in northern Kenya.
Lolosoli was even invited by the United Nations to attend a recent world conference on gender empowerment in New York.

"That's when the very ugly jealous behaviors started," Lolosoli said, adding that her life was threatened by local men right before her trip to New York.
"They just said, frankly, that they wanted to kill me," Lolosoli said, laughing because she thought the idea sounded overly dramatic.

Sebastian Lesinik, the chief of the male village, also laughed, describing the clear division he saw between men and women. "The man is the head," he said. "The lady is the neck. A man cannot take, let's call it advice, from his neck."

"She's questioning our very culture," Lesinik said in an interview at a bar on a sweltering afternoon. "This seems to be the thing in these modern times. Troublemaking ladies like Rebecca."

In a mix of African women's gumption and the trickling in of influences from the outside world, a version of feminism has grown progressively alongside extreme levels of sexual violence, the battle against HIV-AIDS, and the aftermath of African wars, all of which have changed the role of women in surprising ways.

A package of new laws has been presented to Kenya's parliament to give women unprecedented rights to refuse marriage proposals, fight sexual harassment in the workplace, reject genital mutilation and to prosecute rape, an act so frequent that Kenyan leaders call it the nation's biggest human rights issue. The most severe penalty, known as the "chemical castration bill,"
would castrate repeatedly convicted rapists and send them to prison for life.

In neighboring Uganda, thousands of women are rallying this month for the Domestic Relations Bill, which would give them specific legal rights if their husbands take a second wife, in part because of fear of HIV infection.

Eleven years after the genocide in Rwanda, in which an estimated 800,000 people were killed, women in the country hold 49 percent of the seats in the lower house of parliament. Many of them are war widows who have said they felt compelled to rise up in protest after male leaders presided over the
1994 slaughter of Tutsi tribal members by the Hutu majority.

Across the continent in West Africa, Nigerian women are lobbying strongly for the nomination of more women politicians, including a president in 2007, saying that men have failed to run the country properly.

Focusing on the meeting of Group of Eight leaders in Scotland this week, female activists said they hoped international aid intended for Africa would include funding for women who are seeking rights in their court systems and more representation in their statehouses.

"We are at the start of something important for African women," said Margaret Auma Odhiambo, a leader of western Kenya's largest group for widows. The members are women whose husbands have died of AIDS complications.

Lolosoli's effort to speak out for change in her patch of the continent shows the difficulties of changing the rhythm and power structure of village life. Before Lolosoli even went to the U.N. conference, she was going house to house in the nearby town of Archer's Post, telling women they had rights, such as to refuse to have sex with their husbands if they were being beaten or ill-treated.

"A woman is nothing in our community," she said, referring to the members of her tribe, including the men in the village across the road.

"You aren't able to answer men or speak in front of them whether you are right or wrong," she said. "That has to change. Women have to demand rights, and then respect will come. But if you remain silent, no one thinks you have anything to say. Then again, I was not popular for what I was saying."

At the U.N. conference in New York, Lolosoli said, she and other women from around the world bonded as they watched an episode of "Oprah" that focused on women, verbal abuse and cheating husbands.

"You just cry and cry," sighed Lolosoli, who said many men in her tribe still take several wives. "Then again, I was really inspired to know that a lot of women face challenges of this nature and make it."

When she came back to Kenya, armed with ideas and empowerment training workbooks, she stood her ground even when some of the men filed a court case against her, seeking to shut down the village.

"I would just ignore the men when they threw stones at me and ask, 'Are you okay? Are your children okay? Are your cows okay?' " she said. Her tactic and calm reaction was disarming, she recalled. "After everything, they weren't going to stop us."

Lolosoli is still battling her brother over his attempt to marry the 13-year-old.

But lately, the residents of the men's village have been admitting defeat.
They are no longer trying to attract tourists. Some have moved elsewhere.
Others have had trouble getting married because some women in the area are taking Lolosoli's example to heart.

"She has been successful, it's true." sighed Lesinik, who said maybe he is a little bit jealous. He then shrugged and said, "Maybe we can learn from our necks. Maybe just a little bit."

posted in Feminists Who Don't Hate Men - 9 replies

Oops!

guesswho — Sat, 09 Jul 2005 23:04:03 GMT

Sorry, I got busy and forgot to post here :)

How do you personally define feminism?

posted in Feminists Who Don't Hate Men - 0 replies

Try a little experiement?

guesswho — Sun, 26 Jun 2005 17:59:03 GMT

I do this occasionally just to get a feeling for how other people feel about the subject of feminism, and it's amazing what comes to the surface...

Pick a guy in your life (who you've not talked about this before with), and ask what their opinion is of feminism, what they think it is and what types of women are involved. Try really hard not to get defensive or bullying if you don't like the answer.

Then talk about it here :)

posted in Feminists Who Don't Hate Men - 0 replies

Welcome!

guesswho — Thu, 23 Jun 2005 16:46:51 GMT

I know there are tons of tribes out there that broach the subject of feminism, but not many of them (if any, I haven't found one yet) really talk about feminist issues without bringing in how much men suck into the discussion... and I personally don't think we're going to effect change by deliberately pissing off half the world's population.

I want to discuss ways we can change things without having to hate any group of people to do so. Who's with me?

posted in Feminists Who Don't Hate Men - 24 replies

Feminists Who Don't Hate Men's topics - tribe.net

For the Toy Geeky Feminist, I give you ...

Okay ...sometimes I hate -=some=- men...

"Self help" groups, women's repro health

help a student out!

Stop the War on Women’s Reproductive Rights

"Help Sarah Palin support Planned Parenthood!"

Hillary Down... but Sarah Palin Up??

Sexism and Politics

Happy Women's Rights Day from Radical Women!

The Paradox of Declining Female Happiness

What is a feminist

Even in Texas I am surprised

Marry Him!: The case for settling for Mr. Good Enough

Anti-choice invasion of SF and Counter Protest.

Keep it down, folks!

Gagged by San Francisco Examiner online

a backup resource for Feminists Who Don't Hate Men

Invitation to Join Men's Defense Issues Rights & Liberation

Bridging the Gaps

an interesting thread on gender and sexuality

Newbie from Seattle

Feminist movement subverted by a SECRET AGENDA?

Sad that these women are considered crazy.....

Almost Feminism ...

irony

Informal Book Club?

Almost Father's Day

So um it's been a while.....I just found a great charity and thought I'd share.

Nice to know I'm not alone...from the Feminist4Fathers

Now women have equlity

Oh the different types of feminists.

yeah, but do you actually LIKE men?

may GODDESS return .... feminist revolution now !!!!

I'm back!

Busy busy busy :)

Prop 73?

Hah!

Feminism and halloween?

You aren't a feminist if you Hate Men

Role Models?

Michael Buerk

Motherhood and apple pie? Not in the 21st century

Hey I thought....

Mixed feelings about a commercial

Powerful women

*gasp* PERIODS!

lntro

Forgive me if...

Tangent

Kinda funny

Nominations: Men Who Are Honorary Feminists

Inspiring!

Oops!

Try a little experiement?

Welcome!

gasp PERIODS!