Image: Daniel Morrison Yesterday Ally Fogg wrote about male feminism, in response to Hugo Schwyzer's decision to stop writing about feminist issues due to sad personal troubles, a problematic domestic history and a penchant for writing about his then partner's tampon trouble - although admittedly that it XOJane.com's house style and as an XO writer, boy howdy do I know it. Boy. Howdy.
Fogg used Schwyzer's troubles and the hostile reactions he has received writing as a feminist to broach the subject of why he does not personally identify as feminist: "I'm often called a feminist by others, in roughly equal measures as a compliment and an insult, and I am happy to take it in the intended spirit either way, but it is not how I define myself. The very notion of male feminism has never sat comfortably with me..."
Fogg used Schwyzer's troubles and the hostile reactions he has received writing as a feminist to broach the subject of why he does not personally identify as feminist: "I'm often called a feminist by others, in roughly equal measures as a compliment and an insult, and I am happy to take it in the intended spirit either way, but it is not how I define myself. The very notion of male feminism has never sat comfortably with me..."
I understand the squeamishness Fogg feels about identifying himself as a feminist. Or male feminist. Or (ick) pro-feminist guy. The only one that I, a feminist, have a problem with is pro-feminist. It's too 'hey, well done girls, you're doing really well and I admire you'. I find it patronising, basically. But when women find it hard to allow other women to identify as feminists - wrong class, not cis, not intellectual – is it surprising a man will only ally himself from a distance?
Contrary to popular belief feminism is not some brainwashing cult. Nor an exclusive club or religion. At its core it is a humanist cause. To fight for women's rights is, by extension to fight for children's rights and men's rights because, well, isn't it nice when we're all happy?
Contrary to popular belief feminism is not some brainwashing cult. Nor an exclusive club or religion. At its core it is a humanist cause. To fight for women's rights is, by extension to fight for children's rights and men's rights because, well, isn't it nice when we're all happy?
| Which brings me to Doctor Who. Oh yeah. In the Telegraph an 11 year old girl, Jessica Ebner-Statt wrote about how she felt about the new Caucasian, male Doctor Who. "My mum and I were really hopeful that the person picked would be different to all the others - perhaps female, black or Asian." | I don't think feminism is what's eating away at childhood nowadays, or ever. |
Jessica made a good point about the choice of a male actor over female: "it's time to stop looking romantically at the Doctor and move with the times. This is the 21st century."
The new Who relies on tension between the companion and the Doctor, you know, tension. I have heard this used as the reason why the Doctor can't be a woman. Even though sexual preference has been mentioned by Captain Jack and Madame Vastra and her lover/assistant Jenny Flint aren't even the same species. If the idea of a lesbian Doctor is the problem that can be solved by a male companion, no?
But that is for another article. By Gareth. It's coming back to the subject I broached I promise. That is not what most of the commenters have been bothered about. Though it appears they did at least read to the end of the article. No, it's the little bio for Jessica at the end that's got them concerned: "Jessica Ebner-Statt, 11, has just left primary school. She is a computer-obsessed, chocolate-loving feminist, who also runs a travel blog with her mum called Family Travel Times. It's about the places they go and what they think of them."
At 6.02am Alphonsus44 was moved to type: "Shouldn't 11 year old girls (and boys) be out playing on their bikes, or playing hide and seek or climbing trees or kicking a ball about? Not computer obsessed. Not feminists - not at that age, surely? Is there no hint of childlike innocence left? Maybe the country truly is damned?"
Aw crap. I GUESS SO.
Well thanks for that nod to equality in childhood with your parenthesis there Al. I agree, 11 year olds should be out on their bikes, climbing trees and kicking a ball about. Perhaps Jessica does do that when she isn't expressing herself rather eloquently for an 11 year old and travelling. I don't think feminism is what's eating away at childhood nowadays, or ever.
How To Move To Holland was even more worried and suspicious: "A young girl should not have been indoctrined [sic] (probably by her mother, maybe even her beta-father) to have become a "feminist". I feel very sorry for her."
Yes. Everybody pity the young girl who believes in equality.
This was similar to the reaction that 14 year old Tuesday Cain for explaining her pro-choice banner 'Jesus isn't a dick, so keep him out of my vagina'. Who is allowed to become a feminist? When can you say you're a feminist without your guardians being accused of indoctrination?
Even if it is a phase, why accuse Jessica and Tuesday's parents of indoctrination. Though I'd be very sad to hear any woman crow at her kid-self and say 'I used to think I was a feminist' and I am kind of sad that an ally feels he should not identify as a feminist.
Squeamish Kate
The new Who relies on tension between the companion and the Doctor, you know, tension. I have heard this used as the reason why the Doctor can't be a woman. Even though sexual preference has been mentioned by Captain Jack and Madame Vastra and her lover/assistant Jenny Flint aren't even the same species. If the idea of a lesbian Doctor is the problem that can be solved by a male companion, no?
But that is for another article. By Gareth. It's coming back to the subject I broached I promise. That is not what most of the commenters have been bothered about. Though it appears they did at least read to the end of the article. No, it's the little bio for Jessica at the end that's got them concerned: "Jessica Ebner-Statt, 11, has just left primary school. She is a computer-obsessed, chocolate-loving feminist, who also runs a travel blog with her mum called Family Travel Times. It's about the places they go and what they think of them."
At 6.02am Alphonsus44 was moved to type: "Shouldn't 11 year old girls (and boys) be out playing on their bikes, or playing hide and seek or climbing trees or kicking a ball about? Not computer obsessed. Not feminists - not at that age, surely? Is there no hint of childlike innocence left? Maybe the country truly is damned?"
Aw crap. I GUESS SO.
Well thanks for that nod to equality in childhood with your parenthesis there Al. I agree, 11 year olds should be out on their bikes, climbing trees and kicking a ball about. Perhaps Jessica does do that when she isn't expressing herself rather eloquently for an 11 year old and travelling. I don't think feminism is what's eating away at childhood nowadays, or ever.
How To Move To Holland was even more worried and suspicious: "A young girl should not have been indoctrined [sic] (probably by her mother, maybe even her beta-father) to have become a "feminist". I feel very sorry for her."
Yes. Everybody pity the young girl who believes in equality.
This was similar to the reaction that 14 year old Tuesday Cain for explaining her pro-choice banner 'Jesus isn't a dick, so keep him out of my vagina'. Who is allowed to become a feminist? When can you say you're a feminist without your guardians being accused of indoctrination?
Even if it is a phase, why accuse Jessica and Tuesday's parents of indoctrination. Though I'd be very sad to hear any woman crow at her kid-self and say 'I used to think I was a feminist' and I am kind of sad that an ally feels he should not identify as a feminist.
Squeamish Kate
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