Category Archives: FAQ

FAQ: Why are you concentrating on X when Y is so much more important?

April 12, 2007 · by · in FAQ, FWW, netiquette, spot the strawfeminist

Short answer: People talk about subjects that interest them and that they are passionate about because these tend to be the areas in which they have the most experience. Choosing to concentrate on one thing does not mean that the person thinks that it is the most important subject, or that it’s the only subject […]

FAQ: Why "feminism" and not just "humanism"? Or "equalism"? Isn’t saying you’re a feminist exclusionary?

April 12, 2007 · by · in FAQ, FWW, introductory, privilege, sexism, spot the strawfeminist

This question implies that one must be either one or the other. People and philosophies are far more complicated than that. A feminist may also be both a humanist and an equalist. There’s no law that says only one box can be ticked here, and it’s hugely important not to get sucked into thinking that […]

FAQ: I’ve got nothing against equal rights for women, but we’ve got that, so isn’t feminism nowadays just going too far ?

April 3, 2007 · by · in allies, clarifying-concepts, FAQ, feminism, sexism

Simple, basic legal equality regarding the right to own property, sign contracts or vote does not always translate into social equality in work, the community or the home. Feminists who point out residual cultural traditions and reactionary business practises that disproportionately disadvantage women are not making it up…

FAQ: What is sexual objectification?

March 23, 2007 · by · in clarifying-concepts, FAQ, gender, introductory, objectification, privilege, sexism

Sexual objectification is the viewing of people solely as de-personalised objects of desire instead of as individuals with complex personalities and desires/plans of their own. This is done by speaking/thinking of women especially as only their bodies, either the whole body, or as fetishised body parts. Sexual attraction is not the same as sexual objectification: […]

FAQ: Isn’t "the Patriarchy" just some conspiracy theory that blames all men, even decent men, for women’s woes?

March 21, 2007 · by · in clarifying-concepts, FAQ, FWW, man-hating, Social Justice

Patriarchy: one of the most misunderstood critical-theory concepts ever, often wilfully misunderstood. Patriarchy is one form of social stratification via a power/dominance hierarchy – an ancient and ongoing social system based on traditions of elitism (a ranking of inferiorities) and its privileges. Societies can be (and usually are) patriarchal, oligarchal and plutocratic all at the same time, complicated by current and/or legacy features of sectarianism, imperialism and colonialism, so the gender hierarchy is only one source of social disparity. Because of the limited capacity of the word “patriarchy” to describe the full operation of intersecting oppressions, some now prefer to use the word “kyriarchy” instead, but it is not yet in common use.

Sexual Harassment

March 20, 2007 · by · in clarifying-concepts, introductory, op-ed, sexism, Sexuality & Health

Haven’t put together an FAQ for SH yet, but I just found an excellent resource for anyone looking for clearly laid out material. From the Memorial University of Newfoundland: Sexual Harassment Information Site. Obviously, their definitions and referenced laws are specific to their own region, but the site offers more information about the conceptual and […]

FAQ: Can men be feminists?

March 19, 2007 · by · in allies, clarifying-concepts, FAQ, introductory, privilege

(Updated with extra clarification in the clarifying concepts section)Many men are entirely comfortable with calling themselves feminists, and many feminist women are very happy to accept them as fellow feminists working for the end of sexist oppression. However, there are also men and women who are ideologically uncomfortable with men calling themselves feminists, because it […]

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