I'm starting this blog because I find writing about the things that I'm mulling over in my head to be a useful practice. I do a lot of thinking about life and the meaning of it all; in this respect I am a pretty typical introvert.
I am an opinionated woman in my forties; I have four children who range in age from 17 to 4; I am married to their father who I have been with since I was 18. I am not a feminist.
A few years ago I overheard a discussion on a train, it was an AHA! moment for me as I heard my thoughts succinctly expressed by an intelligent older woman. She was an academic at a university and was talking with a younger colleague about their work, which involved looking at the potential for different reactions to medications based on ethnically based differences in biology. A fascinating conversation!
Anyway, she said to this young man: "I am not a feminist. I don't believe in ists. I believe in people."
That felt like such a simple, but incredibly powerful, expression.
I have never described myself as a feminist and never will. I have opinions that I have in common with people who would subscribe to that point of view, but feminism for me is not a helpful or useful describer. I fully believe that both men and women are pitted against each other for reasons of financial gain and political control; I think that feminism has helped to further drive a wedge between men and women, and whilst on the surface it may appear to have advanced certain areas of women's *rights*, I believe the damage done has been far greater.
I believe in people. Male and female of whatever age, sexual preference, ethnic background, spiritual, religious or atheist. People.
That is exactly how I feel about it. Describing oneself as an socialist, anarchist, feminist, etc, doesn't sit well with me, makes me think of the cliques that were present in school, where you had to think/behave/dress in a certain way and only socialise with your peer group. Unfortunately I'm too broad of both hip and mind to be contained within the narrow confines of such an 'ism'. I like to think I have friends from all parts of society, with vastly differing views on the world. Some I agree with and some I don't but it certainly keeps my mind sharp and open to change. This may stem however, from my love of a good debate.
ReplyDeleteAs I've got older I've become increasingly frustrated by labels of all kinds. I would loosely class myself as an anarchist, but even that is becoming a restrictive label to me of late.
ReplyDeleteA sharp and open mind are essential tools to navigate the world these days I think, and whether it be cliques or the boundaries of an ism, they stunt the ability to be able to grow and change. Debate is good, when it avoids personal insult of course!