male feminism?

can males be feminists? what do you think? i am male. a 25 year old american guy. i graduated from college a few years ago, and whenever i took a class with a feminist vibe (pyschology of women or the like), the professor would always ask the class who considered themselves a feminist. it always disappointed me that i was always the only guy raising his hand, but even more so, that usually only one girl would raise her hand as well- in a class full of women.

i think most people are afraid to claim the title/identity "feminist" for themselves because they do not have a basic understanding of feminism- they associate feminism with the "feminazi" brand of feminism- those who wanted to eradicate the male sex, put women in power, etc. they don't realize lesbian separatism feminism is not the only brand of feminism.

so what do you all think, can guys be valid feminists?

 

maybe a gay guy

 

Men can absolutely be valid feminists. What's wrong with supporting equal rights? How does that take away from their masculinity? My boyfriend is a self-proclaimed feminist, and he's certainly not gay.

 

i agree. why can't a straight guy be a feminist? i'm often perceived as gay because i'm a feminist, which makes no sense to me.

gay men are often more mysogynistic than straight men.

 

"Feminism is the radical notion that women are human beings." Cheris Kramarae

Of course men can be feminists - nay, should be feminists.

 

Exactly, I dont think its really possible for straight guys to be true feminists, not that thats something that really even exists perhaps anyway.


The power of the pussy, usually means, especially when you are all younger, that they are always a couple steps ahead of you, any smidgeon of horniness and you are going to get whipped.

Then again, the gay guys still are going to get whipped anyway, any venture into the straight world is just about always usually determined by the females, who you are going to be friends with, which of us they will let near the boyfriends / husbands, who of us they are ready to face off against the guys over.


Feminism: Isnt making the next generation what we are all only really here for anyway. Guys might earn more, we might get our way in the short term, build stuff then sometimes blow it up, but in the end we are all just the chumps

 

I dont think thats specific enough, yes they can be, but usually only in a competiting for attention sense. And straight guys more mysoginistic in other ways.

You never hear a gay guy call a girl stuck up

 

Only if they are as jaded as the female ones =)

 

I guess it depends on your definition of feminism. If it is the fight for equal rights, in very simplistic terms, every man would ideally be a feminist. If it is knowing exactly what life is as a woman, then maybe not so much. No two 'feminists' are the same, male or female. One might even consider oneself to be a feminist when others do not, and vice versa.

 

men can definitely be feminists and perhaps more men are feminists than actually let on cuz of this gay identity that apparently is attached to it

man my mom earns twice as much as my dad and its a fantastic relationship
your info is outdated
but each of us is entitled to our own opinions

power of the pussy rocks, however, feminism is way more than that...and that pharse "power of the pussy" is actually more condescending to most feminists than anything because it hints to the idea that the only reason women have power is cuz of men's desire to have sex with them, which is no longer true now days (perhaps with some women) but definitely not the majority

 

I don't get feminism. I understand humanism and individualism. But what does it mean to be a feminist? Much less a male one?

 

On the surface, it means you are vying for equal rights for women. What they like to say is, they are working towards equal rights. What it usually means (these days) is that you are sexist for women.

 

Everything comes down to the emotions that make us feel good or bad, sex/lust being one of them.


Things are different nowadays? Says who?

How you assume things were in the past is only from what you've been told, or read, not from what you've experienced.

Nowadays vs living as a Cherokee Indian 1000 years ago as an example, women have more rights, respect, power now? Are you sure?

 

As Margaret Cho says: Feminism is not negotiable. If you're not a feminist, kill yourself.

Feminism meaning believing in the equality of the sexes. Nothing more, nothing less.

Absolutely a man can be a feminist, in those terms. It might be harder for straight guys than gay guys, because they get more emotional about women.

On a related note, I've always thought homophobia was nothing more than misogyny directed at men. When you hate gays, it's because you think women are inferior, and you percieve gay men as feminized, and that offends you. When a woman excels at something masculine, she's elevating herself. When a man behaves in any way feminine, he's debasing himself. I've never known a homophobe that wasn't also a misogynist.

 

Works the other direction as well though, pissed off at gay guys for the attention they get from women, ease with getting on with women, well most, thats something I think a lot of gay guys are blinded to early on cos they never really try getting in the head of those at the other end of the spectrum

 

I believe in equal rights for men and women, but I would never identify myself as a feminist. The title puts emphasis on the female, which doesn't make sense when we're talking about equality.

This.

 

Bullshit.

Why must you talk like this, for it is not becoming of thee.

I prefer to use the term humanist really. It's more fitting and accurate I think.

I have no time for all this girl power, spice girls, ladette culture, metrosexual guy shit though.

There is a book called Of Woman Born that was written in the sixties about feminism and it is aimed at everyone, not just women.

I borrowed a copy off one my lesbian friends many years ago, but Ive never read it. Maybe I will one day.

To be honest I have more of an interest in lesbian porn these day though.

 

While the idea of gender equality can certainly fall under humanism, the term itself does have its own meaning, and I wouldn't use it interchangeably. But I'm sure you know that.

 

It's because it's female that's kept down right now and needs an emphasis. It's kind of pedantic to sweat the word. Strictly speaking "homophobia" doesn't mean what the etymology breaks down to (fear of the same), but people understand what is generally meant when people say homophobia. It's just kind of annoying to say "I'm not homophobic, because I don't fear the same. I hate the fucking gays, though." Etymologically speaking, "terrific" means the same thing as "terrifying", and I've never seen anyone refuse to use "terrific" on that grounds.

 

BULLSHIT.
It WAS females that needed emphasis.
Now, everything in our social world is leaned towards females - whether through sexual worship or out of caring concern.

The common thought:
Males are liars, they are cheaters, they are manipulative, they are lazy, they are vulgar, they are hedonistic, they are selfish, they are assholes.

Women are nice, they are caring, sure a little catty but, they are our homemakers (unless they don't want to be and we have to recognize that, because that's only fair!)

Like feminists classically have?
I would agree with you in many, many cases, but this is a group that claims to be for equality (which really, historically, it is for the equality of women to men, period), that has a name that is clearly leaned towards one side. Really sounds equal.