mega thread Feminist Club!

[Shawn Parks 1,798]

I do really like this ad. I think it's a fine demonstration of the negative stereotypes associated with doing something "like a girl", especially considering that even the females mimicked poor skill when asked to show them what that meant. That's something that sticks with you your whole life. Hopefully people will realize what harm it does and use it less and less, until it finally vanishes for good.

 

 

The video always makes me tear up.  Here is a longer version, for anyone who hasn't seen it:

 

 

 

[The Leafeon Pinkeh 3,603]

The video always makes me tear up.  Here is a longer version, for anyone who hasn't seen it:

 

 

 

I've seen this before, its cool that they made it a Super Bowl commercial. 

Also.. the term never bothered me personally, but its nice to have seen that video get popular

[Eloquence 2,076]

Will I be considered lame and late to the party if I make my introductory post and answer those questions now?

 

Meh, I'm gonna do it anyway

 

When and why did you become a feminist?

 

I don't think there was a particular time in my life where I woke up one morning and thought "yup. I'm a feminist." It was more of a transition over time. First I had to unlearn the things I was taught by the people around me in my childhood, and that does not happen over night. As for the why, well, because I believe that everyone should be treated equally of course. It just seemed like a no-brainer, the real trick was learning all of the ways in which people aren't treating each other equally so I wouldn't do them anymore.

 

Why do you think feminism is still relevant to today's world?

 

Because women are still an oppressed group. I could go into the details of that, but if I did we'd be here a while

 

What is difficult about being a feminist in general?

 

Not getting to be ignorant to the awful things people do to each other  :okiedokielokie:

 

How do you think feminism gets treated in the MLP fandom?

 

I think it's kind of silly to treat a "fandom" like a unified group with a collection of traits and expected responses, to be honest. A fandom can vary so widely between communities that I don't really even see them as comparable or capable of being generalized. So yeah, I guess that's my answer, even though it doesn't really address feminism at all...

 

How does MLP support your feminist values?

 

By having a varied cast of female characters, showing just how powerful women can be, and displaying for all to see that there's no wrong way to be a woman

 

How do people react when you say you're a feminist?

 

I don't express opinions around people I don't trust, so usually pretty well within my extremely biased sample 

 

What is awesome about being a feminist?

 

Knowing deep within my soul that I am capable of anything, and that my gender nor my sex limit me or dictate what I can be or do.

 

How has feminism affected you personally?

 

See above 

 

What are some good feminist quotes, graphics, or articles?

 

 

This video came to mind right away, but really everything this woman does is gold. I would highly recommend subscribing to her youtube channel and watching her many wonderful videos of nerdy feminine glory. I just found this video especially poignant when I watched it, not to mention it features a certain somepony 

[Shawn Parks 1,798]

International Women's Day

 

 

http://www.internationalwomensday.com/

 

 

 

 

‎HeForShe‬ Conversation With Emma Watson:

 

Part 1: http://on.fb.me/1Gw9VnQ
Part 2: http://on.fb.me/1ATTgCz
Part 3: http://on.fb.me/1Hj9dIc
Part 4: http://on.fb.me/1Hj9dIc

Edited March 9, 2015 by Shawn Parks

[Anpony 7]

I'm glad to see so many feminist bronies on the site! 

[Mrain901 216]

Fun fact: top Olympic female athletes are roughly only 3% below top Olympic male athletes.

[Shawn Parks 1,798]

Fun fact: top Olympic female athletes are roughly only 3% below top Olympic male athletes.

 

 

 

I'm not sure what this means.  Below in what way?

[yeet 2,027]

Are men who want equal rights for women called feminists too? Or is there another word for that.

[Mrain901 216]

I'm not sure what this means.  Below in what way?

For example, top female swimmers are only about 3% slower than top male swimmers.

[Callisto 1,877]

This is only sort of related to the topic, but I figured that since feminism entails many things, LGBT struggles being one if them, I'd share it. Today is the Transgender Day of Visibility! It's basically just about, well, being a day of pride for trans folk, (such as yours truly) and making them more, well, visible. I was gonna make a big blog post about it, but I couldn't think of enough stuff to say. :/

 

So, yeah. Happy TDOV, friends!

[Clarity 3,094]

Wow, this great thread is a thing? Totally bringing it back.

- When and why did you become a feminist?
I became a feminist a few months ago. Since I frequented Tumblr, I've learned a lot about the issues women face daily and just how oppressed as a whole the female gender has been. Of course, Tumblr may not be the most reliable source in the world, but you can't argue against actual, factual statistics. Horrifying ones.

- Why do you think feminism is still relevant to today's world?
Because oppression by men on women is still oh so very real. Women have a 1 in 6 chance of being raped. Women are treated like objects and toys. This is most definitely not an eighteenth century thing like most men and even many women say.

- What is difficult about being a feminist in general?
You're always thought of as one of those rabid men-eating "feminazis", or you're never taken seriously because most people think women are being treated exactly the way they should be treated.

- How do you think feminism gets treated in the MLP fandom?
Unfortunately, not very well, not very well at all. Most bronies actually seem quite misogynistic to me, like thinking that they're the only audience of the show instead of the actual young girls, like cloppers only liking ponies because they like to have sex with them instead of actually treating them like characters. Pretty much it's how men view women in real life: as sexy objects, not actual people with life stories and personalities. #NotAllBronies though, but plenty to make me dislike this fandom.

- How does MLP support your feminist values?
The main characters have complex personalities and are incredibly strong female characters. They exist, not as crappy love interests for male characters, but as their own person, and the most important plot point of this show is their friendship with each other instead of dependence on male personalities.

- How do people react when you say you're a feminist?
Not many people know!

- What is awesome about being a feminist?
It feels like you're actually fighting for something that's a long-standing problem and could very well actually have a possibility of being fixed.

- How has feminism affected you personally?
Well, much of the problems feminists are fighting against have disturbed me. I didn't even realize this, but men are pretty much women's biggest issues, their biggest source of trouble... and learning this I actually realized how I was abused by a guy in the past, whereas without what I've learned from feminism, I probably would've carried the mindset that "boys will be boys" for the rest of my life. Feminism scared me, but it also made determined to fight for my fellow women.

- What are some good feminist quotes, graphics, or articles?
"I'm a fucking lesbian." - Me, I think.

Edited April 27, 2015 by Pearl

[mars 4,862]

Are men who want equal rights for women called feminists too? Or is there another word for that.

Nope! Feminist is not a term for strictly one gender. If it only applied to women, that'd be a little bit anti-feminist. We welcome all our feminist men!

 

Wow, this great thread is a thing? Totally bringing it back.- When and why did you become a feminist?

I became a feminist a few months ago. Since I frequented Tumblr, I've learned a lot about the issues women face daily and just how oppressed as a whole the female gender has been. Of course, Tumblr may not be the most reliable source in the world, but you can't argue against actual, factual statistics. Horrifying ones.

- Why do you think feminism is still relevant to today's world?

Because oppression by men on women is still oh so very real. Women have a 1 in 6 chance of being raped. Women are treated like objects and toys. This is most definitely not an eighteenth century thing like most men and even many women say.

- What is difficult about being a feminist in general?

You're always thought of as one of those rabid men-eating "feminazis", or you're never taken seriously because most people think women are being treated exactly the way they should be treated.

- How do you think feminism gets treated in the MLP fandom?

Unfortunately, not very well, not very well at all. Most bronies actually seem quite misogynistic to me, like thinking that they're the only audience of the show instead of the actual young girls, like cloppers only liking ponies because they like to have sex with them instead of actually treating them like characters. Pretty much it's how men view women in real life: as sexy objects, not actual people with life stories and personalities. #NotAllBronies though, but plenty to make me dislike this fandom.

- How does MLP support your feminist values?

The main characters have complex personalities and are incredibly strong female characters. They exist, not as crappy love interests for male characters, but as their own person, and the most important plot point of this show is their friendship with each other instead of dependence on male personalities.

- How do people react when you say you're a feminist?

Not many people know!

- What is awesome about being a feminist?

It feels like you're actually fighting for something that's a long-standing problem and could very well actually have a possibility of being fixed.

- How has feminism affected you personally?

Well, much of the problems feminists are fighting against have disturbed me. I didn't even realize this, but men are pretty much women's biggest issues, their biggest source of trouble... and learning this I actually realized how I was abused by a guy in the past, whereas without what I've learned from feminism, I probably would've carried the mindset that "boys will be boys" for the rest of my life. Feminism scared me, but it also made determined to fight for my fellow women.

- What are some good feminist quotes, graphics, or articles?

"I'm a fucking lesbian." - Me, I think.

Thank you for bringing this thread back! I adored it. I agree, I think the whole "boys will be boys" mentally should be destroyed. We should teach our boys better values rather than letting them get off with that kind of idea embedded in their mind.

[Miles 2,512]

Ah yes, I remember this video.

So, here's my take on this:

I do understand that in the context of someone saying it to a girl to imply weakness it is totally wrong.  It's disrespectful and demeaning.  

However, personally I feel the statement is redundant if taken literally.

Also, what if someone said to a boy, "you throw like a boy," what would that mean?  Nothing.  "Yeah, I'm a boy, and I'm throwing... so obviously I throw like a boy..."

Which leads me to the inequality that "like a girl" has come to be.  It should never had been an effective bullying tactic when said to a girl.  "You throw like a girl" --> "Yeah, because I am a girl, and I'm throwing..."

Sooo, somehow this phrase must have had a starting point where there was a non-equivalence; unequal difference..

That would be: telling a boy that he throws like a girl, or something like that, thus initiating the negative meaning via non-equivalence; an unequal difference.

And, since the boy who was told this took it as a demeaning phrase, rather than simply stating, "I'm not a girl, therefore, I do not throw like one, because girls throw like girls, and boys throw like boys," a problem was created.

So, had that been done, people would be able to combat ignorant bullying tactics that have no basis.  

But, the video is proof that that was not what happened, and that people gave the phrase a negative meaning to begin with.

So, because it was [ignorantly] given a negative meaning, instead of being laughed at for being the stupidest kind of insult there is, we finally have this wonderful video getting people to do what should have been done from the get-go.  That is: taking the phrase literally.  But, it also is giving it a positive meaning now...

Personally, I think it's silly to give a phrase that used to have a bad meaning a good one.  It should have a neutral, literal meaning, that doesn't demean anyone, but doesn't praise anyone.  Thus, just say, "I'm sorry, but your generalizations mean nothing to me."

Now, yes, I know that I am a guy, and that I don't know what it is like to be a girl and have someone say that to me... But, if someone told me that I do something "like a boy," I would either tell them "that's nice," or I would tell them, "It's nice to see that you have recognized that I have XY chromosomes!  Sorry, all out of stickers."   

---

 

Thank you for bringing this thread back! I adored it. I agree, I think the whole "boys will be boys" mentally should be destroyed. We should teach our boys better values rather than letting them get off with that kind of idea embedded in their mind.

 

I understand your viewpoint.  You give the phrase a meaning that allows boys more leeway than girls to do dumb things and not get in trouble.  I agree that, in such a case, it should be rid of.

But...

If taken literally, I would respond, "boys will be boys because boys are boys; girls will be girls because girls are girls..."

Which, takes away any unequal leeway for one over the other, and defines a redundancy.

---

Now don't anyone get me wrong.  I am totally a supporter of 99% of the things modern feminism is about...

But when it comes down to a phrase that shouldn't have had a negative or positive meaning in the first place, I can't help but take things literally and say that I don't understand why it ever became what it was in the first place.  

"Like a girl" and "Like a boy" - or - "boys will be boys" and "girls will be girls," they all seem like redundancies that serve zero purpose in being said.  

---

If we can all agree that feminism supports equality, and equality for all genders...

There should not be any phrases about unequal gender differences that give the implication that the other gender doesn't have something of its own same equal quantitative amount (unless the differences are literal, in that, boys are boys, and girls are girls, and each will be "like" their own... but again, that's a redundancy).

By that I mean, if "Like a girl" is going to be taken as a positive thing (which I'm fine with that)... then "Like a boy" should not be taken as a negative thing, but rather, also as a positive thing.  But, as it seems, there's no mention to the latter.  Which is why it seems "Like a girl" being taken positively gives reason for it to be qualified as showing an unequal difference, rather than an equal difference.  

---

If I ever have kids, I'm not going to tell them they do anything like their gender.  I'm going to tell them they're doing good.

"You throw like a true outfielder, honey!  Good job."  ---  Can be used for either boys or girls.

I'm all for equality.  So let's make things equal, shall we?    

~ Miles

Edited April 28, 2015 by Miles

[SpiderDiscord 145]

Hello, I hope it's ok for me to try to revive this thread

 

- When and why did you become a feminist?

I feel like I have always been in a way, just didn't know it had a name. Even when little I would get frustrated about how us girls were looked down on and treated like weak babies.

 

- Why do you think feminism is still relevant to today's world?

Because gender separation and harmful biased assumptions are not over yet!

 

- What is difficult about being a feminist in general?

Listening to all the awful things people say and do and knowing you can't do anything about it in regards to the current situation. Fear of losing family over it.

 

- How do you think feminism gets treated in the MLP fandom?

...depends. I feel that the majority is either a bunch of strawmen or the ones who are for rights are the majority but get silenced by the louder part of the fandom.

 

- How does MLP support your feminist values?

The creator being a feminist! The show being all for rights and diversity and non prejudice actions!

 

- How do people react when you say you're a feminist?

I...don't... I just state what I know and my thoughts on the matter when I can. Then I let the other talk themselves out while they try to defend their hurtful behavior.

 

- What is awesome about being a feminist?

Feeling empowered, like I should just give up and let old white men run my base line.

 

- How has feminism affected you personally?

When I discovered it was a powerful and positive thing, I did so much research and observing. I became so angry and fed up with the world, but now that I have calmed my mind, I can think rationally about the subject and it feels great! I became better and stating my points too!

 

- What are some good feminist quotes, graphics, or articles?

-shrug- A song tho "Protest song, April Maze" "Blurred Lines [feminist parody]" "F*** You, Lily Allen"

[Shawn Parks 1,798]

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: Online Harassment (HBO)

 

[Shawn Parks 1,798]

 

Women’s Soccer Gets a Parade & Huge TV Ratings, but Not Equal Pay

 

[Shawn Parks 1,798]

Obama talking in Kenya about gender equality.

Edited July 28, 2015 by Shawn Parks

[Shawn Parks 1,798]

Welcome to Broadly, a women's interest channel from VICE, launching August 3rd, 2015. 

 

[mars 4,862]

Reviving this thread b/c it's too important to let die.
 

Do you think it would be bad to add a male main pony to the show?

[Lightwing 12,973]

Do you think it would be bad to add a male main pony to the show?

The true question here is "Can a male main pony be added this far into the story?"

 

For me, it would be possible, but we are at the fifth season. The main characters have already been established, and when you are this far into the story, it's very hard to add new important characters, no matter the sex, without making it forced or changing some of the show's formula. Here we are not talking about a secondary character (I.E. Princess Cadance, or even Shining Armor which, even being a secondary character, had an introduction which was kind of "out of nowhere), we are talking about a male character with the same level of importance than the charactwrs that have been there since S1E1.

 

What do I mean with this? It's not "impossible" per say, but adding a main character now is very hard to do properly, and even more when it's a male character on a predominant group of females without making it look weird or awkard. No, it wouldn't be bad, but the difficulty of adding a male character now makes it too risky.

[Jennabun 1,579]

Do you think it would be bad to add a male main pony to the show?

 

I wouldn't be happy about it. I think one of the most awesome things about MLP is the fact that it is unapologetically female-centered. I love that the entire main cast is made up of women and the primary focus of the show is genuine female friendships. I think it is amazing for young viewers to see that, and that's what makes MLP extremely feminist to me. MLP is such a positive, special "girl power" show, and it works! Why change it? I feel like the only reason they would add a male character into the main cast is to appeal to the male viewers, and I think that is just forced. And cowardly. That would feel like them selling out to me. MLP is fantastic and I don't want anything messing with the dynamic of the female characters and the overall vibe of the show.

[Miles 2,512]

Reviving this thread b/c it's too important to let die.
 

Do you think it would be bad to add a male main pony to the show?

 

I wouldn't be happy about it. I think one of the most awesome things about MLP is the fact that it is unapologetically female-centered. I love that the entire main cast is made up of women and the primary focus of the show is genuine female friendships. I think it is amazing for young viewers to see that, and that's what makes MLP extremely feminist to me. MLP is such a positive, special "girl power" show, and it works! Why change it? I feel like the only reason they would add a male character into the main cast is to appeal to the male viewers, and I think that is just forced. And cowardly. That would feel like them selling out to me. MLP is fantastic and I don't want anything messing with the dynamic of the female characters and the overall vibe of the show.

 

Let's not forget Spike, eh...

But yah, I mostly agree with Jennabun.  The part of her quote I italicized is what I agree to the most.  There's no reason to add a male character at this point, but even if there were, doing so would defeat the purpose.  

~ Miles

[I used to be a stranger 7,993]

Is Big Macintosh too much presence of a male character? Too little? Just right?

[Jennabun 1,579]

Is Big Macintosh too much presence of a male character? Too little? Just right?

I love Big Mac! He's part of the plot without dominating it in any sort of way. I also just love his personality. He is sweet and does a good job helping his sisters and granny in a caring, respectful way.

 

Let's not forget Spike, eh...

 

Spike doesn't feel "forced" as a prominent male character because he's always been around. Also he's clearly secondary to the Mane 6. Sure he has episodes that center on him, but I don't think any of them have been problematic.

[Shawn Parks 1,798]

Reviving this thread b/c it's too important to let die.

 

 

 

I have been posting in it.