Why Being a Feminist Does Not Mean Backing All Women

[2Design]

Why Being a Feminist Does Not Mean Backing All Women

t's OK not to care if Condi Rice goes down with a sinking ship or if Katherine Harris, the woman who handed Florida's electoral votes to Bush in 2000, enters history as an unprincipled crook.

here is still a false idea out there that feminists back every woman, regardless of how she behaves. Let's leave that behind right along with 2006.

In fact, feminism is just the belief that all people have the full circle of human qualities combined in a unique way in each of us. The simplistic labels of "feminine" and "masculine" are mostly about what society wants us to do: submerge our unique humanity in care giving and reproducing if we're women, and trade our unique humanity for power if we're men.

So yes, I believe that women have the right to be wrong, with no double standard of criticism. But when we have the power to make a choice, we also have responsibility. Biology isn't destiny, and it isn't a free pass either.
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http://www.alternet.org/story/46621/

What a great article - Some women who have been in positions of power and wasted it for self-aggrandization

[madeline_con]

1. Is it o.k. to agree with The Donald, that Rosie's a pig? n/t

[EllenZ]

3. Yes,Rosie is a pig

I agree with Donald, but his comment about feeling sorry for Rosie's girlfriend was a cheap shot. I just wonder how much of this is real and how much is Hollywood. And I thought Barbara Walters had more sense than to get involved in this mud fest.

And I am not sniping at Rosie for being gay, I prefer women myself.

[madeline_con]

4. Oh, I don't know. I feel sorry for The Donald's wife. n/t

[2Design]

2. perhaps rosie is right - who is donald to give advice to a young women?

his track record and behavior is not that of a fatherly, caring, sensitive man but more of one who exploits women - he has some business sense and has done some things right but yes he has done a lot wrong - and some of his noise is to get publicity for his books and his show - Rosie is a person who steps out and says things - just like Howard Dean said not to go to Iraq - she speaks up - I like Howard Dean and Rosie O'Donnells courage to speak up about things

[Manifestor_of_Light]

5. yep

Go Gloria!!

And just because Sandy O'Connor was the first woman on the Supremes, didn't mean that she was pro-woman. This was hard for some folks to understand.

[2Design]

6. yes it is amazing - like Sandra O'connor and not being able to

depend on them doing what is good for the Whole of their gender or even humanity - they become like these robots that run most of our companies. No soul. Corporations and many people in them have lost their souls for money. Politicians have definitely stopped serving the people and only serve themselves

[qwlauren35]

7. I am amused...

Somehow, everyone who is anything BUT a straight white male of European origin is expected to uphold their "kind"...

Except straight white males. THEY are allowed to be individuals who think for themselves and do whatever is best for themselves, even if it has negative consequences for others.

Either hold everyone accountable for humanity... or no one.

[2Design]

9. straight white male abandon their souls a long time ago

And as we can see from the current admin have no soul or do not wish to do what is good for the Whole of humanity - so you miss read or misinterpreted the comments

[Captain Hilts]

8. Women have NEVER voted as a bloc.

I was in polling for eight years, and never saw this.

Convesely, black voters do tend to vote as a bloc.

Hispanics do not vote as a bloc.

[2Design]

10. the biggest problem is getting the voters to show up from the minority

vote = as a whole they should have been able to diffuse the current debacle - but when asked why they don't vote - I have been told it does not matter - I wish more would show up

And then those who want to get ahead abandon those who got them there or the laws that were voted in to protect the minority from the majority - not sure what it will take to have the voters most affected to show up - I know have election day during the week is a big problem for most working people

[Captain Hilts]

11. That's exactly right. If you are: poor, black, etc. you are less likely to vote.

Get out and vote!

We really need voting to cover two days, it IS hard.

And making people wait in line for over two hours to vote IS denying them the right to vote.