Blog week #7

This week, after Mondays discussion on Gaga feminism, it finally began to hit me just how many different ways there are to frame the discussion, so that even if two feminists want the same result, the evidence they use to get there can be so different as to nearly make them enemies.  I'm noticing that because I frame my personal views on feminism so positively, I have trouble accepting other versions of it that are more aggressive.

Specifically, my main idea for feminism is that ultimately, there are still barriers that make Men, Women, and those in between different, and instead of focusing on treating everyone like their gender is irrelevant, I feel like it's more fair to frame it so that yes, there are differences, but because of the way the patriarchal system has oppressed all other non-conformers so brutally for so long, we should strive to respect everyone for what they want to believe, and we must strive to make things fair.  Compared to other theories that wish to proclaim gender as not existing, I feel like we arrive at the same conclusion, but ultimately disagree on a few points.

For example, the idea that Women buy things like shoes to be pretty ONLY because the patriarchal system has conditioned them to.  I agree that this happens and is mostly true.  I also agree that women shouldn't have to feel like they are weird for NOT wanting to buy shoes.  What bothers me are feminists who then say that buying shoes supports the patriarchal system, when in fact, a lot of women just want to buy shoes.  I think it is really hard to expect women to divorce themselves from the concept of gender as a form of freedom when so many still personally choose to identify as women.  I'd much rather frame it so that we make rules allowing women to buy as many or as few shoes as they desire, and do not chastise them for the feminine or masculine traits they may be exhibiting based on those kind of decisions.

I obviously understand the merits to such opinions, as an end to gender entirely would most certainly be a step towards ending the kind of inequality that women face.  In fact, the radical anti-feminist groups out in the world certainly justify the existence of nearly ANY kind of pro-feminist argument.  This is just something I struggle with, as I feel at it's core, feminism should be about making things fair for women and transgender people so that they can be happy.  It should be about allowing as many people as possible to get what they want out of life without having unfair boundaries put in their way.  I do understand that my perspective is limited, however, and I will continue to try and welcome in new perspectives on the subject.