Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!bloom-beacon!ora!ambar From: vicki@mathcs.emory.edu (Vicki Powers) Newsgroups: soc.feminism Subject: Re: Feminism is a fine word, thank you Message-ID: <4414@emory.mathcs.emory.edu> Date: 6 Oct 89 13:39:47 GMT References: <1880@convex.UUCP> <851@uvaarpa.virginia.edu> <4504@ncar.ucar.edu> Sender: ambar@ora.ora.com Organization: Emory U. Math/CS Dept. Lines: 42 Approved: ambar@ora.com > gary@cgdptah.ucar.edu (Gary Strand), in <4537@ncar.ucar.edu> > > pw: Pamela K. Whitehurst >> gs: Gary Strand >> >> gs: I don't expect feminism to deal with the problems I face, because >> gs: sexism directed against men is outside their 'charter'. As such, they >> gs: are fighting only half the battle, and by implication, are seeing only >> gs: half the problem. >> >> pw: Fighting one battle does not imply being unaware or unsympathetic to >> pw: another battle. >> >> But you see, it's all the same battle. Why is it then that feminists >> choose to fight half the fight? >> >> pw: It does not imply that one does not or cannot give encouragement or >> pw: even support to those who are fighting other battles. >> But isn't ending discrimination against women in MEN's interest as well? Wouldn't the world be a better place for most MEN if there were no discrimination against women? The above statements seem to be saying that there is "our" cause and "your" cause, and if you don't help us, we won't help you because "our" cause doesn't interest you. Feminists can only fight so many battles, and (by definition), they choose to fight a particular battle, namely, equal rights for women. I don't expect the NAACP to worry about the problems specifically concerning discrimination against handicapped people, but that doesn't mean that handicapped people should not support the NAACP. It's been said before, but worth saying again : Life is not a zero-sum game!!! One group of people can make gains without hurting the gains of other groups. Vicki -- Vicki Powers | vicki@mathcs.emory.edu PREFERRED Emory University | {sun!sunatl,gatech}!emory!vicki UUCP Dept of Math and CS | vicki@emory NON-DOMAIN BITNET Atlanta, GA 30322 |