Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!decwrl!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!aero!tekig5.pen.tek.com From: robh@tekig5.pen.tek.com (Rob F Hoeye) Newsgroups: soc.feminism Subject: Re: Is there a definition of Feminism? Message-ID: <7034@tekig5.PEN.TEK.COM> Date: 4 Oct 90 15:29:11 GMT References: <9009181556.aa17125@ICS.UCI.EDU> <926@exodus.Eng.Sun.COM> <654526686@romeo.cs.duke.edu> Sender: news@aerospace.aero.org Reply-To: Jeff Danforth Organization: Tektronix, Inc., Beaverton, OR. Lines: 48 Approved: nadel@aerospace.aero.org Status: R In article <654526686@romeo.cs.duke.edu> cel@cs.duke.edu (Christopher Emery Lane) writes: > >feminism is a movement that attacks the idea of hierarchy in the guise of >gender. It affirms the fundamental value and connectedness of all >humans (or living beings?) and seeks a way of life that is in greater >harmony with our human nature than the current setup. > I like your concept of attacking hierarchy. So much of what I've been reading lately that has been self-described as "feminism" has really seemed healthy, balanced "HUMANISM" One aspect of some of the most positive and constructive items I've seen has been the respect for ALL LIFE - not just our own as human beings. It's certainly almost impossible to truly comprehend the experience of people without the gifts we on this network enjoy - minds that (kind of) work, skills and education, resources, and on - people that cannot sometimes even recognize the existence of such lofty, abstract concepts as subjugation or opportunity. Our effort to be truly human needs to encompass as much of the world as possible, beyond our own small sphere of experience. Ah, but it's time to bellyache: I have naively been plodding along under the handy theory that all this patriarchy and paternalism stuff has been just a set of bad and lazy habits everyone (men AND women) have allowed themselves to slip into for various irresponsible reasons over the centuries. You know - if you're careless then "accidents" happen? Yikes! I had my eyes opened yesterday! >From the Idaho Statesman, September 29 issue - "MALE RAPE: The first person convicted under Idaho's male rape law has been sentenced to life in prison in 1st District Court." Egadzooks!! Now HERE'S SEXISM! Disregarding the obvious differences in the possible impacts of such a crime on the victim, I would like to know on what grounds the government of Idaho feels the rape of a male is so much more ghastly than the rape of a female that the punishments are so different!!! This is no careless, casual accident in lawmaking - it required a considerable number of legislators to back. This may be the wrong forum to ask for a justification from Idaho; but I am led to abandon my earlier hopefulness for the nonexistence of such conscious injustice and sexism and admit I have become a believer in the existence of real wrongness. [Does someone out there know what Idaho laws list as the punishment for raping a woman? - MHN] I don't know what to do or say. - Jeff Danforth c/o robh@tekig5.PEN.TEK.COM