Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!apple!ames!elroy!aero!gazit@lear.cs.duke.edu
From: gazit@lear.cs.duke.edu (Hillel Gazit)
Newsgroups: soc.feminism
Subject: Re: Definition of feminism, can a man be a feminist?
Keywords: feminism men definition
Message-ID: <14643@duke.cs.duke.edu>
Date: 5 Jun 89 20:13:52 GMT
References: <4960@umd5.umd.edu>
Sender: news@aerospace.aero.org
Reply-To: gazit@cs.duke.edu (Hillel Gazit)
Organization: Duke University CS Dept.; Durham, NC
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Approved: nadel@aspen.aero.org

In article <4960@umd5.umd.edu> cwilliam@umd5.umd.edu (Christopher Williamson) writes:

>   The American Heritage Dictionary defines feminism as "a militant advocacy of
>equal rights and status for women."  I disagree with this definition especially

I prefer to use Webster's dictionary.  His definition is:
"feminism 
1: the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes 
2: organized activity on behalf of women's rights and interests."

BTW IMO definition 1: is the way most feminists see themselves,
    but definition 2: is the way they really are...

>    As a male supporter of women's rights, I often get in this arguement. 
>Being the only male in some upper level "female studies" courses at the Univ.
>of Maryland, I constantly find myself being besieged with little or no 
>defense as to why I have a "right" to take women's studies courses and if

No matter what you'll do these women will not want to see you around...

>I can truely call myself a feminist, or even a supporter of women's rights.

Why does an equal rights person like you waste his time with people who don't
want to treat you as equal?

I think I miss something...

>                                 - Chris Williamson

Hillel                              gazit@cs.duke.edu

"Even if one cares passionately and believes in the validity of some Movement,
one can be, at best, only a fellow traveler; and that smacks of sycophancy."
                            --  Harlan Ellison