How can someone be a male and be a feminist at the same time?

[Wherenextcolumbus]

Can someone be against racism while not being a Black Panther/black nationalist?

There's more than two genders, last I checked, although two are predominant.

There are white anti-racist activists such as Tim Wise

 

[uberrobonomicon4000]

I really don't understand what this has turned into... Can someone with male genitalia be a feminist? Yes, move on people.
Even if feminism is all about women and women's issues, can't a man be all about women? I think they can.

A man can be pro-feminism, but not a feminist. That is what I have been arguing this entire time. Words have definitions and meanings for a reason, yet no one on this topic has chosen to acknowledge that.

So no, a man cannot be a feminist, they can only be pro-feminism. Women don’t speak for men and men don’t speak for woman. That is the whole reason behind it. Maybe I just have a different view than everyone else on this topic, but it’s not an illegitimate one.

 

[uberrobonomicon4000]

It's a thinly veiled attempt to bash feminism and paint it as an exclusive fringe-club that doesn't believe in egalitarianism, and that males ought to stay away if they know what's best for them. No big deal. Feminism has seen this type of rhetoric for the last.....oh, I don't know....100 years.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

If its truly a theory or "a work in progress" then it should be able to withstand some criticism.

 

[Alceste]

A man can be pro-feminism, but not a feminist. That is what I have been arguing this entire time. Words have definitions and meanings for a reason, yet no one on this topic has chosen to acknowledge that.

So no, a man cannot be a feminist, they can only be pro-feminism. Women don’t speak for men and men don’t speak for woman. That is the whole reason behind it. Maybe I just have a different view than everyone else on this topic, but it’s not an illegitimate one.

So your position is that all these men who have told you they are feminists are lying?

 

[Willamena]

A man can be pro-feminism, but not a feminist. That is what I have been arguing this entire time. Words have definitions and meanings for a reason, yet no one on this topic has chosen to acknowledge that.

But you haven't explained why a man cannot be a feminist. A feminist deals with women's issues. Men can do that, they can deal with women's issues. Women can also deal with men's issues.

I thought perhaps the problem is what issues; so, I asked earlier, what issues do you imagine are women's issues?

Take equality of job status. A man is capable of promoting and enacting a change of attitude towards this issue. That's dealing with it.

So no, a man cannot be a feminist, they can only be pro-feminism. Women don’t speak for men and men don’t speak for woman. That is the whole reason behind it. Maybe I just have a different view than everyone else on this topic, but it’s not an illegitimate one.

What does "speaking for" entail?

 

[oldbadger]

A man can be pro-feminism, but not a feminist. That is what I have been arguing this entire time. Words have definitions and meanings for a reason, yet no one on this topic has chosen to acknowledge that.

So no, a man cannot be a feminist, they can only be pro-feminism. Women don’t speak for men and men don’t speak for woman. That is the whole reason behind it. Maybe I just have a different view than everyone else on this topic, but it’s not an illegitimate one.

Blimey! You still having to defend your corner?
Men who defend female rights, or any other rights are perfectly justified in calling themselves egaliterians, which we both 'clicked' on earlier. If some men wish to call themselves something else, that's fine by me, because I am an egaliterian. (!)

But for anybody to suggest that we could be woman-haters because of our choice of name or title is simply perverse.

 

[MysticSang'ha]

Blimey! You still having to defend your corner?
Men who defend female rights, or any other rights are perfectly justified in calling themselves egaliterians, which we both 'clicked' on earlier. If some men wish to call themselves something else, that's fine by me, because I am an egaliterian. (!)

But for anybody to suggest that we could be woman-haters because of our choice of name or title is simply perverse.

LOL did you catch that he said that a man CANNOT be a feminist?

Do you agree or disagree?

 

[Kilgore Trout]

I wonder if there's a name for people, male or female, who have an irrational and dogged attachment to arbitrary semantical nitpicks.

 

[oldbadger]

LOL did you catch that he said that a man CANNOT be a feminist?

Do you agree or disagree?

Hi.......... I agree that a man can be a feminist.. I think a man can choose to call himself anything he feels happy with, or correct with, so I am comfortable in accepting a feminist male as is. And so I feel that a man CAN be a feminist by title. And I feel that a woman, a feminist, could accept an equal rights activist male as an egalitarian. Both males having similar tenets in the area of female rights, but one choosing a title showing more focus upon that, whilst the other choosing to focus upon equal rights in a whole mass of varying areas. Both could, for instance, walk in a pro-feminine parade, or whatever.

But I feel close to Uberonon.... in his choice of title for equality tenets.

 

[Willamena]

But I feel close to Uberonon.... in his choice of title for equality tenets.

Can you explain the side that proclaims, "A man cannot be a feminist," to us?

 

[uberrobonomicon4000]

Men can have feminine characteristics or traits, but to say they are feminist is implying a different meaning to the word of feminine or femininity.

 

[Willamena]

Men can have feminine characteristics or traits, but to say they are feminist is implying a different meaning to the word of feminine or femininity.

Yes, transgendered people can be feminists too.

 

[uberrobonomicon4000]

Yes, transgendered people can be feminists too.

No, you are changing the word of feminist and not giving an accurate representation (devaluing) as to what it is and actually means.

Others, such as third-wave feminists and lipstick feminists, argue that feminism shouldn't devalue feminine culture and identity, and that symbols of feminine identity such as make-up, suggestive clothing and having a sexual allure can be valid and empowering personal choices for both sexes.[93][94]

 

[Willamena]

No, you are changing the word of feminist and not giving an accurate representation (devaluing) as to what it is and actually means.

I don't understand in what way I am devaluing it.

Edit: I agree with the wikipedia quote. Feminism needn't impact feminine culture and identity.

 

[Willamena]

You don't have to be transgendered to be a male feminist, if that's what you mean.

Edit: Feminism needn't impact male culture and identity either.

 

[MysticSang'ha]

Hi.......... I agree that a man can be a feminist.. I think a man can choose to call himself anything he feels happy with, or correct with, so I am comfortable in accepting a feminist male as is. And so I feel that a man CAN be a feminist by title. And I feel that a woman, a feminist, could accept an equal rights activist male as an egalitarian. Both males having similar tenets in the area of female rights, but one choosing a title showing more focus upon that, whilst the other choosing to focus upon equal rights in a whole mass of varying areas. Both could, for instance, walk in a pro-feminine parade, or whatever.

But I feel close to Uberonon.... in his choice of title for equality tenets.

Hey, I'm all for a man being able to identify himself however he wants. More power to him.

Where in your position are you in agreement with the proclamation that a man CANNOT be a feminist, however?

 

[Debater Slayer]

No, you are changing the word of feminist and not giving an accurate representation (devaluing) as to what it is and actually means.

Why wouldn't a male be able to believe what you quoted, though? That still doesn't answer the question of why you think males can't be feminists.

 

[Gjallarhorn]

Why wouldn't a male be able to believe what you quoted, though? That still doesn't answer the question of why you think males can't be feminists.

Apparently, if a man believes everything quoted he is merely a supporter. Feminism has a hidden requisite of having an innie.

 

[dust1n]

Jeez, haven't experienced this about a thousand times... on this topic...

The etymological fallacy is a genetic fallacy that holds, erroneously, that the present-day meaning of a word or phrase should necessarily be similar to its historical meaning. This is a linguistic misconception.[1] An argument constitutes an etymological fallacy if it makes a claim about the present meaning of a word based exclusively on its etymology.[2] This does not, however, show that etymology is irrelevant in any way, nor does it attempt to prove such.

A variant of the etymological fallacy involves looking for the "true" meaning of words by delving into their etymologies,[3] or claiming that a word should be used in a particular way because it has a particular etymology.

Etymological fallacy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[uberrobonomicon4000]

Yeah its called being intellectually honest by avoiding intellectual dishonesty.