How to get involved in feminism?

Question

Ive wanted to know for awhile how I can get actively involved in some sort of local feminism group or similar group for the empowerment of women.Or even groups I can learn more from about this.

Answer 1

Good for you - don't let the scary, far-right crazies on here discourage you.

The first step is to learn as much as you can about feminism. It's a lot like Islam or Christianity - the entire faith gets a bad rep from a few radicals - but at heart it's about peace, equality, and respect.

MAKE SURE you got to wikipedia and learn the difference between 2nd and 3rd wave feminism. Many people (especially people on here who are strongly anti-feminist) don't know the difference and have no clue that we've moved on to the third wave.

Then begin talking to girls around you. One great thing to do would be to read The Feminine Mystique (a terrific period peice about 2nd wave fem.) with a bunch of friends and make a bit of a book club around it.

And of course, you can always join NOW, the most well-known feminist cause in America and one of the oldest.

Good luck! Spread the word, we're the new generation continuing the awareness battle that our grandmothers began when they fought for suffrage.

I included a link to the homepage for the National Association of Women to get you started.

Answer 2

Jazz, sexism is still alive and well. Feminism still has plenty on its plate.

If you go to college or are near a college, take a women's studies course. Most colleges have them I think. There are also  plenty of websites out there. Just search feminism or feminist on google.

Answer 3

If you want to be miserable and ticked off at nothing, by all means, join your sexist cabal.

But, the facts remain that women, in the 1st World, have MORE rights than men and FEWER responsibilities than men.

Further, the other problem is that pretty much every claim of feminism is untrue. Women make up half of the domestic abusers. Rape is the crime with the highest rates of false claims, and provable false claims. Women get equal pay, IF they do equal work, which includes hours worked, time on the job (Take several years off, and guess what ? Those STILL WORKING will advance while you're not working.), and equal qualifications. Women make up a majority of university students, so claims of educational discrimination are laughable.

Further, feminist posters here like "grace hopper" who don't allow non feminists to view their questions only show that feminism is also an ideology of *cowardice*.

Answer 4

Have you tried Googling 'angry malcontented women looking for a scapegoat for their problems' for your local area?

Answer 5

Please join some sort of group to promote stay at home moms and those of us who are educated loving wives and mothers who choose to take care of our own children.  We are so discriminated against by men and women alike.  We need your help to spread the word that not only are we smart but we have the time and energy to keep house, raise well mannered kids, keep ourselves trim and still have time for doing things we love and or volunteering!

Help us spread the word that with more stay at home moms the world would be a better place!

Answer 6

If you can't find any groups in your area (they're likely to be at a university), consider starting one of your own. A feminist fundraising group or book club is easy to start up.

Answer 7

I don't think the question was, "Please discourage me from my beliefs!"

The fact that you wrote the question is activism.  You don't have to be a radical to fight sexism.  

Search blogs for people who believe as you do, or want the same things.  You'll find what you are looking for.

Answer 8

Why would you want to do a thing like that? Feminists are unhappy people who NOBODY likes except other big mouth hateful feminists? Join a cooking or knitting club, plenty of estrogen, but not as many hairy legs and armpits.

Answer 9

Well there are lots of feminist groups like Code Pink and feminist organizations like the Feminist Majority. Look around the internet if this is what you're looking for. Many progressive groups will fight for feminist issues as well as other progressive issues like anti war and pro g*y rights. You'd probably find a lot more progressive political groups than ones that deal solely with feminism.

I see feminism as more a way of living. A feminist works with subtlety, changing one person's mind at a time. Read up on women's history, famous women heroes, the disparity worldwide between the power, influence, pay and political positions that women have as opposed to men. Start a blog, write editorials to your local paper, start discussions at parties around feminism, and raise consciousness about feminist issues over your whole life time and you will have done a lot of good. Good lucK!

Answer 10

as you can see by the responses you've received so far, feminism is controversial. some people even say that its unnecessary, but i don't agree with that. equality is a tricky thing, and i think of feminism as more of a human rights based belief system.

even within feminism, there are many different schools of thought. some are far more radial than others.

the easiest way to get involved in feminism is to start reading and educating yourself. you can start with a subscription to "b*tch" magazine (but its spelled with an "i" instead of an asterisk), and read some of the books they review, whatever piques your interest.

don't believe everything you read though, and form your own views.

also, the poster who was saying that "all feminists are miserable" was paraphrasing Phyllis Schlafly. reading some of her essays will probably help you define your views. she's a famous american anti-feminist.

Answer 11

Feminism as a political activist group no longer serves a purpose in modern society. Women now have equal rights as men, they can vote, they can go to college, she can get any job she wants, etc.

Feminism as an ideology however, you can still believe in it if you want to.

Answer 12

STOP BEHAVING LIKE A LADY