Why are women nowadays so afraid to call themselves "femininists"?

Question

I hear a lot of women using phrases like "I'm not a feminist, but...." and I simply don't understand.

As a woman, isn't it natural to associate youself with feminism? Why is there such a replusion to it in our age, when gender hierachies are still clearly present at all levels (micro and macro) and in mostly all societies?

Can someone please explain this to me...?

Any thoughts and imput is welcome, even if it's just speculation.

Answer 1

I do not call myself a feminist anymore, for the simple reason certain women have taken feminism to a stupid level. Of-course I believe in women’s rights but not stupidity. Example, I'm a Chartered Engineer earning a very good salary, I work in a male environment and now at 41 reached a high level in my career. I have a young female engineer working for me, she had a baby and took 9 months maternity leave, came back part-time and has been off sick 3 times in 3 weeks due to her child. My male engineers and I had to cover. Is this fair on me or the men I work with?? This female engineer makes such a fuss of being a feminist and made a formal complaint when a senior male engineer complained about her absence, she played the feminist card!

Of-course I believe a woman should have rights in the work place, of-course we should have a say in society, we should be paid the same as a man if we do the same job, I agree to all that, however you can not expect to be treated like an equal and then have no respect for men. Feminism is not about flap waving, it’s about treating both sexes with respect. Some (and only some) women need to lighten up and some men need to understand we are not the lower class.

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Answer 2

Perhaps because like a lot of "groups" it's limiting to the true you.Individualism is much more attractive.The first thing i see when the word feminist is mentioned is a load of "Man hating" Lesbians dressed like men

Answer 3

For years, it meant to have a bad attitude and ugly clothes.

Answer 4

Feminisms lost its way at the moment.

For example 6 out of 10 recently surveyed 15 year old girls at the moment think Paris Hilton is a role model.

Answer 5

Because it has negative connotations of women who take things to far. Women deserve equality, but lets face it their is some poor feminist romodels like the suffragettes that have given them a bad name.

Answer 6

I'm not afraid to call myself a feminist, because I am and I am proud of that fact.

Answer 7

During the early years of 'femainism' they were seen as 'moaning, b*tching lesbians'.  In todays world most (but not all) blokes do not have a problem with woman working, going to pubs etc etc.  One thing that we don't need to hear is 24/7 how woman are still the oppressed species etc etc.  My partner (pc) is expecting our child in Sept and after her maternity leave she is going back to her well paid (more than me) job and I am staying at home to look after the child and I don't care what the 'mans man' has to say about it.  It is a sensible choice based on money, childcare costs etc.

Answer 8

I think it is the association some people have with the word feminist.  They might not like what that word represents to them.  They may think people would view them as a man hater or something like that if they were to say they were a feminist.  I think many women have more feminist views now days, but they don't like to be called one because of the stereotype society has placed on feminist.  They view feminist as more extreme.

Answer 9

Because I think a lot of people associate feminism with terms like "man hating", "militant", and "L*****n".  Furthermore, I think it is also a conception that feminists demean motherhood and marriage, and reject the idea that women are inherently different than men.  So many times when women assert themselves, they disclaim that they are not feminists because they don't want to be seen as militant, man hating, L*****n, or un-feminine.

Answer 10

Because there are misguided people out there who think its bad if you are one, were one and for some reason its thought of amongst even some women as a bad thing, heaven help us that we got the vote, otherwise where would we feminists be.

I wish people would do some research and learn something about the early suffragettes, because without them, we wouldn't be where we are today, they were the early feminists, and i for one am thankful that they chained themselves to railing and protested that women were created equal, something many young women need to bear in mind.

I am not man hating, or a L*****n, don't wear my hair short, all  these by the way are stereotypes, most of us, just look like any other woman, and to think otherwise is just plainly ridiculous

Answer 11

Because so many men have changed the minds of women and those women then change the mind of other women leading them to believe that feminism is wrong guys are a bunch of sexist k***s and its about time the give us a break

Answer 12

Feminism has a lot of gynocentrism in many of its theories, which is just as bad as the androcentrism that feminist claim to be fighting against. This is why i as a woman do not associate myself with feminism despite believing in sexual equality, which is more what the suffragettes who got women the vote by the way, were about.

Answer 13

my entire life i've never been ahamed to call myself a feminist.  my family is extremely passionate about rights for everyone, so since a very young age i've thought about women's equality.  it wasn't until yahoo answers that i saw SO MUCH resentment against feminism.  i know that rush limbaugh's feminism = feminazis didn't help things, but it seems like the last few years the terminology is getting a very bad rep.  i really wish everybody would be for an equal playing field.