Feminist am I... not?

Feminism is in theory the movement for political, social and economic equality among sexes. Behind this is the assumption that women are not equal with men in these aspects. People pushing the feminist agenda therefore perceive that there indeed exists inequality between the sexes, pervasive enough to start a movement to counter it.

I would have been happy to support it if it begun and ended on that premise. But ultra feminists have pushed the envelop way too far that the vitriol towards the opposite sex is spewing out of their mouths not unlike those of rabid dogs.

I do not have anything against men. In fact I expect them to be different from me. I would be disappointed if they acted like they were the weaker sex. I would like my men to be stronger, bigger, more decisive and courageous than me, a woman. Alas, that is not always so.

I am not pushing the feminist agenda because I see that there really are not that many men who are better than women (at least not from my own perspective). Having a son for a child, I see the masculine weaknesses on a daily basis. Those weaknesses aren't really masculine in nature, just human nature. Exactly the same as those that women encounter on a daily basis. Perhaps the difference is in their respective way of looking at things. I am not stipulating that men and women have different ways of looking at things, that would be simplistic. There just are many factors to be considered, not just the gender.

I grew up in a matriarchal society where women were strong, career-oriented and out-spoken leaders who happened to also respect their male counterparts. I was raised along with my siblings in a home where we were allowed to do our preferred chores. If I wanted to take the carabao to graze, I am sure my father would have allowed it, just as if my brothers preferred to wash the dishes they would have been welcome to do so as well. But we did what we were most comfortable to do which were feminine chores for girls and masculine chores for boys. Every now and then we would stray of course, particularly since I wanted to master the art of chopping wood, and a brother was fond of creating something out of using the sewing machine.

We all got the chance to pursue our education and choose our own directions. We were released to the world when the time came, regardless of whether we were daughters or sons. We were allowed to choose where we wanted to live and what line of work we decided to take. All these without regard as to whether we were male of female.

Do I deny the phenomenon of sexual discrimination? No, I believe they exist in places where women do not know otherwise, or in societies where there is an existing structural sexual discrimination in place.

If feminism were about informing and empowering women regarding their rights and priveleges in modern society, then I am for it. If feminism means railroading legislations to better the human situation of women from a perceived inequality, then I am for it.

But when feminazis claim to represent me in their inane cries of perceived abuse from a vague masculine authority, then I am out of it. If women take themselves too seriously that they cannot laugh at themselves anymore, then leave me out of it. If it comprises of nit-picking at the most subtle testosterone loaded issue then that is just bitching around.

To be a true feminist is to accept the differences between men and women, that there are varied levels of strengths and weaknesses from both divides. That working together to compliment and complement each other is the best way to achieve a more pleasant world. For let's face it, we both need both sexes to propagate our species.