Wednesday, February 04, 2009

Liberalism Must Be Right--Even If I Don't Know Why

A feminist falters in defending feminism:
[T]hough their arguments don't sit right with me, I don't know how to articulate why something feels wrong. I don't know how to explain white male privilege to them, and I don't know where to find impartial statistics to back my opinions up.

I hate being silenced because I don't know how else to defend my position. All these men are articulate, well-educated, and it's frustrating to know their privilege is showing but not to know how to make them see it.

I love these men, and they are nothing but respectful during these debates. I just want help defending my feminism.
I agree with Cassy Fiano:
This really cracks me up. Someone offers this girl a reasoned argument against today’s extreme feminism, and she disagrees with them because… it’s wrong. And she almost even agrees with them! The solution? Consult the orthodoxy! Good little feminists must keep in line, after all.
(via Conservative Grapevine)

4 comments:

Assistant Village Idiot said...

Many feminists could of course do better than this. But a surprising percentage - at least in the social work/psychology/human services pool - are not any more able to defend their feminism despite graduate degrees. Liberalism, including feminism, is more a social grouping than a set of ideas.

It all seems so clear and simple when you are with those who agree with you, eh?

@nooil4pacifists said...

You're on to something there. Many answers to "why are you a liberal?" border on "because all the cute chicks are" or, more broadly, "because everyone I know is." But--as you say--that also means they're unaccustomed to the crucible of debate, and so weak at defending their identity. Which is why I blog.

OBloodyHell said...

The reason most femmes can't defend their feminism is because, at its heart, it IS sexism, and its practicers "female chauvinist pigs" to re-use the old vernacular.

I've made a number of comments over on that blog, it'll be amusing to look in in a couple days and see the expected Daily Kos sort of foaming invective I get in responses. I bet I get less than 1 in 10 thoughtful responses.

@nooil4pacifists said...

So far, no one's responded to OBH's comments. . .