Apr 13, 2009

Feminazi

In one of our recent conversations, my mother used the body metaphor to describe gender relations. She said that women are the neck and men are the head of the body. When I tried to resist bringing in my Third Wave feminist views, she shut me down by saying “the feminists are pushing too hard, and this is why the divorce rates are so high.” I choked. This was coming from my own mother, who I never considered would have such conservative views about gender relations and the negative perception of the feminist movement fed by the media. Why you ask? Because my mother is an educated female in the medical practice, a divorced single mother who supports abortion and of course, choice.

I came to realize after that incident that generally there are two types of anti- feminists. The first type are generally the conservative religious people who discard all feminist achievements because those are against the patriarchal structure within and outside the family that remained somewhat static over more than 2000 years of its existence. These women I excuse for expressing negativity towards the feminist movement because they take on the traditional values and roles within the family and generally do not poke around outside their preset boundaries. The wife, in many instances is a stay at home mother, or if working, she is in peace being on the bottom of the hierarchy because she agrees that she is a secondary income- extra pocket money come Christmas time. But this is another story in itself saved for some other time.

The second type is my mother. Those women do not have any excuse to be anti-feminist because they are the ones who take the advantage of all our fights and battles yet they disapprove our existence. Perhaps once Second Waivers themselves without knowing it, they take advantage and scratch on the surface of our achievements but do not realize there's a whole other “behind the scene” world... just like back in the day.

Those are the women who go to vote but don't thank a feminist named Dr. Emily Stowe who started a long lasting campaign that would take a fundamental step in 1878 towards a progress in a woman's world1. Women's vote perhaps could be considered the most important step towards independence in the long lasting patriarchal society. From the time the idea was accepted and implemented by each Canadian province, it lasted from 1916 starting with the province of Manitoba by giving a vote to the white middle class women, and recently ending with indigenous women who (not surprisingly) were the last ones to gain the right to vote in 1967.
Those are the women who pursue secondary education and (to some extent) enjoy their right for a stable workplace as well as their wages. Yet no gratitude for for this feminist achievement over the last 50 years.

Those are the women who have the accessibility to birth control and do not deny it. They do not think twice of the feminist advocacy group in 1923 who pushed the right for birth control and 9 years later started the first legal clinic.

Those are the women who take the advantage of the long fought Morgantaler decision4 that legalized abortion on January 28th 1988; and come the time these women experience an unplanned pregnancy they are privileged for choice; yet no drop of appreciation for those 12 long years.
Those are the women that know if their husband is abusive (of any degree) they have the Women's Shelter to fall back on. They do not consider the struggles two feminists underwent in order to start the first Women's Shelter in 1973.

Those are the women who take advantage of the divorce when are miserable in their marriage.
Those are the women who know if are raped, even by their husbands, they have legislation to protect them. They do not remember the case of Ewanchuk that changed the faulty perception of consent6 because of the feminist push.

Those are the women who do not remember Persons case of the famous five who challenged the Canadian legislation, yet there's always a Palin who will stab us once reached to the top in favour of votes. Hey, here's an idea, how about you gain the votes of the very own who paved your way to the top?

It is those “shameless radical” ideas that feminists proposed such as laws against gender and race discrimination which are now a nice and solid foundation for basic human rights in the country we live in; and if violated, there's somewhere to go. Those are the women who do not see past their fogged up windshields, driving.

This is why I carry the title of “a feminist, a Third Waivest” with a small victory flag, so I can point the finger and say “fuck you,” without us you would not be celebrating your sexuality and your proud existence as a woman, transsexual, transgendered and other categories yet to be titled.

But is there a reason for us to solely blame these women? Is it another trap for the fooled Second Waivers to fall into? To turn their backs onto us and even go against what they fought for? Is it just lack of knowledge, appreciation? Or perhaps avoiding the negative stigmatization of our very own culture? Is it being old, and compensating for the shattered self esteem promoted by the media? Of course as an “old, lonely” single mother, who is to blame for her doubt? Who is to blame for her regression and answer seeking in the bible? Is she “too old” to fight ageism or is she just tired of all the fights she experienced throughout her younger years? Does she simply not fit amongst the Third Wavers? Can the Third Wavers please stand up and make some room for the aging Second Waivers?

Perhaps this time it's a backlash from within we have to withstand. Riding our boogie boards onto the Fourth Wave, those are some thoughts to consider. However, they don't have an excuse to disregard us, we should have a unity within diversity.

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