I am a humanist. In the words of the
UU first principle "The inherent worth and dignity of every person."
Feminism divides people by gender,
and once you have us vs. them somebody is inferior.
Why does that woman, cis
trans or in transition, who is your equal in every way need your feminism? She
needs your respect as a colleague and probably a promotion to your grade. Got
that? Or is feminism enough?
Why does that man need to fundamentally change behavior that is socially, religiously, and genetically conditioned to creating children and providing a safe nurturing space for them against all the slings and arrows society can muster against him for that safe and nurturing space for his children.
Admittedly certain aspects of this masculinity may not be appropriate in a modern society. But why are men and women together not trying to change the dysfunctional manifestations of masculinity: rape, assault, paternalism, and pillaging for resources; rather than trying to fiddle around with their basic natures with language and shaming of minor behavioral or dominance issues.
I come from a family tradition of
strong, independent, competent women. In
choosing women friends and partners I search out those same qualities. None to
my knowledge call themselves feminists.
They are too busy being twice as good as the average man to achieve
their goals in life. (As more than one
noted “Fortunately that is not difficult.")
My parenting partner was in a
brutally misogynistic profession, and many times I needed my white male MBA
privilege to change jobs and careers since she had no flexibility in hers. I spent exactly no time trying to change the culture of her profession, nor mine, and neither did she until she was tenured, and even then she was more concerned with proving that even without professional support a woman could exceed the achievements of most men in her profession.
N.B. More reasoned essays on feminism and humanism can be found on Thinking on the Blue Roads
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