How to Cure a Feminist: A Decade(ish) On

I think it's interesting to read old articles to see how much society has changed since their publication. Here's a curious one from American Maxim magazine in 2003 entitled 'How to Cure a Feminist'. It's a pretty hilarious read, if you can ignore the fact that this was once a serious article (though later widely ridiculed). The cigar advertisement fittingly reinforces the archaic and patriarchal image that the article conjures up.

(Click to enlarge/read text)

So, how far have we actually progressed from here? It's hard to measure. The culprit magazine is still in business, which isn't a good start in my opinion, as well as other 'lads mags' here in the UK still flying off the shelves albeit covered with 'modesty bags' in Co-op stores. We still have 'Page-Three-Girls' (which seems so incongruous in our so-called 'modern' age, don't you think?), apart from in Ireland (though they are still barely clothed - but progress is progress so I'm not complaining!), and limited access to the Page Three website.

I mean, I'm up for a laugh and all, but this 'Laddism' isn't much fun for anyone really - even for these lads who are living in an embarrassing facade where 'Cool Girl' exists. People are kidding themselves if they think this is a 'harmless bit of fun', because anything prominent and established in any part of society has inevitable ramifications to attitudes, and therefore affects pretty much all aspects of society. Everything is relevant.

Moreover, there was the blog 'Girl with a one track mind', which arguably opened people's eyes to the double standards involved in male and female sexuality. There is now more funding for studies into the extent of FGM cases in the UK (read declaration here). We also have slightly more female representation in Parliament.

In terms of the general attitude regarding gender equality, I can't really say what it was like before 2003 - I would've only been about 8 years old. I can say that at least now though, we have the influence of some great activists and writers such as Caitlin Moran and the people behind The Everyday Sexism Project to name just a few of them.

Of course, we must've had similar figures a decade ago too - after all, it was the 00's not the dark ages. However, from what I can gather, many of them were charmingly named 'killjoys' or 'battleaxes' -  regarded as nothing more than 'fat' and 'bitter' women who were envious of the beautiful, socially-pleasing majority. How lovely.

Today, many successful women or female activists, such as Malala Yousafzai, perhaps receive more positive publicity and support. This is true if we, of course, ignore the Daily Mail Online (in particular their obsession with Lady Gaga's weight gain, bikini bodies, and/or toned midriffs [oh the abundance of midriffs!]).

Is progress speedy? Probably not. But good things take time - and effort.

What do you think has been a great step forward in the last decade?

P.S. If you still aren't convinced about the societal poison that is the Daily Mail - just know that it supported Mussolini and Hitler during the fascist 1930's. Just sayin' ;) x

Eyeopener #01: The Online Gendersphere

Ok, I’m not exactly a street protestor pal of the Femen activist group, in fact I rarely even thought about ‘feminism’ 6 months ago (I assumed the only ‘type’ of feminism that existed involved the antics of the Pussy Riot and the ceremonial burning of one’s bra (and, in the words of Caitlin Moran, WE LOVE OUR BRAS) – so quite frankly, the concept rather scared me.
Now, however, I can see that the definition of feminism is simple. It’s synonymous to the definition of masculism: gender equality. With this in mind, then, I have listed my top 3 movements/blogs that have stirred things up in the gendersphere these past few months and, whether you think they deserve our hits to their websites, are definitely worth having a read...

1. Matt Forney

Well. Matt Forney’s opinions are radical to say the least, primarily those regarding women and feminism. Forney does what I try to do myself: question and not necessarily accept popular opinion as truth, and yet, whilst he is undoubtedly regarded as one of ‘balsiest’ bloggers around (a suitably phallocentric adjective), I have yet to find an idea of his I can agree with. (However, this may be the result of my inherent female ‘empty-skull’–edness. --Yes, these are his words).

IF YOU LOOK AT NOTHING ELSE TODAY, click on this link to his post entitled: The Case Against Female Self-Esteem and see how you feel afterwards. Some of his other posts include Why Fat Girls Don’t Deserve To Be Loved which manages to mock women, obesity and mental illness all in the opening paragraph, and more recently How to Crush a Girls Self-Esteem (Yes it is, in fact, as disturbing and possessive as it sounds)

As an extra incentive - here's a preview of his wise words:

“Girls don’t want the six-figure cubicle job, the shiny Brooklyn 2BR, the master’s degree, the sexual liberation, none of it. They want to be collectively led back to the kitchen, told to make a nice big tuna sandwich with extra mayo and lettuce, then swatted on the ass as we walk out the door.”

Nice one, Matt.

2. TERFs (Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminist)

I came across this group after reading this article in which a trans woman was the victim of online transphobic abuse from feminists, and WOW, I still can’t believe this is actually a THING. Basically, TERF is a feminist group who believe, in their own words, in ‘excluding trans people from fully participating in society as equal citizens’. Some of their ideas include the beliefs that trans women are ‘created’ by male figures in order to infiltrate womanhood, and that trans operations are undergone in order to ‘satisfy their sexual urges’. Thoughts?

3. Tumblr: Men taking up 2 much space on the train

Alright, this is not a counter-feminism blog at all but has undoubtedly caused some controversy on the internet since its publication which is why I’m listing it. The Tumblr blog men taking up 2 much space on the train, became popular last year having arguably exposed an everyday privilege of men. Is there really a correlation between gender and how you sit?

To an extent, I think this blog is quite ridiculous -- can we really make any conclusions from it?
Is this really about ‘public assertions of male privilege’ or is it something more *anatomical*? (See Men Defending Their Balls: A Superpoem -- even just for the laughs). Plus, if there’s room on the train I don’t see the problem in spreading yourself out a bit. Why not? I sometimes do it. Are people looking into things way too much?

Take a look for yourselves.