Would you make any kind of distinctions between a “non-feminist” and an “anti-feminist”?
Question by .02 RETURNS: Would you make any kind of distinctions between a “non-feminist” and an “anti-feminist”?
What, if any, is the difference?
Can you help? Leave your own answer in the comments!
18 Responses to Would you make any kind of distinctions between a “non-feminist” and an “anti-feminist”?
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I wouldn’t make a distinction between them: anyone who is NOT an advocate of gender equality is most likely consciously against it, in this day and age.
Daisy Buchanon
January 19, 2014 at 10:51 pm
non feminist seems less drastic.
emelle
January 19, 2014 at 11:39 pm
I am a non-feminist because I believe in rights for both men and women. I do not believe antis are the same.
♥The Mrs.♥
January 20, 2014 at 12:07 am
I make no difference at all, by now everyone should know that women need to be treated equally as men. We should get the same pay for the same work and every thing else
Kathryn
January 20, 2014 at 12:15 am
Non feminist is probably a well balanced woman -see both points of view.
An anti feminist is probably a chauvinist (male) or doormat (female).
Diana
January 20, 2014 at 12:34 am
My answers have had me labeled feminist, non-feminist, and anti-feminist. People just like to sort others (and sometimes themselves) into neat little categories rather than actually communicating.
I try not to do that and it’s one reason my best answers have gone to posters of various persuasions.
J D
January 20, 2014 at 1:13 am
I’m just a non-feminist who goes on anti-feminist rants once in a while. Sometimes they pizz me off and I have to rant. The anti-feminists are just more strongly opposed to feminism. That’s the best I can do to describe the differences,they’re kind of slim.
Jane's New Avatar
January 20, 2014 at 2:02 am
There isn’t a difference. Both want the same thing. Equal rights for men and for all this fascism to stop.
It always makes me laugh how some feminists say “But we want equality therefore anyone who is against feminism is against equality”—- If you asked any of those feminists if we should make custody battles 50/50 instead of 99/1 in favour of women they would say “Nooooooooooo”. Or the ones who say “My movement is trying to achieve equality, any one who isn’t, is not a feminist”—- Those same feminists try to justify inequality, such as the bias custody battles. They think that because they believe they have a valid reason reason to have these biased laws, that it somehow justifies inequality and, by definition, does not count as inequality. News flash to all the feminists who say they want equality:….Justifying sexism/discrimination is not equality, its fascism.
Jess
January 20, 2014 at 2:39 am
So: Is there a difference between someone who is neutral toward something and someone who would attack and denigrate it?
Yes, I should say so.
Bee
January 20, 2014 at 3:12 am
I do. I think someone who is anti anything is actively against it.
professorc
January 20, 2014 at 4:09 am
one doesn’t care, one doesn’t like
lolwat
January 20, 2014 at 4:31 am
This is my way of differentiating these two ‘sometimes overlapping but disjoint at at other times’ kind of classification.
I think that this movement began with noble goals, but has turned into a beast that’s run by radicals who make sure that women be treated like children.
I differentiate issues as to where they fall and where they should be, politically and economically.
Even when I find this movement abhorrent, I sometimes do agree with the so-called “fence-sitters”.
I am able to keep my gender-narcissism aside while discussing issues.
I’m for the rights of ALL, not just men or women, so I have had the need forge for myself an egalitarian approach that isn’t easily explainable or visible from my Qs/As here. These are some of the reasons I consider myself a non-Feminist.
Edit — And no, I haven’t been a victim of sexism in real life or at least I don’t think of me as such. So that could explain my apathy to Feminism.
Know It All
January 20, 2014 at 5:06 am
Anti feminist seems to be a term feminists use a lot.
Dr M
January 20, 2014 at 5:59 am
In my opinion, a “non-feminist” is one who doesn’t agree with or support feminism, and an “anti-feminist” is one who actively works against it.
True Brit
January 20, 2014 at 6:33 am
In my experience, a non feminist is just someone who doesn’t really care about or have an opinion on women’s rights/gender equality, while an anti-feminist is explicitly opposed to them.
Loren
January 20, 2014 at 7:28 am
Well, a non-feminist doesn’t exactly adhere to feminism; however, they believe in equality. So, since they believe in equality, some would call them “equalist”.
An anti-feminist is a person, who’s against feminism; in the terms of feminism they’re against gender equality. In the terms of equalist they’re also known to be anti-equalist or however they put the term, as well; bottom line is, they don’t believe in equality between the sexes, no matter how you chop, cut or dice it.
And due to what some may think they’re not exactly what one would call doormats; one does not have to have a special lable to stand up for themselves; either they do or they don’t.
Layla
January 20, 2014 at 7:49 am
I think others have answered well, so I’d like to make a different point. I don’t particularly agree with this view, but a smart poster once said that defining yourself as ‘anti’ anything meant that you were by definition giving power to the group you oppose. This makes sense in one respect, but I don’t really see how, for example, being anti-nazi gives a lot of power to nazis. I respect this view though, and there is something in it.
Doodlebugjim
January 20, 2014 at 8:06 am
When I’ve read what anti-feminists like Beverly LaHaye of Concerned Women for America say, they state they oppose gay rights, comprehensive sex education, drug and alcohol education, and feminism, while advocating what it calls “pro-life” and “pro-family” values. The Independent Women’s Forum (IWF) is an anti-feminist organization who work against federal support of family medical leave, Title IX, sexual harassment policies, women’s studies, VAWA, and don’t believe there’s a wage gap. Anti-feminist James Dobson heads the multimillion-dollar Focus on the Family media empire, and his organization is anti-choice, anti-gay, and against sex education curricula. And of course, Anti-feminist queen bee Phyllis Schafly, head of the Eagle Forum, opposes sex education (unless its “abstinence only”), reproductive rights, AIDS education, sexual harassment legislation, federal support for daycare and family leave and of course gay rights.
These anti-feminists actively work against equal rights, reproductive rights, and don’t want women to have equal rights in the workplace, politically, or socially. All of these groups raise funds to get politicians elected who promote their views on the workplace and socially.
Non-feminists don’t seem to be organized, raising funds, trying to elect politicians, or actively working against reproductive rights, sex education, sexual harassment legislation, family leave, drug and alcohol education or any of the other issues that feminist support. But then again, if you’re not for anything, what you have today might not be there tomorrow.
edith clarke
January 20, 2014 at 8:50 am