Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by DaVinci on July 19, 2008 at 10:55am

I agree totally. Chipping away at religion in this country can only mean good things for women, gays, minority's, and rational people everywhere.

Permalink Reply by Shireen on July 19, 2008 at 1:44pm

I think I actually started questioning the bible when I learned about feminism. The bible justifies so many wrongs against women like rape and violence. I went to a highschool where we had abstinence-only education, and I think that Christianity also perpetuates the sexual double standard. No one obsesses over female virginity more than religious men. I've met alot of women atheists who say they left their religion when they found feminism. Feminism is about freedom, equality and peace, and religion is all about control, hate and domination. I've met alot of Christian or Muslim feminists (they're obviously very liberal), but I still don't know how they justify how God encouraged slavery and homophobia.

I find that the goals in the feminist and freethought movement being really similar. Both are combatting the religious right. They both support sexual and reproductive freedom, equal rights for the LBGTQ community and comprehensive sex-education.

Permalink Reply by Parallax on July 19, 2008 at 11:22pm

I think Feminism and Atheism go hand in hand. I am free because I'm not beholden to the original sin of Eve and her causing the downfall of humankind.

I do think women are the most oppressed people on the Earth and no matter what color of person gets equity, it's usually the female of that type of person that experiences the benefits of it last. I try not to let that get me down though, mainly because my husband is not a dick and I'm happy about that.

Permalink Reply by seth on July 22, 2008 at 4:21pm

I very much see life the same way as Dawkins, the gene-centered view. In this framing, there are absolutely no reasons not to view the female of the species as the more important of the two sexes. Females don't have to exert tremendous amounts of energy trying, fighting, dancing, singing to be selected for mating partners, they just sit back and chose. The simple fact that they invest so much more of their body in the act of mating sells it for me. And, considering they are much more aware and intuitive in interpersonal communication, it angers me that there aren't more female politicians.

Oh humans. With your socially constructed ideas of sexuality. So silly.

Permalink Reply by LeaT on August 17, 2008 at 5:03am

I can agree that female leaders are often better than men, simply because men are more focused on progress and competition, females are more focused on making sure everyone has it good, before progress and competition is thought of.

This of course could very much relate to maternal instincts. Now that I think about it it angers me too, because I am thinking of how such a different world we would live in if every country had a female leader instead of a male one.

I also agree that all this make up stuff is silly... It was actually great hearing a famous photographer saying to will-be models that only ugly women wear make up, particularly considering how extreme the fashion industry is about just that.

I really wish I could ban all the make up ads on TV. What the hell do we need them for?!

Permalink Reply by Michaela on July 25, 2008 at 11:24pm

I agree - atheism is simply the absence of a belief in god/s and infers nothing about a persons political, social or sexual views. An atheist might be a misogynistic capitalist entrenched in the patriarchy and a rabid homophobe. It does not infer deep intellectual thought - I know many have come to it through that process but it is not a requirement. Feminism on the other hand does require intellectual process and the adoption of a set of ideological beliefs.

And in the west your triumvirate of capitalism, religion & patriarchy is quite valid - western capitalism grew out of the industrial revolution which in turn was driven in the main by the extreme protestants who were excluded from many other professions because of their religious views - and a more misogynistic bunch of rabid patriarchs it would be hard to find lol.

Permalink Reply by Mike on July 29, 2008 at 10:53am

Logic = feminism in my book.

Permalink Reply by Becky Garcia on August 9, 2008 at 1:46pm

Well said, you two! I hadn't thought of it that way. Atheism is just a lack of belief in god(s). Feminism is actually a philosophy/belief system. There are lots of atheists (I'm looking at you, Christopher Hitchens!) that are very anti-feminist. (You too, Camille Paglia!)

Permalink Reply by LeaT on August 17, 2008 at 5:09am

It is correct that every early agricultural religion actually priased females, mostly because of their power of fertility. It was believed that this power could affect the crops too, since crops grow just like children grow. I am thinking if I am finding a logic here, that if men indeed are more interested in competition, it was probably also why the female rule disappeared, they just simply competed out the females, since females are less interested in great achievements.

We actually have no real claim that says that the first human societies were actually lead by men, particularly MALE scientists tend to draw this logic, just because men are in power today.

But if you look at many different animals, I would say it is as common having females in power (especially note inspects) as male. I really wish men were better fighting their testosterone, which I very much believe had a major impact in this.