A few question's for you feminists as a male.

Firstly, you can be male and feminist.

What do you believe feminism is about?

Like with all ideologies, there are a huge range of views and variants of feminism, but the central tenet is that it is a movement to achieve gender equality.

Feminist theory is the science (sociology) behind feminism, and seeks to understand the nature of gender itself and how gender conflict exists in society.

In regards to equality, what isn't equal, I've e never experienced a woman be ridiculed or treated differently?

In the 1st world, there are definitely less issues than the 3rd world (where women are treated horrifically). But you have to be pretty blind to not see women being treated worse than men in the 1st world. I'm going to leave it to someone else to make a comprehensive list, because I simply don't have time, but I'll give a start.

A woman's appearance still matters more than her achievements or character, women are still blamed for getting raped (and a culture exists in which otherwise good people can dehumanise women enough to rape them), women have to fear walking alone at night, a female professional is often confused for the secretary and not taken as seriously as male colleagues, women who happen to not be attracted to someone but were friendly are accused of "leading them on", women who happen to enjoy sex are called "sluts" while men are praised for the same, women who dress in a certain way are called sluts and whores, it's still considered acceptable to catcall and harass a woman if she's "wearing the wrong thing"

Why 'Feminism' and not equality for everyone, many things women have better than mem and visa versa?

First and second wave feminism would have been summed up as "women's rights", but as a lot has been achieved towards that (in the 1st world at least) and the issues are less about women as gender in general, most third wave (modern) feminists would say "gender equality".

But why feminism, you ask? Well it comes down to feminist theory.

The key element of feminist theory is patriarchy theory. Now this is not a literal patriarchy (a political patriarchy), but a culture of patriarchy.

Feminists believe that men's issues are caused by this.

For example, men being told to "man up and not be a pussy" stems from the belief that pussy=woman=weak=bad and that women are inferior and child-like, while men are pressured to be strong fearless leaders.

In another example, "women and children" are often saved first in a disaster, and feminists disagree with this too. But again, feminist theory shows it to be because of the view that men are superior and women are so inferior as to be equated directly to children.

So really, third wave feminism is a type of "egalitarianism" or "equalism" but the difference is that third wave feminism believes the causes of gender inequality to be explained through the concept of patriarchy theory and rape culture theory.

Those of you who are against things such as page 3 in british newspaper The Sun, why? It's a woman choice is it not?

I'm not against Page 3 and I agree that it's the woman's choice.

/r/Feminism Thread