Feminists? Any here?

[redrhodie]

Absolutely! I was lucky to be born in the late '60s, after a lot had already been accomplished, but I know the struggle that my mother's generation had. Because of them, growing up, I knew I could be whatever I wanted. I don't take that for granted.

In my personal experience I haven't seen any bias based on my gender, even on the bike.

[WrensMom]

Of course! After all, feminism is the belief that women are people. And I am the mother of 3 girls, all of whom I have the highest hopes and dreams for. It always floors me to encounter sexist attitudes from people with daughters

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

It's not so easy to separate 'feminist' women from 'non-feminist' women anymore. Certainly there is far less clearcut a difference as there was back in the 60's.
I mean, even a woman who feels '''a woman's place is in the home etc''' might surprise you in her ferocity to make sure her daughter gets a college degree or an equal-pay job. She might well be out there doing things that promote women's wellbeing in ways that might not be so obviously 'feminist' yet have a huge positive impact on women just the same. I have also met a few politically active feminists who fight all sorts of marvelous pro-women fights and yet they also do things unaware, things that are negative or unfair to certain kinds of women. I see glimpses of myself in both scenarios sometimes.

We are all are complex products of our infinite background experiences, and we all exhibit fascinating combinations of our various beliefs and passions.

I tend to look at the overall tone of society as opposed to trying to categorize people as being either on one side or the other. I do see a positive shift since 1960 in the general attitude of society towards women in some ways, and in other ways things have actually become worse. Sadly, sometimes even women themselves take an active part in their own trivialization. Yet ironically feminism is 'supposed' to support a woman's choices to do that as well. Sort of like "I defend your right to not defend your rights'. It's often shades of grey with fuzzy boundaries.

But overall I see a two steps forward one step back kind of change since that time when my generation was 'burning their bras'.

[Pax]

Absolutely! Alive and well here in the Midwest.

It's been a long time since I marched on the Statehouse in support of the ERA but I still try to fight the good fight.

[Marissa]

Absolutely! Heck, my great-great-grandmother not only kept her maiden name, her husband took it when they were married. (I actually took my husband's name, so it's not a big issue for me, but I love telling the story.) I come from a long line of feminists.

[papaver]

My grandmother ran away to the states when she was 18 (that was in 1919). It was a huge scandal in her town. A woman alone taking the boat to the states was unheard of! She traveled throughout the states for a full year, working here and there (dunno how she did it, but she did) and 12 months later she came back. As an independant, headstrong woman.

My mother is also a very liberal woman, she always earned a lot more money than my father (but he didn't mind). And she gave us three (I have 2 brothers) a very feminist upbringing. The boys learned to cook, to iron, to do the dishes (as well as the very boyish things like carpentry and such) and so did I. I can cook, I can do flooring, electricity,... and we are very very grateful for that.

And oh yes, we all love to cycle. My mom is now in her mid-seventies and every day she rides at least 20 miles.