Quote Originally Posted by Mr. Silver View Post
If women are free to be totally feminist and men are free to be 'masculist'', how do they coexist??
Not sure, but I think it's called "patriarchy" and it's existed for quite a bit of time. It's not really the "equivalent," or perhaps it's the "dialectical equivalent."

In my view, feminism has always been not so much about promoting one gender, but rather about reducing discrimination and constraints imposed by gender. Basically the idea that rights should be based on being human, not on being a man or a woman. Say, for example, property rights: it sucks not to be allowed to own property but to be property (of someone else) instead. There were quite a few reasons to believe that women were getting most of the discrimination and constraints, or at least getting the bum side of that deal. In Hegelian terms, you could say that the master also needs to be liberated. For example, even today it's extremely difficult for men to take parental leave (not six days but six months) in most occupations, even if in theory it's permitted by law and even partly supported financially by government and some employers. That's something that feminism around here is concerned about. Your mileage may vary.

It sure makes things a lot more complicated, but personally I have not yet given up on the general idea that there should be equal opportunities. I will admit though that, in 21st century Canada, given the choice, I'd pick being a woman. It seems a lot more difficult for men to bend gender roles, but I know quite a few around me that are doing it, and everyone's gaining from that.