Let us also assume that every woman who defines themself...
Feminism is no longer about gender equality
Now that Pro has redefined the sphere of debate to feminism in the West, which I am happy to accept, I feel that I must shall begin by reiterating the difference between feminism and misandry. Feminism is the belief that women are not inferior; misandry is the belief that men are inferior, and conversely that women are superior. A misandrist often suffers failure of logic through generalisation. For example, Some men are rapists. Therefore, all men are rapists. Therefore, all rapists are men. Pro is unfortunately falling into the same pattern: Some feminists are misandrists. Therefore, all feminists are misandrists. Therefore, all misandrists are feminists. Statistically, many women dislike the term 'feminist' because of it's association with misandry. Only 27% of women would term themselves feminists in the U.S. (http://www.cbsnews.com...) and yet 65% would describe themselves as feminists when the term was specifically defined as 'interested in equality between the sexes' (http://www.cbsnews.com...). Let's assume, for the sake of argument, that every woman who openly terms themselves a 'feminist' in this particular set of polls is a misandrist. (Not true, but simply for the sake of a rough figure here). Let us also assume that every woman who defines themself as a feminist when the non-misandrist definition is offered them, but would not like to be termed a feminist due to the association of the term with misandry, is not a misandrist (Again not necessarily true, but more likely to be so since they are specifically disassociating with the term through it's hostility). That makes it 27% of females who are misandrists; and 38% who are not but who would call themselves feminist. I feel this displays clearly my own contention; the majority of feminists, women interested in equality between the genders, are not misandrists. This of itself is a skewed proportion, since I sincerely doubt that all women who would term themselves feminists are misandrists. As an anecdotal piece of evidence towards that; I woke up this morning and turned the laptop on to check updates, emails etc (something I often do to wake myself up). On considering this debate I turned to my partner and asked, "Love, am I a misandrist?" He laughed, and answered, "Of course not." Yet I have considered myself a feminist all of my life. Further to that, the feminist movement is questioning the misandrists in it's ranks (http://www.feministcritics.org...) and arguing against misandry (http://sexademic.wordpress.com...); as I do myself. However, as long as some Western men consider women inferior, there will be a need for Western feminists to make the case that women are not inferior, separate to and apart from misandrists.