Feminist Thinking ?

People, well a few people, have either accused (it's the tone of voice that does it) me of being, or have asked me if I am, a feminist. The answer is I'm not sure. Since I don't know what their idea of a feminist is I have no idea what they mean by the question. Ok, the accusing ones we can assume don't mean anything nice by it. In which case I usually just agree to piss them off. I'm a little twisted. As the question perplexed me I have been loitering around some feminist web sites and blogs trying to figure it out. Still not sure. So I'm off on a voyage of discovery to read some stuff and see what I think about the idea, current debate and if in the end I am a feminist

So here's a few things that I think to start with:

Women and men should receive equal pay for equal jobs.

No one, male, female hermaphrodite, transgender, should be barred from employment because of their gender as is, or as was, or because they changed it.

I believe that a woman has the right to control her capacity for reproduction.

No one should be the victim of sexual harassment, abuse or rape.

Maternity and paternity leave and pay rights should be equal.

Well, it's not an over arching life guiding philosophy but, as I said, it's a start. These ideas are just ones that have been rattling around in my head for as long as I can remember ever considering the subjects. To me they just seem obvious. Feel free to jump on my ideas all you like. It won't change them but I like a laugh so knock yourself out.

However I have come across a few detailed debates about whither you can wax and be a feminist. One writer, can't remember where but I'll try to find it again, even said she was aware of feeling superior to women who participated in beauty rituals because she doesn't. She sees them in the street and pity's them. 'Scuse me ? So you judge women on their appearance. Nice. Let me know how that works out for you. Well this judgement is not based on your non beauty ritual participation, it's based on you stupid ass opinions. Go fuck yourself. The knockout redhead in the killer heels, groomed to perfection who just breezed past you might be the smartest, most successful person you'll ever meet ...... wait, no point in continuing that thought. You'll never meet her 'cause you decided she was some sort of airhead slave to the patriarchy based on her personal grooming habits. Git.

In fairness the writer of the piece did says that she knew she shouldn't make those judgements. Tip for you then. Don't. As far as I could tell, and I happily admit that there was a minimum of effort put in to checking, these people feel the need to tell me that to be a feminist, to support equal rights for women and further the cause I need abandon the current imposed image of womanhood and take on their, good and proper, idea of womanhood. Please, it's this way to the short pier, might I advise that madame try a very long run off it ? Tell you what, you worry about what the women of this world look like, I'm off to use my brain. Maybe I'll put some make up on while I do.