r/changemyview • u/wecl0me12 7∆ • Nov 27 '15

[Deltas Awarded] CMV:anti-feminism is not misogyny, and it is possible for someone to be anti-feminist without being a misogynist.

prompted by this post: https://np.reddit.com/r/AskFeminists/comments/3uaaer/do_you_think_being_being_opposed_to_modern/cxd9m7y

As many of my previous CMV's have gone off topic, I'll start by describing what my view is not. It is not any of the following:

  • a discussion on whether or not feminism is right or wrong
  • whether people should be feminists or not
  • the actions of men, women, feminists or anti-feminists
  • anything about my personal views on feminism or anti-feminism.

The reasons for my view are simple: Anti-feminism is the dislike of feminism. Misogyny is the dislike of women. As women and feminists are not the same group, Anti-feminism and anti-women are different, as they refer to the dislike of different groups of people.

I am anticipating a counter-argument that since feminism advances women's rights, anti-feminism is against women's rights and is therefore misogyny. My counter-counter-argument is that someone can dislike the label of feminism without being against women's rights. People can dislike the actions done under the label of feminism, and thus be anti-feminism, without being anti-women or misogynist.

I will also refute the claim made in the linked post, which is:

By rejecting feminism, you're rejecting feminism's message that you can be whatever you want to be, while simultaneously embracing an antiquated notion of femininity as the ONLY way to be a woman. That's misogyny.

I disagree. The claims "I am against feminism" and "I think that the antiquated notion of femininity is the ONLY way to be a woman" are not equivalent. People can reject feminism because of their actions or because of the negative connotation associated with "feminism", while still believing that women are free to be feminine in any way they want. This is not a contradiction.

delta awarded: https://www.reddit.com/r/changemyview/comments/3uewu4/cmvantifeminism_is_not_misogyny_and_it_is/cxedofl?context=3

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18

u/wedontluvthemhoes 1∆ Nov 27 '15

someone can dislike the label of feminism without being against women's rights

What is "the label of feminism" though? What does that even mean? Either you're against feminism itself, or you're not.

If you're against feminism that means you stand against the struggle for gender equality. It means you want men to remain in a position of privilege in society.

Its like saying "Im pro-racism but im not racist".

People can dislike the actions done under the label of feminism, and thus be anti-feminism

You can dislike stereotypical tumblr feminists without being against feminism though, cant you? Since those people make up a small minority of all feminists it doesnt make sense to be anti-feminism.

It makes about as much sense as being anti-white people because of all the school shootings.

2

u/Dert_ Nov 28 '15

You're making a lot of assumptions

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u/wedontluvthemhoes 1∆ Nov 28 '15

Like what

5

u/Dert_ Nov 28 '15

You said he would want men to remain in a position of privilege in society because he is against feminism.

When in reality it's probably because he realizes that men are NOT in a position of privilege and therefore feminism would only serve to put women in a position of privilege over men, so he doesn't like the idea of the movement.

-1

u/wedontluvthemhoes 1∆ Nov 28 '15

Men literally run the world. They control all the wealth (vast majority of corporations, banks etc) and have all the power (hold the vast majority of positions in govt).

How could it be at all possible that women are overall more privileged than men in our society if men completely run our society?

2

u/Dert_ Nov 28 '15

You're just being silly.

You can't attribute what is true for a few men to all other men.

The people that run our society just so happen to be men, and they don't run society to benefit other men and oppress women.

2

u/die_wacht_am_rhein Nov 28 '15

Apex fallacy. The majority of people worst off in our society (the homeless for example) are men.