My Movement

When asked which movement I identify most with I tried very hard to choose between the Women's Movement, specifically with the Liberal Feminists, and the Profeminist Men's Movement.  Then I decided I do not have to choose.  I choose both, mainly because they work side by side and they both contain vital points of what I believe in. 

The Second Wave of the Women's Movement is when Liberal Feminism first came about.  Originally it focused on the white, middle class, housewife that was unhappy having to stay at home with no control over her life.  While I agree that women in that sort of position should stand up and fight against it, I identify with the more current Liberal Feminists that include all races and classes in the struggle for equality.  The Liberal Feminists fight for full equality between men and women such as, but not limited to: equal pay for equal work, equal opportunities in the work place, federally funded child-care centers, and for it to be illegal to discriminate against sex.  The only thing missing is equality for men.

I understand that when I say that last statement many women immediately react with, "What about equality for men?  They already have everything!"  In some ways that may be true but why is it that when a man cries, or is in any way emotional, he is made fun of or told he isn't really a man?  Why is it that men don't have paternity leave?  Isn't it important for a newborn child to bond with his father as well as mother?  These questions led me to believe that it is completely impossible for me to be a feminist without also thinking about the rights that men are deprived of, even if there are less of them, because wouldn't that mean I was, in turn also being sexist?

I believe that the Profeminist Men's Movement is something that all men should support.  It promotes equality among men and women, especially equal pay for equal work and equal treatment in society.  These profeminist men stand up for women's right and fight along side Liberal Feminists, politically and even in their day to day lives.  They also fight for the right for men to have emotions like every person should.  According to Julia Wood, "Most male feminists think that, in constricting men's ability to understand and experience many emotions, society has robbed them of an important aspect of what it means to be human; a major goal of male feminists is to change that." (Gendered Lives)  I believe a man cannot be a man without his emotions.  With society making the emotional man taboo it is creating an army of men that have many feelings bottled up inside, sometimes all of their lives!  How can that be good for society?!  It is not good for society and it is not good for men.

Ever since I have begun to identify myself as a feminist I have always known that I also feel there needs to be a change for men as well.  I will continue to stand up for equality for both sexes, in day to day life, in my work and my studies.  However, now I know there are two movements that are aligned with how I feel, those are Liberal Feminism and the Profeminist Men's Movement.

Below is a link to a Radical Profeminist's Blog that I found rather interesting:

http://radicalprofeminist.blogspot.com/