[DubaiSis]

While I consider myself a feminist in all the most obvious ways, I do think you have to consider it, like most political things, on a scale. And the feminist from 1970 was fighting for very different things than the feminist of today. I was raised Catholic and for awhile could live with the contradictions in my beliefs, but at some point I had to give up on them because they can't be wrong on THAT many levels and still have me as a member at any level. I think the same thing would be true of a woman calling herself a feminist. You may not believe in all of the 10 things you think make up feminism to call yourself one, but if you believe in most of them and the 1 or 2 things you dissent on aren't repugnant to you, you can call yourself a feminist. But I see feminism as a desire for equality between men and woman on a macro level, equal pay for equal work being the mac daddy of that.

I don't see how a gay person or a woman could be a Republican, but if you can compartmentalize the parts you disagree with and be happy with the party as a whole, then great. But you are definitely part of a small and shrinking minority and you might want to ponder the reasons for that. I mean, you might be able to compartmentalize "legitimate rape" but when those comments start accumulating onto a 2nd or 3rd hand, isn't it time to reconsider your loyalties? The same would be true on whether or not you think you are or should be a feminist.

And to quote EMILY'S List - When Women Run, Women Win! Be a feminist or not, but run for office! You can change the world, and I think women are vastly better legislators, even when I don't agree with them.