Sororities and Feminism

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by DubaiSis

I agree. As a Democrat, I don't think it's my job to fix the Republican party (I'll let them implode on their own), but when they turned away from government and economy and toward invading your personal life, it was the beginning of the end for them. The good news (for them) is that the 2 major political parties swing in a pendulum. Most of what Democrats believe today is what Republicans of 30 years ago believed. They'll come around and the Democrats will end up having to find a way to re-define themselves.

I think "feminists" (in quotes because I am guessing what many people mean by the word) are having to shout from the mountain tops because basic rights that many of us thought was a done deal YEARS ago are back in play. I mean seriously, birth control? What else are they going to want to take back? Oh wait, voting rights is back in play too, so who knows what other basic freedoms are at risk.

You really don't see any meaningful distinction between having access to buying birth control yourself and compelling your employer to help buy it for you? Today's birth control debate seems pretty different to me that historical debate on the issue.

And by voting rights being back in play, you mean that you think that southern states should be under federal supervision forever in this area? Or do you having something else in mind?

Oh, DBB, great thread!

[squirrely girl]

Originally Posted by UGAalum94

You really don't see any meaningful distinction between having access to buying birth control yourself and compelling your employer to help buy it for you?

I would agree today's debate on BC is different... but describing this debate as "compelling your employer to help buy it for you" is disingenuous at best. Major medical advisory groups have recommended birth control be considered preventative health care and per the Health Care Reform act, preventative care is to be covered by insurance without copay. Women pay their premiums just like men and it's about damn time their coverage actually met the unique needs of a female body instead of treating men's and women's bodies as "the same" by providing default male coverage for both... in other words, men's needs have been fully met for YEARS while women's needs are considered "extra." That's nowhere near equality. If employers are going to provide health insurance in lieu of wages that coverage should meet the actual health care needs of both sexes... not just one.

By the way, that mandate covers all FDA approved birth control and sterilization, thus men's vasectomies are covered without copay as well... yet interestingly nobody seems to be whining about men getting their snips covered... hmmmm...

[Tulip86]

To me feminism is about options and choices.
To me, a housewife can be a feminist, because if staying at home is her choice, when she also has the option to work, it should be her choice.

Feminism to me is about striving for equality in legal rights, the workplace, freedom of choice and the right to decide over my own body.
The right to equal pay, to not be fired over pregnancy, or the assumption that all women just want to be mothers, that women aren't weaker and can do anything they put their mind to, if that's their choice.


I view subjects such as abortion in quite a simple way (maybe it's my Dutch live-and-let-live heritage) : If you're against abortions; don't have one, but don't take away someone else's right to decide over their own body.

I know this view is quite simplistic, especially where religion comes in, and doesn't mesh well with the view of some that abortion is murder, but it's was I was brought up with, simply put: if it doesn't harm or endanger others, then it's not up to me to interfere.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

http://jezebel.com/5972605/when-is-w...?post=55760968

[adpimiz]

Is there a particular reason that you have to play Devil's Advocate on everything I say? Jeez. We clearly have different political views, but that's no reason to be snarky.

I honestly can't think of one off the top of my head at the moment. There ya go.

[DubaiSis]

The last time the Equal Rights Amendment was up for vote in Iowa the ads were about eliminating single sex bathrooms. Now how on earth does someone correlate toilet use with equal rights? Did anyone actually advocate that? Of course not. But it successfully scared people against it. Gender equality =/= gender sameness.

Where gender equality has to do with mom being able to stay home with kids, I think it also has to mean mom goes to work and dad stays home if that is what is best for their situation. Where staying at home is not feminist is when it is not realistic or practical in that family for mom to stay home, but you do it anyway because that's the woman's place. And I think this is where sorority and college life in general can be very feminist, in showing women their potential and providing options in life. Wanting to be a wife and mother isn't anti-feminist. Needing to be a wife and mother because you are a woman and that's all you get to be is anti-feminist and should be shunned by any sorority woman.

[WaterChild]

I graduated in 2011, so my experience is recent.

My chapter strongly emphasized friendship, sisterhood, philanthropy, and strong women. By being an active member of that chapter, I was able to grow as a person and develop leadership skills. I also found friends who supported me as I pursued a major and now a career in a male dominated field. I would say that my chapter as a whole is feminist, and would say that most other chapters on my campus are as well. However, my chapter and every other chapter have had members that don't help feminism.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by WaterChild

However, my chapter and every other chapter have had members that don't help feminism.

I don't know if this is slut-shaming, drink-shaming, or engaged-at-19 shaming. Whatever way, it defeats the purpose of real feminism.

[WaterChild]

Originally Posted by 33girl

I don't know if this is slut-shaming, drink-shaming, or engaged-at-19 shaming. Whatever way, it defeats the purpose of real feminism.

I'm referring more to women who objectify or demean themselves as in examples mentioned above from Total Sorority Move. IMHO, a woman can be a drunk slut and engaged at 19 all at the same time without objectifying herself. A woman can also be a goody two shoes and think that women aren't equal to men.

[33girl]

That's not an anti-feminist thing to do. That's just an a-hole thing to do. The guys posting about how drunk they are or how much they bench pressed are just as big of a-holes.

[Titchou]

While I would - theorectically - be willing to accept that church related entities should not have to pay for birth control coverage for their female employees, the problem is that they don't object to paying for vasectomies for males nor viagra. You can't have it both ways. You have to give up both or none in my book. And that's why I think it's disengenuous for them to just now get in an uproar about female contraception products.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by Titchou

While I would - theorectically - be willing to accept that church related entities should not have to pay for birth control coverage for their female employees

What if it's prescribed for something other than birth control? It's really between a woman and her doctor if she needs to take daily hormones, and for what reason.

[Titchou]

Not in those cases....it's called a medical treatment so they shouldn't be able to opt out of that for any reason.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by Titchou

Not in those cases....it's called a medical treatment so they shouldn't be able to opt out of that for any reason.

Right, so my point is that there is not really a practical way to do that. No other medication works like this, to the best of my knowledge.

[Titchou]

True - that's why I said "theorectically".....but at least if they would pay for it in these cases, it puts the onus back on the individual, not the corporation or the insurance company