Misconceptions

I've been wandering around the internet a lot lately. In my wanderings I've stumbled across a lot of vitriolic statements condemning feminists for their stupidity, promiscuity, unrealistic expectations, physical unattractiveness, and manhating.

So in an effort to provide an alternative perspective, I offer the following:

I worked my way through college as an undergraduate. I cleaned offices, toilets and stadiums, then chased shoplifters around the university bookstore. In graduate school (master's and PhD) I earned academic merit-based funding that was identical to that of my male peers.

I have only had one sexual partner, and we did not sleep together until after we were married. At the RIPE old ages of 23 and 22.

I expect to find employment in my field. If I don't, I'll do whatever work I can get (barring illegal or immoral professions) to help support my family. I expect that if circumstances necessitate it, my husband will do likewise. Because we are partners.

This with a grain of salt: I don't think that my attractiveness or lack thereof is relevant to my value as a person, or the worth of my opinions. But just because a counterclaim needs to be made...I'm 5' 1" and weigh 115 pounds. I regularly complete races that are 10 miles or longer, most recently a 50K. I care about my appearance and stalk clothes until they are on final sale so that I can dress nicely on a small budget.

I do not hate men, individually or as a group. I try to not hate people in general.

And I am a feminist.

Now, I know I know, one case does not represent a whole group. Anecdotes do not a scientific study make....all that. I know.

I just have this radical idea: how about we just start valuing each other as individuals rather than lumping people into easy-to-target-and-hate groups?