In class today, we had a very heated discussion on gender stereotypes and feminism. We talked about how some people are afraid to call themselves feminists because of the connotations attached. Being a feminist is not about being a man-hating, bra-burning, butch lady. It’s about wanting equal rights for women as well as men. It’s not about replacing the patriarchy with a matriarchy, but rather about creating a more egalitarian society that would provide equal rights for all. You can hold beliefs about gender equality no matter who you are, whether that means you wear dresses or pants or whether you cut your hair short or keep it long.
I liked that people felt so strongly about the issues we were addressing and acted accordingly. However, when discussing these issues, we should be careful to express our own opinions and not force them down others’ throats. I felt that from all different sides of the discussion, people were yelling and talking over one another. An important part of discussing these issues is making sure that everyone is heard and feels comfortable expressing their own point of view. I wish the conversation had been more respectful. I felt that some people were invalidating and silencing the opinions of others. Sometimes people began to speak and were immediately shut down, which can be very discouraging. No matter what your opinion is, if you want others to respect it you should respect theirs in return. I’m not saying that everyone has to agree, I just mean it’s important to listen and try to understand where others may be coming from.
I completely agree with you, we have to share our opinions nicely. We cannot just expect people to accept our opinions if we are yelling at each other. But I think we all, for the most part, have the same opinion
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