Feminism

"Feminism has fought no wars. It has killed no opponents. It has set up no
concentration camps, starved no enemies, practiced no cruelties.
It's battles have been for education, for the vote, for better working conditions...
for safety on the streets...for child care, for social welfare...for rape crisis centres,
women's refuges, reforms in the law.
[If someone says] 'Oh I'm not a feminist' [I ask] 'Why? What's your problem?'"
Dale Spender.

Lets get something out in the open. As you may have guessed by this point, I'm a fully paid up member of the feminist brigade. How did this turn of events happen you may ask, and I would have to reply - I'm not sure. I'd love to be able to pin point the exact moment when it clicked into my head that I was part of the 'f' word but I can't. It just sort of crept upon me, and before I knew it I was, and I quote, the "feminist girl who bites your head off". However much I like that quote (mainly because it makes me sound like Germaine Greer who I have a bit of an issue with!) I don't quite think I'm there yet. I'd just like to think that I'm a feminist for all the reasons which Dale Spender so eloquently stated (incidentally for anyone interested, Spender's book Man Made Language is more than worth while reading)...and because I haven't lost that idealism that makes you think that anything and everything is possible if people actually get off of their butt and proclaim their beliefs. And for any less enlightened souls out there who may be wondering: no I'm not a lesbian and no I don't hate men. I just believe that everyone (and I really do mean everyone) should have the freedom and encouragement which I've experienced. And if that makes me rant a little at times, then I'll gladly rant for the rest of my life.

At this moment, what with all my work, a play, the rest of the site and several thousand other commitments, I haven't got anything which is specific to this part of the site so I'm just going to provide you with links to a couple of fantastic sites where, along with much more talented people's contributions, you can read some of my feminist writing. Enjoy!