Saturday, February 23, 2013

War on women, Nebraska edition.

Those of you who read Jezebel (if you don't, I recommend giving the site a chance) might have noticed an 'eyeroll' article called "Nebraska College Kid Says Feminism ‘Achieved Its Goals’ So Women Should Shut the Fuck Up Now". It's about a University of Nebraska-Lincoln senior Zach Nold's arguable rather ridiculous rant about how men are under attack from women (he has read his Suzanne Venker books well), published in the university's student newspaper Daily Nebraskan. The DN opinion has gotten a lot of attention in my Facebook newsfeed and I think one of my friend's friends commented rather accurately that Nold's opinion "is like a white man telling a black man racism doesn't exist anymore".

Now, while Nold's opinion might be entertaining and deserves a few eye rolls, I would like to shift focus to the counter-opinion (both opinions are a part of the Daily Nebraskan's point/counterpoint, featured once a week) that was published in the same paper. Ruth Boettner's opinion "Feminism means more than women’s equality" sums up the situation more accurately. I think she for example makes an excellent point about "rape apology", an issue that keeps infuriating me. If a heinous crime such as rape occurs, the rapist alone should stand trial for it. Please read Boettner's opinion for her viewpoint in the issue.

In the conclusion of her opinion Boettner writes that: 

"Feminism isn't just about having the same chances or making the same amount of money. It’s about safety, comfort and freedom. Until women are safe, comfortable and free in the same spaces that men are, feminism’s work isn't done."

How very true.

What these two opinions have demonstrated is that women are still not equal and no talk about a (rather fictitious in my opinion) war on men is going to change that. I do believe us women are partly to blame for the fact that we are not fully equal. I often wish women would stick together, but I've noticed the worst backstabbers are often other women... It makes me very sad, but I'm still hopeful that someday we women will respect each other so that everyone else will respect us.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend!

3 comments:

Jenni said...

I have to say I didn't even understand what the guy was writing about. What war on men? Marriage as a "last resort" for women? What world is he living in, because it sure as hell isn't mine.

Pilvi said...

You might've been living this side of the pond when the Finnish "war on men" "researcher" - yes I have to put that on parenthesis - published his thesis. All I see these men achieve with their whiny whinies is to prove, on one hand, that feminism has a lot to do still. On the other hand they seem to be telling us men somehow can't make it without a woman if they really are that threatened by women not being their obedient maids, sex dolls and offspring-producers anymore.

Sugar said...

Jenni: You're right, it was a rather incoherent rant and I certainly hope Mr. Nold will clarify his opinions at some point, for his sake at least.

Pilvi: I seemed to have missed such a episode, I think I maybe should feel lucky :D And you're so very right, there is still lot to do.

If anyone is interested, Daily Nebraskan published two related things today, first Noah Ballard's letter to the editor: http://www.dailynebraskan.com/opinion/article_2c6c4dae-7f08-11e2-a431-0019bb30f31a.html and then (in my opinion a rather pathetic) "cop out" from their staff: http://www.dailynebraskan.com/opinion/article_cfbc6ed4-7f04-11e2-8b79-0019bb30f31a.html