I read this interesting article today and it got me thinking. Not so much on dating, but on the whole ‘people who don’t define as feminists’ is this good bad or what?

I will admit I am sick of the ‘I’m not a feminist but…’ spiels, however what I really mean is I’m tired of people who don’t really know what feminism is about, people who have no clue on feminist though, philosophy and academia. People who think ‘Fat hairy man hating lesbian’ and don’t see beyond the stereotype, who use myths and fabrications to belittle us.
I used to think women who deliberately didn’t define as feminist but believed in equality and shared what I see as feminist views on gender and sexual politics were misguided if not downright stupid. Then I read ‘Why I am not a feminist’ and had a wake up call. Feminism is not for everyone, everyone has a right to define as what they like. Feminism has a chequered past, while we have achieved great things we have the ugly underbelly too. I can see why feminism does not appeal to a lot of women who don’t fit the white middle class cis able bodied criteria.
However I do see a great difference in Renee’s intelligent and well argued position and those who assume feminist = hair legs and ugly, ie those who argue against feminism without having any understanding of what it is. You can argue about feminism all you like but unless you show a grasp of the issue, unless you argue with some intelligence then I am not going to take you seriously, especially when you are belittling views I hold dear.

As for could I date a non feminist? Perhaps, I like to think I can accept views that differ form my own, but anyone who did not accept my views and did not accept that this is an important part of my life, something I am passionate about. No way.
As for a rampant misogynist? forget it.

Some links on why I don’t personally agree with the ‘but why not just call yourself ‘equalist’ surely ‘feminist’ is just sexist and not very fair if you only focus on women that’s discrimination too!!!!!’ type arguments:
http://blog.shrub.com/archives/tekanji/2007-04-07_569
http://finallyfeminism101.wordpress.com/2007/04/12/faq-why-feminism-and-not-just-humanism-or-equalism-isnt-saying-youre-a-feminist-exclusionary/