ifeminists.com: Content / Category / Individualist Feminism FAQ

What's the deal with ifeminism?

What is the ifeminist position on domestic violence?

on 22 Oct 2006 by admin

Violence, except as used in a defensive capacity, is abhorrent, especially within the bounds of family or other intimate relationships. Ifeminists oppose the use of non-defensive violence by any person regardless of gender. We recognize that the conventional wisdom- that men are the perpetrators while women are the victims- is based on politics rather than on fact. [read more]

Isn't ifeminism really anti-feminism? Are you opposed to mainstream feminism?

on 22 Oct 2006 by admin

While ifeminism often stands in opposition to mainstream feminism, it is not a goal of ifeminism to oppose feminism. Where mainstream feminism stands in support of the original goals of the feminist movement, the two philosophies are in agreement. [read more]

Under what laws are women and men not treated equally?

on 22 Oct 2006 by admin

There are two ways women and men are not treated equally under the laws of today's governments. The first is fairly straightforward- some laws explicitly spell out that women and men will be treated differently. For example, the Women, Infants, and Children program- in spite of the claim of non-discrimination posted on its website- explicitly excludes adult males [read more]

Doesn't lack of identical representation in all fields imply that someone is attempting to prevent women's participation? Why aren't women found equally in all fields?

on 22 Oct 2006 by admin

Lack of identical representation of men and women in all fields may be caused by a number of factors, of which intentional exclusion is only one possibility. Unequal representation might instead indicate that fewer women than men are interested in a given field or that fewer women than men are economically competitive or qualified in a given field. [read more]

What is the ifeminist position on having women's studies programs at public universities?

on 22 Oct 2006 by admin

Women's studies programs are a good example of why universities should not be publicly funded. Many people find that their tax dollars are funding poor scholarship and dissemination of offensive and inaccurate information in the name of women's studies. It is likely that such disinformation would have a hard time taking hold in a marketplace of ideas. [read more]

Are equal rights and respect for both men and women good for women, or do women need more than that? Wouldn't it be better for women if they had total control over all aspects of society?

on 22 Oct 2006 by admin

People generally do not thrive when they have little or no control over their lives. This is as true of men as it is of women. Were men to be systematically controlled in such a manner, we would see a dramatic decline in the technical, artistic, social and other accomplishments and advances that men have contributed to human [read more]

What is your position on the "men's movement"- fathers' rights and other movements generally thought to be masculine/masculist?

on 22 Oct 2006 by admin

Inasmuch as these movements promote equal rights for men and women, we stand together with them. However, we stand opposed to extremism in these movements (just as we oppose extremism in feminism) which detracts from that goal. [read more]

There seem to be quite a few men involved in ifeminists.com. Aren't men and feminism contradictory?

on 22 Oct 2006 by admin

No. The original goal of the feminist movement was to achieve equal rights for women and men. By ignoring or supporting injustices to men, mainstream feminists have abandoned that goal. Ifeminism embraces men as partners in the struggle to eliminate injustice against women, and we support them and join them in the struggle to eliminate injustice against [read more]

Why are so many ifeminists libertarians? What is the relationship?

on 22 Oct 2006 by admin

Individualist feminism and libertarianism are similar in that both philosophies uphold individual freedom and personal responsibility as core values. It is natural that libertarians interested in issues that affect women are drawn to ifeminism. [read more]

What about all the research supporting the contentions of mainstream feminism? Is it wrong? Biased?

on 22 Oct 2006 by admin

Much of the "research" cited in support of the claims of mainstream feminists is politically rather than factually based. The only way to really judge a scholarly work is to look at it critically. [read more]