Femi-nazi - derogatory or not?

[iradney]

As per the discussion in this thread:
http://www.customerssuck.com/board/s...t=34698&page=2

Is referring to a woman who considers men to be lesser mammals as a femi-nazi derogatory, offensive or otherwise?

My personal opinion (Hey, I've been wrong before!):

People (regardless of sex) who regard anyone who is different as a lesser being is on par with Nazis. Since that is the gist of what they did (Jews/gypsies/blacks/physically and mentally disable are lesser beings), then I feel the term is apt.

A femi-nazi feels that men should be obliterated and kept only for breeding purposes (if even that!)
A feminist simply requests that all sexes be treated with the same amount of respect.

And discuss

[Boozy]

A femi-nazi feels that men should be obliterated and kept only for breeding purposes (if even that!)

And where are these people?

Why, they live in Strawman Land, along with those pro-abortion women who would force all unwed mothers to terminate their pregnancies.

I know there are a few nuts out there, but instead of recognizing them as a lunatic fringe group with deep-seated psychological problems, they are held as a valid example of the feminist movement. I don't judge all Baptists by the Westboro church group's actions, all pro-lifers by those that murder abortion doctors, or all animal rights activists by the worst of PETA's tactics. Name a cause and I can name a few nuts associated with it.

So to answer iradney's question, I guess I do have a problem with the term "femi-nazi", because I feel the "femi-" part lumps the crazies in with genuine feminists. Plus, "Nazi" is overused in general. It would be more accurate to call Femi-nazis "women in need of psychiatric care."

[ThePhoneGoddess]

LOL at Boozy with her "Strawman Land" comment.

The term was coined by Rush Limbaugh, and it was specifically used to describe women "whose goal is to allow as many abortions as possible".

I know you're in SA, Iradney, so I don't know if you are familiar with Rush Limbaugh, but that should explain exactly where the term comes from and how it's commonly used.

Oh, and btw, many people regard the term feminazi to be extremely ironic, considering that the Nazis under Hitler persecuted feminists quite severely.

People often have such surprising reactions to fair-minded women. I had a roomie once who went out with lots of guys and didn't treat them very well. Later, she roomed with the gf of a male coworker of mine. Me and the gf one night, while hanging at coworkers house, commisserated on roomie's appalling treatment of guys. Coworker was very surprised at our anger towards her; he expected we would side with her and defend her simply because she is a girl. His gf and I told him that NO ONE deserves to be mistreated by a potential girl/boyfriend, no matter what gender they were. And that women were just as capable of using men as men are of using women.

[lordlundar]

Meh, feminazis can be offended all they want by the term for all I care. They want to treat people the way they do, then they're not worthy of any respect.

[Pedersen]

And now for that shock of shocks: I'm going to rebut what Boozy said.

Just glad it's not the Point and Counterpoint from the old Saturday Night Live shows

And where are these people?

Why, they live in Strawman Land, along with those pro-abortion women who would force all unwed mothers to terminate their pregnancies.

I know there are a few nuts out there, but instead of recognizing them as a lunatic fringe group with deep-seated psychological problems, they are held as a valid example of the feminist movement.

Actually, you admit that they do exist. Other names for this group: Radical Feminist. Radical Lesbian. They have the opinion that men are useful only as sperm donors. And that's only until they can find a way to artificially create sperm.

They're not out in Strawman Land, they're the point of the word "feminazi". From what I have seen and heard, most people do not have issues with the feminist ideal that both genders deserve equal opportunity. Calling someone a feminist is only a dirty word to misogynists.

But then you get to the extreme end, the people who genuinely believe that women are the only ones deserving of opportunities. Gah, I really wish I could find this article. Basically, a feminazi had written up a paper in which she stated that two gay men, having anal intercourse, were being oppressive to women. How? Simple: One of those two men had to accept penetration, which put him in the female role of male/female sexual intercourse, and therefore he was being a woman, and therefore was being oppressed by a man.

It's crazy stuff like that that engenders the term feminazi.

Now, one final point: I don't doubt that a group exists (especially in the extreme religious right) that calls any woman who dares to want equality in treatment a feminazi, instead of a feminist. But, just as you don't wish to see all feminists called feminazis, I somehow doubt the rest of us would like to be called the same thing you would call that group

[MystyGlyttyr]

Basically, a feminazi had written up a paper in which she stated that two gay men, having anal intercourse, were being oppressive to women. How? Simple: One of those two men had to accept penetration, which put him in the female role of male/female sexual intercourse, and therefore he was being a woman, and therefore was being oppressed by a man.

...not the way my gay male friends do it. *cough* Besides, don't gay females sometimes use things for penetration too? (Ugh, Mysty just embarrassed herself by asking that question...)

I know WAY too many femi-nazis, unfortunately, who cannot STAND that I prefer male companionship to female companionship (particularly THEIR female companionship). It's only my honor code to never punch another female outside of self-defense or regulated sport that keeps them intact. That honor code freaks them out.

I've explained the way my mind works to them, in that my underlying belief for all things is that the strong should defend the weak and the weak should aspire to become strong. That's it. The rule I made for myself is that people who are *USUALLY* weak are children, the elderly, and other women, so for the safety of all, I lay off those categories. (Now, if someone from one of those categories wants to step up and prove themselves strong, then awesome, they become fair game for me to pummel )

Some of these women cannot figure out that this doesn't mean I'm vilifying men as needing a pounding. It means I'm acknowledging men tend to be stronger than women so I probably shouldn't pound on women. But that explanation sets off the shrieking of oppression and sexism and how I'm a pawn of the patriarchy and blah blah blah blah blah...

I use that term for these women. However, I don't really consider myself a feminist, either. It's hard to describe. I don't exactly believe men and women are equal. Some things, men are better at, and some things, women are better at. I suppose that, OVERALL, men and women end up being equal. But they aren't equal at everything across the board the way some people want to say they are. So I'm not sure where that places me, heh.

[Greenday]

...not the way my gay male friends do it. *cough* Besides, don't gay females sometimes use things for penetration too? (Ugh, Mysty just embarrassed herself by asking that question...)

Yes they do. Well, I can't say all do, but I'm sure a good amount do.

As for it being a derogatory term...it's about as derogatory as stuff like prosti-tot and such. It is not bad in the way the "nigger" is to black people, "dyke" or "rugmuncher" to lesbians, "faggot" to gay people. Those are all groups who don't deserve hate. Women for the advancement unequalness between men and women pushing women above men earn their ridicule. Same for men who are for the advancement of men over women.

[anriana]

People (regardless of sex) who regard anyone who is different as a lesser being is on par with Nazis. Since that is the gist of what they did (Jews/gypsies/blacks/physically and mentally disable are lesser beings), then I feel the term is apt.

The Nazis did far more than simply regard those categories as lesser; they acted on those feelings by murdering millions of people.

[Sylvia727]

I suppose the Nazis' victims and their families might find the term offensive, as it equates hatred with mass murder. There are many more trivializations of the term "Nazi" for those groups to get offended over, though.

The term might be offensive to geniune feminists, as it associates the prefix "femi-" with Nazis. But as a geniune feminist, I actually prefer to call myself an equalist. So there's a simple solution there, too.

I find the term "feminazi" useful, both because I can distinguish between equalists and radicals, and because invoking Godwin's Law allows me to disregard the rest of the conversation.

[Pedersen]

The Nazis did far more than simply regard those categories as lesser; they acted on those feelings by murdering millions of people.

Yes, yes they did. Once they started running the country, anyway. Which is just a reason for any sane people to make sure the aforementioned feminazis never get to the point of running a country.

[AFPheonix]

I think the internet makes crazy groups seem larger than they really are, including crazy women who refer to themselves as womyn and turn their sons into blithering idiots.
In any case, they are pretty few and far between, and are fringe nutsos on the whole feminism front.

I dislike the term not because there's not a few out there, but because it was coined by Limbaugh as was previously mentioned, and he uses it to describe more than just womyn. But then, Limbaugh is a lying asshole. Why people still listen to him and his vitriol is beyond me.

[Amethyst Hunter]

I dislike the term not because there's not a few out there, but because it was coined by Limbaugh as was previously mentioned, and he uses it to describe more than just womyn. But then, Limbaugh is a lying asshole. Why people still listen to him and his vitriol is beyond me.

This to the max.

I consider myself feminist. Yet I have no desire to see all men castrated, all men bound in chains, all men losing the right to vote, or so on and so on. Why? 'Cause it's just plain mean. I despise meanness in anyone, male or female.

Those who favor "feminazi" (not those who use it per se; just those who use it as a blanket for all women) are usually nowhere near as female-friendly as they claim to be. So I see the word as both offensive and inoffensive, depending on how it's used and who it's directed towards.

[Flyndaran]

I consider myself a feminist eventhough I'm a male.
Equality for the sexes is a bit different than equality for other groups. While there aren't any real differences between gays and straights, blacks and whites, christians and muslims, there ARE real and incontrovertable differences between men and women. This makes the feminism struggle that much more difficult to discuss and why there should be a specific term for it rather than just equality for all.

Feminazi sounds too much like when people use profanity not because they wish to put extra impact to sentences, but because they simply can't think of anything intelligent to say.

What's wrong with using the word sexist?

[IDrinkaRum]

*sarcasm on*

Flyndaran - A woman can't be sexist! Sexism is directed towards women. Therefore, women are sensitive towards sexism, and they would never ever be sexist themselves.

*sarcasm off*

[blas87]

I cannot stand femi-nazis. Sometimes I can be a man-basher and make blanket statements....as any girl will do when she's angry with a boy.....but ya'll should see this woman I work with, Mo.

Mo used to be a role model for me. I used to think she was awesome. Nowdays I dislike her more and more.

Mo is very manly looking. A personal choice, no one with any level of maturity or acceptance judges her on it. Yet she has attacked me several times about wearing makeup, doing my hair, the clothes I wear (and at WORK, I am beyond casual.....beyond casual with minimal makeup and messy hair). She has gotten on my case about my boyfriends........just because we choose to do things together does NOT mean that HE makes all the decisions. She knows nothing of what I do with my boyfriends, yet judges. She makes it sound like girls who enjoy male attention are OMG SUCCOMBING to the men and being weak! Nevermind there is nothing wrong with enjoying attention from the opposite sex no matter who you are.

She says I have no self respect because I dress nicer on the weekends and go to the bars. SO DO A LOT OF COLLEGE AGED KIDS. BOYS TOO! And since I've been 21...I've had a bf more often than not, when I didn't I wasn't looking.....I do NOT dress up just to impress boys, I love to look nice and it makes me feel good. I don't rip on you for wanting to look like a man, stop ripping on me for wanting to look like a girl.

She rants and raves about women being picked on and brought down by men, but then at the same time, if we talk about sexual harrassment or harrassment, it's ALWAYS the woman's fault because of what she wears. It was MY fault I got in so much trouble for my clothes and my boss had every right to put a stop to it before I got a bunch of men fired for looking at my boobs, how DARE I wear such clothes and make men stare at me.

I can never figure her out. Women like that SCARE me. At first she seemed so cool...she tried to help me through the Daddy DipShit training (because she got real angry when she found out an older man was treating his female trainer/superior like shit) and she tried to help me with my car and stuff....but she has just gone too far.

I hate women like that. You can be PRO equal rights and still wear makeup and be pretty. You can still date boys. It is NOT succombing. It's not being weak. Just because you go out with your girls to the bar does not mean you have no self respect.