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Being on Twitter is something of a mixed blessing, as being able to network and share with other feminists is a good thing, but the downside is that one gets to see the staggering amount of righteous misogyny and stupidity that is being arrayed against females on social media. The nuclear level of ignorance and tribalism is quite something to behold.

I’d like to share some of the regressive gems of anti-wisdom I’ve had the displeasure of coming across on my journeys through Twitterland. This is also my enticement to myself to start writing and thinking again in a medium that can handle more than one terse, short paragraph.

So here we go with gem number one:

The notion that feminism, to be “good” feminism must be “inclusive”.  A derivative of this argument is for feminism to be good, it must be intersectional, but that is another post.

Feminism is the struggle, by females, to emancipate themselves from the patriarchal structures/normative values of society.  So, for instance working for rape crisis centres where females can be safe from their abusers, or campaigning to changing the laws that restrict female reproductive autonomy would be examples of effective feminism in action.  Whichever material aspect of society that needs to be addressed the actions of feminists are meant to benefit everyone who belongs to the class we call female.

That, in effect, is inclusive feminism.  It is a feminism that advances the rights of all women.  Sadly I must put in this rejoinder, by woman I mean adult human females.

There is a notion that exists, as the tweet indicates, that feminism to be ‘important’ must also include men and their needs in feminist action.

This notion, is patently false.

Any feminism that includes males in the equation must be looked upon with a healthy dose of skepticism because the primary people who stand to lose a bit of their standing in society or change their ways, are men.  Thus including men, who currently benefit from the status quo, in feminist action is a risky endeavour.  Many men lack the theoretical background, empathy, and understanding of what it is like to be raised as a woman in our society and tend to make the feminism that includes them, about them – which then categorically disqualifies it as feminist action.

So, when you see the inclusion angle being played, be wary of exactly who the person in question want to include in their version of feminism.