tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6055568514080614700.post2002861106941845199..comments2018-05-08T05:38:19.507-05:00Comments on Dixieland Okie: Did I Write Feminist Literature?Ashley Pinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10779222136568755595noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6055568514080614700.post-39083527732483937032015-01-07T16:42:54.599-06:002015-01-07T16:42:54.599-06:00I have trouble these days defining feminism, which...I have trouble these days defining feminism, which is probably why I've questioned what I wrote fitting into the category. In the past I haven't liked "feminism" as I've viewed it as working for the rights of women by putting men down, which is not a good way of going about it. I've either been only exposed to extremists in the past, or the movement is changing, as I'm liking what I'm reading about it more these days. <br /><br />I do believe that as a general rule, there are things that men and women tend to excel at because of their gender. Why else would we be so different? But since I am a woman that excels at some things that are considered traditionally "male" things, I know that there are always exceptions to generalities. <br /><br />In a perfect world, people could fill the roles they were designed to fulfill without being shamed for not conforming to people's expectations.Ashley Pinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10779222136568755595noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6055568514080614700.post-63853501323618860172015-01-07T12:52:33.843-06:002015-01-07T12:52:33.843-06:00The word "feminist" is a label, and I do...The word "feminist" is a label, and I don't think people agree on exactly what it means, both within or outside of feminism. One of my favorite authors, Ursula LeGuin, I've heard hailed as writing "feminist" literature, but I've also heard her critiqued as not being feminist, at least in some of her writings, when she creates a fantasy world that seems to depict and sometimes reinforce certain traditional gender stereotypes.<br /><br />I do think it's really valuable though to write with strong, accurately-depicted female characters, and to have a balance of gender in characters that more accurately depicts the way things are in the real world, rather than making them oversimplified or charicatured.<br /><br />But I don't think "feminist" is an either-or thing. There are different types of feminism, and even if you pick a single definition, if you look at any work of literature, or any author, you'll probably find some of aspects of the work that fits within the definition and other aspects of it that don't.<br /><br />How would you define feminism? Or how do you tend to view feminism?Alex Zorachhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08335878680429494039noreply@blogger.com