TIME Magazine Faces Backlash for Attempting to Ban the Word “Feminist”

[niyad]

TIME Magazine Faces Backlash for Attempting to Ban the Word “Feminist”








Time Magazine is facing backlash after a poll they released last week listing the work “feminist” alongside popular slang terms on a list of words that should be “banned” in 2015.
TIME posted a poll to its readers asking them to vote on a list of words that may cause you to “seek out the nearest pair of chopsticks and thrust them through your own eardrums.” Among common slang terms like “bae,” “turnt,” and “on nom nom nom,” TIME also posted the word “feminist,” for which the Magazine is now receiving a lot of negative attention.

The magazine lists reasons as to why each word on the poll makes them “cringe,” and the reason for listing “feminist” is attributed to the word becoming “a thing that every celebrity had to state their position on whether this word applies to them, like some politician declaring a party.” Despite the fact that TIME’s current cover artist is Taylor Swift, and Swift discusses her recent claiming of the title “feminist” within the feature article, TIME seems to think it might be appropriate and necessary to ban the word.

In a response to TIMEe’s poll, Huffington Post writer Emma Gray reminds us of the power behind the title “feminist.” Feminists have, after all, achieved women’s suffrage, fought for equal pay, demanded affordable and comprehensive healthcare, organized on college campuses to tackle the issue of sexual assault, and have fought tirelessly to achieve women’s equality. Gray writes that banning the word is not only offensive to the majority of women who identify as feminist, but “doing so, in essence, would erase the existence of a decades-long social movement.”

The poll has caused an uproar on social media, and the Feminist Majority Foundation released a petition to Managing Editor Nancy Gibbs, writing “Your poll adds to the hateful push against those who fight for equality every day” and asking Gibbs to “please reconsider and remove the word from your poll.” Currently, the petition has been signed by over 6,000 people.

Take Action: Bothered by the TIME article? Sign the petition here, and let them know!

http://feminist.org/blog/index.php/2014/11/14/time-magazine-faces-backlash-for-attempting-to-ban-the-word-feminist/

[MissB]

1. It's amazing that Time would make

such a poor choice. Holy crap.

[davidn3600]

2. Time magazine isn't who made "feminist" toxic

Most men, and a lot of women, have a problem with that word today.... not a problem with what it defines according to the dictionary nor the movement it represents, but the word itself is a problem. The mainstream uses it to define radicals. And a lot of people view the term as creating unnecessary division instead of focusing on unity and equality. It's basically an issue of semantics.

And a lot of people don't like putting themselves into an ideological box. Some people feel that if they attach labels to themselves that it limits their range of individual thinking. One of the weaknesses with feminism is it doesn't permit its supporters to think outside the box. Just look how people here are viciously attacked if they don't exactly agree with the feminist litmus tests. That kind of mentality has triggered all sorts of internal wars within the movement over the past 40 years that has resulted in the vast majority of people discarding the label completely and going it alone.

[geek tragedy]

3. What hurts is ignoramuses spouting false bullshit like

"feminism doesn't permit its followers to think outside the box."

[davidn3600]

6. Are you serious?

If you don't agree exactly with A, B, and C exactly as the movement tells you how to believe, you will be called a misogynist.

I (and others) have been trashed on here for suggesting that an accused rapist get a fair trial in a court of law. I have been trashed for suggesting men and women be treated equally by the courts. I've been trashed for questioning the severity of "rape culture." I've been called a misogynist for suggesting that porn of consenting adults shouldn't be censored. I've seen multiple people here accused of hating women because they don't think prostitution should be a crime.

Where is the thinking outside the box? No one is permitted to deviate or they will be pounced upon.

[Ken Burch]

8. And you'd be ok with "thinking outside of the box" about racism or homophobia, too?

btw, you weren't trashed. People just disagreed with you. The problem is that it isn't enough for you to express your views...you want us to give you special deference as well.

[davidn3600]

11. Oh it has gone well beyond simply "disagreeing with me..." trust me...

Because I said an accused rapist is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, I've been flat out called a "rape supporter" and a "misogynist."

[treestar]

26. I doubt that

You are straining to interpret something else to mean that. Link to the post

[LostInAnomie]

32. Depends on what you mean by "racism"

If you mean "racism" as prejudice based on race, then I and almost everyone in the world would agree. If you define "racism" as something only white people can enact, as idiotic ivory tower academics and internet bloggers with an agenda define it, then I'm perfectly fine with "thinking outside of the box".

[geek tragedy]

10. Men who are as hostile towards feminism as you are typically find themselves alienating

feminists. Usually because you and your fellow travelers lie about feminism and feminists.

Let us take the bullshit you're sprinkled here like you're Johnny Bullshitseed:

I (and others) have been trashed on here for suggesting that an accused rapist get a fair trial in a court of law.

Most feminists recognize the necessity of due process of law.

I have been trashed for suggesting men and women be treated equally by the courts.

Virtually all feminists oppose gender-based discrimination in courts.

I've been trashed for questioning the severity of "rape culture."

You have repeatedly denied the existence of rape culture, referring to it as "bullcrap." You have also bashed feminists for treating rape as having a gender component. Seriously. Feminists have good reason to trash you over your nonsense on rape culture and rape in general.

I've been called a misogynist for suggesting that porn of consenting adults shouldn't be censored. I've seen multiple people here accused of hating women because they don't think prostitution should be a crime.

Very many feminists are pro-porn, and very many favor decriminalizing prostitution. There are other feminists who disagree with them in part or in whole.

Feminists are not a brainwashed mass of reflexive ideologues incapable of thinking for themselves.

That you peddle such nonsense says everything about you, and nothing about feminism.

[davidn3600]

12. Are you oblivious to the hostile attitudes with these debates around here?

I am certainly not the only DUer that claims these debates on here become incredibly hostile very quickly. I dont think there is any other issue on here so hotly contested. Threads on these issues end up 200+ replies, lots of personal attacks, and countless alerts and hides.

And just because I dont consider myself a "feminist" doesn't mean I don't support equality of the sexes.

Bernie Sanders doesn't consider himself a "Democrat," but that doesn't mean he's not a progressive.

Too many people are getting too hung up over labels. Why does it matter so much that a celebrity says they believe in gender equality but not a "feminist." Why is that such a big deal? The vast majority of Americans feel the same exact way (if you trust the polls).

[Spazito]

24. Two things...

First, well said, I completely agree with everything you posted!

Second, I am SO going to steal " Johnny Bullshitseed", it is perfect.

[niyad]

15. what an utter bunch of nonsense. there is no such thing as monolithic feminism, and you

saying that there is, is a clear indication that you have absolutely no idea what the word means.

[LostInAnomie]

34. Yep.

Post any thread about consenting adults getting into porn or prostitution and see how many posts it takes to see accusations of supporting sex slavery, child prostitution, and rape get thrown around. You know, because that's what "consenting adults" implies.

[cali]

28. this sounds like it was written by an MRA type

truly disturbing to see such toxic crap here.

[davidn3600]

29. Few identify as feminists, but most agree with equality

Only one-fifth of Americans identify as feminists, according to a new HuffPost/YouGov poll. But the vast majority fit the basic definition of the word.

According to the survey, just 20 percent of Americans -- including 23 percent of women and 16 percent of men -- consider themselves feminists. Another 8 percent consider themselves anti-feminists, while 63 percent said they are neither.

Broken down by party, 32 percent of Democrats, 19 percent of independents and only 5 percent of Republicans said they are feminists.

But asked if they believe that "men and women should be social, political, and economic equals," 82 percent of the survey respondents said they did, and just 9 percent said they did not. Equal percentages of men and women said they agreed with that statement, along with 87 percent of Democrats, 81 percent of independents and 76 percent of Republicans.

--
The gulf between the percentage of people who identify as feminists and the percentage who believe in the equality of the sexes may be partly due to a branding problem for the word "feminism." Thirty-seven percent said they consider "feminist" to be a negative term, compared to only 26 percent who consider it a positive term. Twenty-nine percent said it's a neutral term.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/16/feminism-poll_n_3094917.html

So over 80% of Americans believe in gender equality, but only 20% say they are a "feminist."

The word is a problem for a lot of people.

[Nolimit]

4. I believe this is a prank.

It's probably some pranksters trolling TIME and exploiting their selection and voting options. 4chan likes to do this; they organized a campaign to send Justin Bieber to North Korea when his label threw a contest to send him to perform in a country with the most fans.

It's generally a poor idea to give the internet free rein to vote for something. When Mountain Dew asked the internet to vote for a name for their green apple Mountain Dew, names like "Hitler did nothing wrong" and "Mossad organized 9/11" were picked and voted for.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/13/4chan-mountain-dew_n_1773076.html


They also used spambots to vote for a Taylor Swift fan contest. Their goal was for a 39-year old man who wanted to sniff her to win.

http://gawker.com/4chan-rigs-contest-so-creepy-man-can-smell-taylor-swift-800887912

[niyad]

16. you do realize that Time actually publishes articles titled "is feminism dead?", don't you?

see the post below for one of the covers.

[Comrade Grumpy]

5. "An uproar on social media." Oh, Lord, not again!

[Ken Burch]

7. "I can't even" is a PHRASE, not a WORD!

[Ken Burch]

9. Mind you, this is the same magazine that gave Katie Roiphe massive play

when she was spreading her "there's no such thing as 'date rape'" cowshit and that once ran THIS memorable cover:

[niyad]

13. yes, theykeep hoping that if it is said often enough, it will happen.

of course, my response has always been, "not so long as I draw breath."

[niyad]

14. . . .

[VScott]

17. Streisand effect?

"Feminist" is in first place with 45%

"Bae" is in second place with 13% (I had to look that one up)


http://time.com/3576870/worst-words-poll-2014/

[niyad]

18. what is the "streisand effect"??

I had not heard of several of the words on that list.

[VScott]

21. I haven't heard of 75% of those words myself.

Must be an age thing.

The Streisand effect is the phenomenon whereby an attempt to hide, remove, or censor a piece of information has the unintended consequence of publicizing the information more widely, usually facilitated by the Internet.

It is named after American entertainer Barbra Streisand, whose 2003 attempt to suppress photographs of her residence in Malibu, California inadvertently generated further publicity of it. Similar attempts have been made, for example, in cease-and-desist letters to suppress numbers, files, and websites. Instead of being suppressed, the information receives extensive publicity and media extensions such as videos and spoof songs, often being widely mirrored across the Internet or distributed on file-sharing networks.[1][2]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streisand_effect

[niyad]

22. thank you for the information.

[Rex]

19. There was a TIME when that magazine was relevant.

I had no idea it was still in circulation.

[niyad]

20. that was a long TIME ago--in another era. the only reason I know it is still around is because

I see the copies when I am checking out at the supermarket.

the last cover I noticed was the one that declared rand paul the "most interesting person in politics" or some such nonsense.

[Rex]

23. I believe TIME made both Stalin and Hitler, Man of the Year.

At one TIME. WTF they would do that, I dunno. The only TIME I read the mag was sitting in doctors/dental offices...which years later was replaced with the Texas Monthly. I never see it on the shelves anymore - that area is dedicated to the teen pop magazines.

[VScott]

27. I'm 58 years old.

And whenever I'm at the doctors or dentists office, I'll read Highlights Magazine just for
Goofus and Gallant.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

25. Misleading headline

in the linked article. Unless I missed it, I see nothing that claims Time is attempting to ban any words.

[KitSileya]

30. Ummm, did you read the question the poll asks you to answer.

Perhaps you should check your reading comprehension.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

31. Perhaps you should check yours

There is a big difference between asking "What word would you like to see banned?" and "We're trying to ban the word 'feminism'".

[jamzrockz]

33. Yes

Its more like the readers trying to ban the word. Ofc, they can't really ban anything.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

35. Exactly n/t

[KitSileya]

36. It's even worse than that, Niyad. It's racist as well as sexist.

Many of the words on the list originated among black women, and were then appropriated by the larger culture - completely ignoring the origin of the expressions.

And them saying "You have nothing against feminism itself" is bullshit - so many people have a lot against feminism, heck, a quick perusal of DU should show them that. Hasn't TIME followed the news enough to see that many men who hate feminism and women are issuing death threats against women? Hasn't TIME seen that men have their own Ku Klux Klan against feminism, called MRAs?

I don't expect TIME to understand that 'feminist' has been treated the same way as 'liberal' because they are a shite magazine, but I used to expect better of DU. People who don't identify as either, should be given the banhammer here. Instead, anti-feminist misogynists and rightwing DINOs are allowed to spew their crap and ruin it.

[niyad]

37. I used to expect better of this site as well. some of what I have seen not only posted, but allowed

to stand, has been disheartening, to say the very least.