Can we place a moratorium on using the word feminist?
Note that I am only tangentially talking about your comment. I started reading your comment and as soon as the word feminist appeared, my instant reaction was "oh, one of those guys". (Of course, after reading the entire comment, my reaction turned out to be wrong.)
So my gut feeling now seems to have an instantaneous "if somebody on HN uses the word feminist, he belongs into category X".
IMO, that is because the "average HN user" uses the word feminist in about as nuanced a manner as the "average American" uses the word socialist. These are words that have actual, definable meanings but are used as arbitrarily redefinable derogatory strawman terms by so many people, that they become emotionally loaded.
Yes, this. I'm the original poster of this thread, I'm a man, and I consider myself a feminist. It doesn't just mean women who burn bras and join lesbian communes.
I'm honestly curious why someone downvoted this. All feminist means is "a person who advocates equal rights for women." I mean, it's in a bunch of dictionaries and everything.
Note that I am only tangentially talking about your comment. I started reading your comment and as soon as the word feminist appeared, my instant reaction was "oh, one of those guys". (Of course, after reading the entire comment, my reaction turned out to be wrong.)
So my gut feeling now seems to have an instantaneous "if somebody on HN uses the word feminist, he belongs into category X".
IMO, that is because the "average HN user" uses the word feminist in about as nuanced a manner as the "average American" uses the word socialist. These are words that have actual, definable meanings but are used as arbitrarily redefinable derogatory strawman terms by so many people, that they become emotionally loaded.
This is not helping the conversation.