Benk, I can interpret your anti-feminist comments any way I choose.
This is, after all, an online OPINION forum, is it not?

That means we don't actually have to have proof or facts about what we have opinions on at all if we don't want to. Unless of course we make sweeping statements about subjects like 'feminism' that we pretend are facts.

I doubt that any man has all the facts about feminism or females in general at all. They merely have opinions on the subject.

Why is it that on this forum (no matter what the subject) many men seem to have all women pegged as feminists?
Especially when we are discussing sex shops, that seem to be mainly inhabited by men?

I will say again Benk. I really like most men I have contact with.
It is just those men who irrationally dislike all women that I dislike.

Where is Antiseptic when you need an ally Benk?

Benk

I don't recall you asking me: >> I once asked Fractelle what her feminist principles had ever cost her. She was unable to list anything. <<

I imagine I thought at the time: 'None of your freakin' business.'

However, I can say it has cost me employment opportunities among other things. Standing by one's principals can be very fraught.

As for your complaint about my opinion of MTR as being "incredibly nasty" exaggeration? Much. Last time I checked we had free speech and I hold my opinion about MTR and her conservative agenda and will continue to do so. There ARE occasions when I do actually agree with some of what she has to say.

Your problem, Benk, is that all issues fall into 'good' or 'bad' or 'black' or 'white'. Many issues overlap. People are not ALL good or ALL bad.

As for the Roddicks Sex Shops (editor, why in every topic is the letter 'e' replaced with asterisk every time SEX is mentioned in a heading? Sheesh) these shops as, Pelican and Suze have noted, are simply a business venture, the only thing 'feminist' about them is that they run by a woman, something that would not have been possible in the recent past when women could not even get a bank loan, vote or keep their own property.

CJ’s claim that this business’ website doesn’t actually use the word “feminist” may well be true. However, their main customers are women who conform to the raunch culture fad and conduct their sex life in the approved way. As post-feminists they may well be reluctant to wear the feminist label, but they use feminist sounding jargon to justify their actions. Therefore, feminism has alot more to do with the success of this business venture than the fact that the management are female.

Severin claims to have deeply held feminist principles . However, she chooses to define “feminism” as being female and doing and saying whatever she wants. It is a bit much to describe doing whatever you want as your principles, it sounds more like selfishness.
Some of us see feminism as a matter of principle. I believe that men who sleep around are being selfish, so I chose not to. I dislike seeing women harassed by sleazy men, so I left them alone. Severin, what have you ever given up to prevent predatory behaviour or sexual harassment?

CJ
Perhaps you could be more careful about how you use quotation marks, because it certainly looked like you claimed that you were quoting me when you weren’t.

Suze
“I can interpret your anti-feminist comments any way I choose.”
When you misinterpret another person’s opinions in a way that makes them easier to attack, you are using a debating strategy called “straw man” which is generally seen as unethical and lazy.

Severin

Regarding MTR, to repeat myself, women who conform to the raunch culture fad claim to be protecting women’s freedom of choice but can be very nasty to those who make certain choices. Your comment neatly illustrated this point

Benk <" When you misinterpret another person’s opinions in a way that makes them easier to attack, you are using a debating strategy called “straw man” which is generally seen as unethical and lazy."

So, if I disagree with your opinion I am attacking you and am 'unethical and lazy'?

Sorry, but I am not going to stop disagreeing with anyone, least of all chauvinistic males.

See you all on another thread.

Benk

Saying something doesn't make it so.

>> women who conform to the raunch culture fad claim to be protecting women’s freedom of choice but can be very nasty to those who make certain choices. Your comment neatly illustrated this point. <<

WTF?

I remain sceptical of MTR's conservative agenda - however to extrapolate from my opinion of her that I "conform to the raunch culture fad (sic)" is a major distortion of my POV.

To reiterate:

>> Your problem, Benk, is that all issues fall into 'good' or 'bad' or 'black' or 'white'. Many issues overlap. People are not ALL good or ALL bad. <<

Please indicate where I have stated I conform to anything at all, starting with my posting history as Fractelle. Good luck.

Let's get this straight. Coco de Mer doesn't say anything remotely "feminist" in their official philosophy, and according to benk their female customers are "post-feminists" who "may well be reluctant to wear the feminist label".

So how are the company or its customers "selling out" feminism? By not conforming to the very prudish version of that is promoted by Bray, Reist et al?

It seems to me that benk is as guilty as Bray is of reading feminist ideology into an activity that is indifferent to it. They seem resentful that some women have taken it upon themselves to express their sexual freedom in ways of which they don't approve.

<< I believe that men who sleep around are being selfish, so I chose not to. I dislike seeing women harassed by sleazy men, so I left them alone. >>

What does your limited sex life have to do with feminism?