BDSM And Feminism: Intertwined? How So?

[lucy]

Who are you referring to when you say "you?"

Not me, obviously, since i didn't post here yet

Do you consider yourself a "feminist?"
Yes.
What is your definition of one?
A woman who doesn't accept that she's being paid 25% less for the same work as a guy. A woman who doesn't accept that she has to get a job and still care for the family and the home all alone. Luckily there are more and more men who realize that working 12 hours a day isn't what they want. The problem that most companies expect exactly that remains, thou.
Do you have a negative or positive view of feminists in general?
Highly positive. I wouldn't be where i am without the countless women who have fought for equality in the past, and still do.
Does feminism affect your day to day? How does it play into your BSDM lifestyle?
Hmm, day to day? Not really. I grew up in a time when being able to have a choice was normal for a girl. So i think a lot of things my mother had to struggle for are just normal for me.
Concerning BDSM it's about the same. I think feminism has made it possible for me to chose to submit, even if at the first moment one would think that's contradictory. And i sure had a problem with it, for quite some time, until i realized that submitting myself doesn't mean i can't be a strong woman (not a good description at all, but i can't think of a better one) at the same time.

I admit i have no idea what the current gender discussion is in the States. I do know however, that here one topic of the feminist discussion and political movement is about bringing fathers to take responsibility for raising their children together with the mother. Simply because children need both. And don't give me that crap with "quality time" spent by mostly absent fathers with their children. Time spent with children has no different qualities. You're either there with them or you aren't. Working 12 hours a day and leave caring for the family and the home to the wife just doesn't work. For anybody.
Maybe the guys got scared away from taking that responsibility by feminists, maybe it's today's jobs are so much more demanding than they used to be. Whatever it is, it's not good.

Oh, and just a side note: Giving your child to a daycare so you can work as a mother doesn't make you a bad mother at all (provided it is a well run daycare). It's been proven over and over that children who spent time in a daycare have overall better social/verbal/motoric skills than children who stayed home all day.
So, to play the advocatus diaboli: Are moms who stay home to raise their kids and don't bring them to a daycare bad moms? (or dads, since those exist too)