[-empyre-] the use in everyone coming?

["Charlotte Frost" <charlotte.frost@talk21.com>]

Since when was feminism purel/only about the opposition (if at all) of the
sexes? Thank goodness Eryk and Patrick pointed to the issue of oppression.
Feminism has always, at least in part, I don't want to make any sweeping
statements, been concerned with structures of power and how these structures
might be troubled. It is perhaps its irresolvable quality that causes the
most stress for those who question its importance as a movement in
cyberspace or the world as a whole, because it is an argument that wont be
won as long as our relationship to the self is so bounded by our definitions
of the other.

As an extra thought. Does anyone know the figures for computer
ownership/access across the globe? This is point of concern for feminism in
Cyberspace, because firstly computer access and use must be greatly
concentrated in Western society, and therefore of course it can't be a
'neutral' space if half the world aren't on it. Secondly Western society has
greatly shaped the use of cyberspace as it got to it first, so if
'financial-district-feminism' is relevant, in the physical City of London,
then its presence on the Internet will also be felt/required.

Finally, and I hope this isn't taken the wrong way by fellow feminists, but
it is a thought I heard the other day and have been mulling
over...patriarchal society has shaped men as much as it has shaped women,
and it has oppressed men too. Some of the roles we expect men to fulfil, or
chastise them for fulfilling, are precisely the roles they often don't want
to fulfil. It is often the focus on the shaping of women by society that
upsets and angers men, so perhaps we should be looking for ways, in line
with what I have suggested about feminism being about oppression in general,
to renegotiate for men too. It might make for a better understanding of
feminism EVERYWHERE, and stop the antagonism and or limiting comments often
made?!

But of course I have argued myself in a circle by pointing out the
circularity of this argument!


C