Male feminist part 5: My Dad

Dad and I
Me and my dad in the car after he picked me up from the airport winter 2008.

Me: you know, I'm slightly disturbed by the fact that people can be so ignorant to think that Norway is completely equal.

Dad: m-m. but you have to understand that when they write in the news that there are 80% more female leaders than for 10 years ago or something, it sounds a lot. But people don't see that its still far from 50/50.

Me: I know! And when people ask me why I'm so into feminism, that its not the most important issue to combat today, I don't even know where to start. So many don't see the link between gender equality and poverty, hunger etc. And the worst part is, I'm so geeky about the subject now that I almost have forgotten how it was to talk about this to a person that would not call them self a feminist, like myself just a few years ago. I'm sooo glad I did not take up gender studies in university, I would be even worse! Lol.

Dad: and they think equality is going to happen on its own, The development of gender issues in Norway did not just occur. Its because some people worked for it.

Me: the strange part is that of all people I have asked, its mostly women who don't want to identify with the term feminist, most men I have asked say yes . Some have even said ;
”Of course every informed person is” But its not true..

Me: Are you a feminist?

Dad: Of course.

Me: cool! Hahah and I who thought I had to convince you, but of course your are, why wouldn't you be right?

Dad: I think most men are afraid to identify with the word because they are afraid to seem feminine. Its disturbing that femininity has such negative connotation to a mans self, but that's the way it is, but why women don't want to identify with it is very strange.

Me: I know! And I don't know how to get through to them, I just talk about it in an abstract level, like power structures lalala. No wonder it does not get through. I think I have been too pretentious too, like thinking I didn't want to stupefy my language by talking so simple about such a complex matter. Some just don't ”feel the inequality on their bodies ” so they believe its not there. Alot of people say: ” I'm not suppressed”, One does not have to be suppressed to have sympathy for other people who are right? Its not so much about identity as it is about compassion.