Putting Out the Bra-Burning Myth: The Current Faces of Feminism

Behind doors, no one even dares to whisper the F word. What used to be a call for women liberation and struggle for rights, is now a dirty word. Some imagine bra bonfires, while others hear demands for equality that they believe women can not handle. Feminism has changed over the years, and has evolved into a mixed bag of men and women. It is active today in our daily lives, but is being fought over by different fractions.

1. The Lovers. This is the feminist stereotype: a  Lady Godiva walking through town to dump her Lord to meet her Sappho lover. There was a point in time where a few feminists believed so strongly that women did not need men that they actively pursued female relationships despite their orientation. This fraction still exists, but marginally so.
2. The Sisters. Another woman-only group, yet this is a supportive community. It provides a safe space for women who need help. It is a talking group, and participates in events that empower the individual. They are cordial to men, but prefer to have their own space. Sometimes they pair up with the Brotherhood.
3. The Brotherhood. This is the man gendered group of feminists. Made up of multi-gendered men and of several sexual orientations, they sympathize with the Sisters. Commonly they get involved in events with women's supervision, sometimes copying their actions. Other times, they stand by and act as cheerleaders.
4. The Partners. This group has no restrictions in membership. This face of feminism looks for a balanced approach. It sees men and women as equals, but with different abilities. They pointedly make the effort to communicate and find solutions between the genders.
5. The Humanists. Humanists have their own established world view. They are concerned with global issues, which sometimes included feminist events. These people are open-minded, and do not necessarily have to have an opinion about the importance of men and women. This is a logically, fact-orientated group.
6. The Unknowing. Thanks to several events from the feminist movement, there are several liberties that permeate into current society. Every so often someone on the news will say, "I am not a feminist, but..." These people are afraid to call themselves a feminist either because they live in an environment that mocks the movement, or that the individual believes that feminists are more like the lovers.

We do not have to be afraid of feminism anymore. There are plenty of people who believe in the theory. It just becomes a question of what do you need in a community.