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Sitting on the Fence
I hate to start blogs with introduction posts, but usually write one later. So, here it is.
I'm used to characterise myself as 'someone in-between'. In most situations, in most spheres of life, I tend to end up somewhere in the middle, where I can't define myself as one of the ends on the scale, see both sides and coordinate in parts with each.
I am physically female - this is clear and visible.
I'm bigender, going through phases lasting for months or years - currently I'm a woman, but it can change.
I'm pansexual, with some leanings. And poly. And into kink.
Usually, I identify as queer because it takes too long to describe all the details of my sexual orientation and gender identity. :)
I'm half-Ukrainian Jew, one quarter Belarus and one quarter Russian. I identify as Russian, remember my Jewish legacy (mostly because if the state politics tip to antisemitism again, I'll be on the line), and mostly don't care about nationality, only about the culture and country of choice.
I'm a liberal feminist, pro-sex, pro-choice, pro-sex work, pro-pornography, pro-bdsm, pro-fat acceptance, and so on. (For the record, I have issues with Russian feminist communities because they are mostly anti-sex work, anti-porn and anti-bdsm. And pretty much radical.) I want to be an lgbt activist, but don't quite like the organizations we have now, and can't bother to do something myself. (Still, I end up giving some advices, participating in seminars and blogging.)
I studied Sociology as my honour degree, mostly by chance, because I haven't known what to do with myself after school and ended up studying it. After graduation and a year of searching for myself, my Destiny, my Ideal Job and other big stuff, I discovered that I'm blogging on sociological, feminist, and lgbt issues. Mostly, my topic of choice is the concepts of sexuality and gender on modern society.
I'm also a fan. Actually, I don't separate my fannish activities from my studies and activism, because they usually lead to each other and support each other. I can follow my interest in feminism and lgbt issues to my first fandom, and I know for a fact that it was John Barrowman who lead me to recognizing and accepting not only my inner activist's streak, but my methods of choice - personal example, talking and being open, out and audible.
Also, as a fan, I have another 'in-between' point because I tend to read in English and write in Russian. Russian fandoms are like ten years behind from the development of English-speaking fandoms; so is Russian feminism, btw. I'm pretty much a BNF in Russian fandom (as in, Fandom in general; I had quite a few).
Love cats. Want to have rats. Don't have any animals at all, because I move a lot (like, every two or three weeks I go from Moscow to my native town and back).
I'm used to characterise myself as 'someone in-between'. In most situations, in most spheres of life, I tend to end up somewhere in the middle, where I can't define myself as one of the ends on the scale, see both sides and coordinate in parts with each.
I am physically female - this is clear and visible.
I'm bigender, going through phases lasting for months or years - currently I'm a woman, but it can change.
I'm pansexual, with some leanings. And poly. And into kink.
Usually, I identify as queer because it takes too long to describe all the details of my sexual orientation and gender identity. :)
I'm half-Ukrainian Jew, one quarter Belarus and one quarter Russian. I identify as Russian, remember my Jewish legacy (mostly because if the state politics tip to antisemitism again, I'll be on the line), and mostly don't care about nationality, only about the culture and country of choice.
I'm a liberal feminist, pro-sex, pro-choice, pro-sex work, pro-pornography, pro-bdsm, pro-fat acceptance, and so on. (For the record, I have issues with Russian feminist communities because they are mostly anti-sex work, anti-porn and anti-bdsm. And pretty much radical.) I want to be an lgbt activist, but don't quite like the organizations we have now, and can't bother to do something myself. (Still, I end up giving some advices, participating in seminars and blogging.)
I studied Sociology as my honour degree, mostly by chance, because I haven't known what to do with myself after school and ended up studying it. After graduation and a year of searching for myself, my Destiny, my Ideal Job and other big stuff, I discovered that I'm blogging on sociological, feminist, and lgbt issues. Mostly, my topic of choice is the concepts of sexuality and gender on modern society.
I'm also a fan. Actually, I don't separate my fannish activities from my studies and activism, because they usually lead to each other and support each other. I can follow my interest in feminism and lgbt issues to my first fandom, and I know for a fact that it was John Barrowman who lead me to recognizing and accepting not only my inner activist's streak, but my methods of choice - personal example, talking and being open, out and audible.
Also, as a fan, I have another 'in-between' point because I tend to read in English and write in Russian. Russian fandoms are like ten years behind from the development of English-speaking fandoms; so is Russian feminism, btw. I'm pretty much a BNF in Russian fandom (as in, Fandom in general; I had quite a few).
Love cats. Want to have rats. Don't have any animals at all, because I move a lot (like, every two or three weeks I go from Moscow to my native town and back).
no subject
Would you mind explaining the difference you see in liberal and radical feminism - because I tend to view the standpoints you mention each type supporting as a bit opposite. Like in Israel it's the liberal feminists are more anti-bdsm, anti-porn and all that and the radical community are more pro-sex and pro-bdsm and all that.
Sex work and porn tends to be a big argument in inner feminist discourse.
no subject
First of all, I have to say that here in Russia, feminism is... lacking. It's concentraded on work politics, mptherhood politics and Soviet legacy. For example, there's no such term as rape culture at all, no tradition of feminist literature critisism, and some HUGE issues with queer acceptance. Also, there's no clear division between liberal and radical - at least I don't see it articulated in discussions and stuff.
Saying that, I see that most people who express radical views (sometimes bordering on mysandry) tend to be anti-sex work, anti-bdsm and mostly anti-porn. People who express more liberal views (gender-sensitive politics, interest to men's studies, willingness to have a dialogue with men) are usually pro-sex work and mostly pro-kink. And queer-friendly.
As for sex-work and porn, I haven't studied the issue deep (yet), but a) all the anti-sex work articles I've read were mostly emotional and illogical, as the arguments of anti-sex work people, and b) I'm reading several bloggers who are or were sex workers, and they are pro-sex work. Granted, they are now middle-class, so it makes them priviledged, but I still feel more truth in their experience than in those articles on how All Sex Work Is Bad Bad Bad. Maybe if I study the subject more, I'll change my mind, but for now, I definitely lean to be "pro-".