Once again, Amanda, you’ve done a great job of responding defensively to what people are not saying, thus conviently ignoring what they are.

In almost 50 respoonses to your piece, I can count ONE where someone is suggesting you are a sexist and a racist. Most everyone else has gone to great lengths to discuss your behaviour, your opinion, and your words, which they have suggested are demonstrsiting sexism and racism. That is a huge and material difference. To grow up in North America and never interogate where your perspectives are problematic, it is then impossible not to demonstrate bigoted belief. Because our culture is sexist. Our culture is racist and white supremacist. To say that you are somehow above that and immune to socialization is to place yourself above literally the rest of the population. Stop making this about your wounded ego and accept that like every other white American who responded here, we start off from a flawed and ignorant base when we talk about minorities. It is our responsibilty to move beyond that.

Secondly, your analysis of feminism is, frankly, ignorant and wrong. There are multiple streams and branches of feminism, and to lump them all together saying they only care about women is being deliberatley obtuse. Try reading a bit of feminist theory before saying what it means. Ever hear of belle hooks, Audrey Lorde, Susie Bright, Shira Tarrant, Amy Richards, Andrea Dworkin, Naomi Wolfe, Patricia Hill Collins, Kimberly Crenshaw, Angela Davis, or Andrea Smith? You would be hard pressed to say these women only care about women if you knew anything about them. Try opening a book, watching a video, attending a lecture, or asking a question or two. Challange yourself to try and understand the complex concept of intersectionality and then tell me all feminists don’t care about racial minorities, men and boys, poverty, sexuality, and many other elements of a complex and multi-factored identity.

If you want a “conversation” as you say you do, then act like an adult and have one. Stop repeating what people are not saying to you and instead engage their opinions while accepting that, just maybe, you could be wrong.