Agree to Disagree: Feminism and the #MeToo Movement with the Woman who Live It
What do the #MeToo Movement and Donald Trump have in common? They are both topics of debate in VICE’s Round Table Debate.
The VICE interviewer prepares herself to be knowingly caught in the cross-fire as the nine participating women sit before her anticipating what this Round Table Debate might entail. Each women gives their unguarded opinions on topics ranging from feminism to Donald Trump.
Although history can display the emergence and evolution of women’s rights there are still several members of the panel who aren’t on board with women’s rights biggest trend, feminism. When the nine women are asked which of them identify as a feminist, only five of the nine members raise their hands. When explaining their views on the term feminism one panel member who identifies as a non-feminist-conservative states:
“It depends what you define a feminist. If we’re talking about, like, equal rights then of course, I don’t think there is a single person who would not want equal rights between the sexes. But if we’re talking about feminism today where it’s become so radicalized, then I don’t want to be associated with that movement.”
This same panel member also answered “no” when asked if she believed women still need to fight for equality. Unfortunately we didn’t get to hear her justification for why she believed that to be true.
When asked that same question, another panel member who identifies as a pro-life-feminist-progressive spares no time speaking her truth about her fight for equality explaining:
“Just look at the GOP. I mean, where is the representation?” She also states: “If there’s not a female voice there, or a woman of color, or a trans-person to bring these issues up to the table, it’s not going to get dealt with.”
There are times throughout the debate that tensions rise within the panel, yet all the members remain civil and seemingly respectful of their fellow member’s right to speak their beliefs although at times physically wincing at particular responses.
In another portion of the conversation our interviewer broaches the subject of dating in the midst of the #MeToo Movement. Our non-feminist-conservative member had this to say:
“So, um, I’m friends with a lot of men and they think that they’re scared of dating. A lot of men are terrified of taking a girl home who’s had any amount of alcohol because he doesn’t want to get accused of sexual assault.”
To which contrary member whom identifies as a feminist-progressive replies:
“Join the club. Like, girls and woman and femmes have been terrified to go on dates and go home and drink forever. So, join the club.”
Each courageous women on this panel comes from a differing political party, educational background, ethnicity, sexuality and/or religion. They are all navigating their personal belief systems in an age where all opinions should be celebrated, because history has fought too long and hard for us to be silenced based on differences.