BTW, my definition of feminism: no one person should have power over another based solely on their gender. (Thank you Bell Hooks.)
Hmm, I believe technically that would align you with me as a humanist and not as a feminist.
No need to get too deep into this if you don't want to, and trust me when I tell you I'm not questioning you on your feminist beliefs, but what would you say makes you a feminist as opposed to a humanist such as myself?
I don't know much about Humanism, but I'm assuming that the key difference is that feminism is focused on gender as a form of power where humanism involves a broader spectrum. What are the foundations of Humanism?
Humanism is an ethical foundation/system for atheists, agnostics, and other people of no faith. It is rooted in rationality and based on the simple premise that it is our responsibility to be/do good. I have been a long time member of several humanist organizations and the president of the Alberta Humanist Society for several years.
This is true, but as far as gender is concerned humanism preaches gender equality above all else. What separates it from feminism is that it's not concerned with the elevation of one gender to be equal with the other, the focus is on the belief that all genders should be equal to begin with.
I think its safe to say feminism is a part of humanism. While there is no "one" humanist platform most contain these basic ethical/political foundations:
-gender equality
-an adherence to natural law, altruism (i.e. murder, rape etc are wrong)
-pro choice
-right to die
-separation of church and state
-religious liberty
-anti-torture
Feminism preaches the elevation of one gender at the expense of another, it wants to achieve equality not because both genders deserve to be equal but simply because the female gender is currently viewed as lesser than the male gender. I can see why this movement took hold but I can't go along with it because for the most part I don't agree with the message or the methodology. I became a humanist because it approaches gender so differently than feminism, it simply wants the genders to be equal, it doesn't push one over the other or anything like that. It wants true equality, something that I often find feminism doesn't really want, it favors female elevation over actual equality.