I have said this before, and I'll say it again: I am all for people having different opinions than me. The world would be incredibly static and boring if everyone thought the same way, and I never want to make someone feel like I'm forcing an opinion down your throat. I make it an effort to try to avoid reacting negatively to different opinions than mine when it comes to sensitive topics (like social issues) upon first hearing them, and instead try to assess their arguments and see where they're coming from. I don't have to agree to recognize that someone's points are valid.
The line is drawn when you make purposely inflammatory statements like "this is why I'll NEVER be a feminist" then have absolutely zero evidence to back it up.
Honestly, it's truly and utterly exhausting reading nonsense like this every single day. Sure, not everyone has to be a feminist (even though I personally see no reason not to be — to each his own and all that), but if you're going to put this statement out into the world, maybe you should provide some solid reasoning for it as well. Find me proof for your opinion, because I sure as hell can give you proof for mine. Finding a few random quotes from a very select group of people that are likely taken out of context and definitely don't represent the ideals of an entire movement is not going to cut it, because you are coming to the situation from a very biased perspective and that's a flaw within itself. If you don't want to bother providing real evidence, then don't be surprised when your opinion is questioned. You might as well have not have bothered at all, in my opinion, but I'm not going to say what other people can and cannot do.
And this goes towards more than just the anti-feminist movement, it goes towards any sort of baseless argument.
If you're going to say something and then proceed to fail at backing it up, you just look like a fool.
Sorry, not sorry.
Stop wasting mine and everyone else's time if you can't bring anything substantial to the table. One of the ways towards progress and growth as a society is having productive and meaningful conversations, and if you're going try to participate in that, come prepared.
I have formed opinions based on my own personal want to help others and make the world a better place — if you don't want to work just as hard as the opposition, then don't even bother joining the conversation.
