No they didn't, but they're also not on a pedestal either. They're an example of what can happen when we get things wrong, so we have to mitigate against getting things wrong in the future.
And yes, I believe many people have disengaged with 'feminism' as a label. I took my feminism badge off a long time ago - because whilst I believe in the aims of the movement, I cannot share a tent with people who aren't committed to removing discrimination based on sex. That's the issue at hand. If you read a lot of feminism based stuff, you will no doubt come across XX. This person is a feminist, and because this person is a feminist - I cannot be.
Feminism has been hugely successful as a movement, from suffrage to where it is now. I think this is a great thing. I think the more balanced society becomes, the better it will be. BUT, and this is the big but, we must be very careful not to alienate men from the process. Social media has allowed misandry to sneak into the narrative. That's what I was writing about in the Amber Heard crashed the course of feminism article....
It was truly excellent to see Weinstein, Epstein, Cosby and others face true justice. It was a beautiful moment... but when Heard accused Depp, she was one single voice. He was run out of his job, he became an instant villain on social media, he became a social pariah. Those that came out to defend him were also dragged over the coals. Why? Because at that point in the #MeToo movement it was considered morally wrong to ever question the veracity of an accusation. If you want men to support the goal of equality between the sexes, then that part of the accusation. The 'logic' as you called it, has to go - and it has to be put back into the courts.
The blowback on the Depp case was terrifying and it's left women in a worse situation than before. Feminism paid the price for the misandrist sleight of hand that said 'we don't need a court case, we know he's guilty because he's a man and she's a woman'. Women are not safer now and those of us that could see her BPD were telling everyone at the time and were roundly condemned. Amber Heard was an own goal that misandry forced upon feminism. And that's a shame.
I'm still as committed to fighting discrimination as you are, our end goal is probably the same. Our methodologies are different.
