No Femo

Back when I was in high school, my teachers were careful not to use the F word around us. This term was not a four letter word that rhymed with "Canuck." It was actually 8 letters in length and rhymed with alcoholism, and was perhaps considered worse than overindulging in drink because at least the Torah allows us to partake in some spirits.

What could be so terrible that it's name was spoken only in hushed whispers?

Feminism.

Yes, the movement that gave us Gloria Steinem, Hilary Clinton and most recently (and unfortunately) Sarah Palin is not well-regarded in the frum community. You don't women to become too uppity and believe they can read from the Torah or learn Talmud, things that clearly are prohibited to them. I mean, clearly, so clear you would never even ask where or why or how? It's simply a given, just like the geocentric model of the universe.

So it would make sense that a traditionally Orthodox person would not want to be accidentally mistaken for hairy legged feminist or thought to be in cahoots with one. To avoid such a situation, (and in the tradition of "No Homo") Michal S. has coined the term "No Femo," to ensure that you're never suspected of supporting equal rights for women.

Here's how it's used:

1. "I'm so proud of my daughter's bat mitzvah speech. No femo."

2. "I don't think women should have to ride at the back of Jerusalem buses. No femo."

3. "It's a shame women can't see the Torah from the Ezras Nashim. No femo."

So go ahead, say anything that reeks of egalitarianism. "No Femo" will have you coming up misogynistic.

(Add some more of your own in the comments.)