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After radical feminism?
Jul. 30th, 2010 10:14 pmA few sketchy thoughts; I still embrace anarchafeminism and a version of radical feminism, and would like to know your best ideas.
I think radical feminism has a lot of good ideas, better than liberal feminism, but it could do with a lot of rethinking.
Does patriarchy even exist any more? Men die sooner. Men get imprisoned more often. What does it say that misogyny and gender oppression are as strong as they are, if patriarchy is so much weaker?
Is privilege the best way of thinking about it? A rigid two-caste system could oppress everyone without privileging anyone.
Is everyone either cis or trans? Definitions of cis which slip between meaning anyone who is not trans and meaning someone who feels gender congruence are alienating to many non-trans feminists.
And we need to find ways of thinking and acting which respect individual choice, enable collective action, and add to both. I hate the way liberal feminists have hijacked the rhetoric of choice. There is a difference between choice and scabbing. If we don't have bargaining-power, then we don't own our own choices. I hate the way illiberal feminists have hijacked the rhetoric of cooperation. There is a difference between solidarity and whore-bashing. Count me with the whores.
I think radical feminism has a lot of good ideas, better than liberal feminism, but it could do with a lot of rethinking.
Does patriarchy even exist any more? Men die sooner. Men get imprisoned more often. What does it say that misogyny and gender oppression are as strong as they are, if patriarchy is so much weaker?
Is privilege the best way of thinking about it? A rigid two-caste system could oppress everyone without privileging anyone.
Is everyone either cis or trans? Definitions of cis which slip between meaning anyone who is not trans and meaning someone who feels gender congruence are alienating to many non-trans feminists.
And we need to find ways of thinking and acting which respect individual choice, enable collective action, and add to both. I hate the way liberal feminists have hijacked the rhetoric of choice. There is a difference between choice and scabbing. If we don't have bargaining-power, then we don't own our own choices. I hate the way illiberal feminists have hijacked the rhetoric of cooperation. There is a difference between solidarity and whore-bashing. Count me with the whores.
