1: Feminist Politics: Where We Stand

Feminism: A movement to end sexism, sexist exploitation and oppression

Feminism does not imply that men are the enemy
Sexist thinking and action are the problem, whether people who perpetuate it are male or female

The more common understanding of feminism is women who are committed to gender equality

equal pay for equal work
shared household and parenting work
reproductive rights
preventing rape & domestic violence

This version of feminism misses the point that sexist thinking can be present in spaces that are female

Early feminists thought about the nature of male domination in settings where people were working to fight classism and racism

The very leaders who “were telling the world about the importance of freedom” were “subordinating women in their ranks”
struggles for class or racial equality led to struggles for gender equality

Sisterhood cannot be powerful when women are competitively at war with one another

feminist discussions were often disrupted by discussions about class and race
we can only become “sisters in struggle” if we confront the ways women dominate and exploit other women

Reformist Feminism: emphasize gender equality

an easier task is to alter the system so that women have more rights
Bell asserts that white suprematists benefit from granting women’s rights, so they’re more likely to go with reformist feminism than radical feminism

Revolutionary/Radical Feminism: want to bring and end to patriarchy and sexism

not content to alter the system
most women stop considering radical feminist visions once they start to gain power within the existing structure

Lifestyle Feminism: Idea that feminism is apolitical

assumption that someone can be feminist without challenging themselves or their culture

The feminism we know about is either explicitly anti male, or it’s reformist. This benefits people currently in power

2: Consciousness-Raising: A Constant Change of Heart

Being born female doesn’t make you a feminist

Women are socialized just as much as men
don’t benefit from sexist thinking as much as men do

Feminists emphasize patriarchy as a system of domination

Some history

consciousness-raising groups: groups of women, usually, in people’s homes, talking about feminism and sexism

often led by seasoned feminists, used to recruit new converts
women often used these groups therapeutically

Soon feminists circles became bigger

printed ideas into books
became an academic discipline

by the late 70s, women’s studies was on it’s way to becoming an accepted academic discipline. The downside was that radical feminism was being replaced by reformist feminism

academic circles became a site of class privilege
universities are conservative corporate structures

The accepted definition of feminism began to change

women would call themselves feminist when trying to improve their economic positions
there was a shift to equality in the workforce
confronting internalized sexism lost currency

By the early 80s, “politicized sisterhood” became less common, and “lifestyle feminism” became more common

going forward

it’s important to conduct consciousness-raising groups for men

3: Sisterhood is still powerful

Woman have internalized sexism

we’re in competition with each other for patriarchal approval
we judge and punish each other
as long as women use class and race to dominate other women, feminist sisterhood cannot be realized

It’s important to bond. Not against men, but for the protection of women. Political solidarity between women undermines sexism and sets the stage for the overthrow of the patriarchy

4: Feminist Education for Critical Consciousness

early feminist theory included:

analysis of sexism
strategies for challenging patriarchy
new models of social interaction

women’s studies programs in colleges made it possible to focus on work by women.

feminists criticized all-male canons of scholarship
most academic programs focused on race and class in by late 80s

downside: feminist theory began to become exclusive

more attention on theory that was metalinguistic
feminist theory no longer tied to feminist movement
it was deradicalized. It became more similar to other academic studies

Bell Hooks is calling for:

feminists going door to door, passing out literature and talking to people face to face
similar to religious movements
feminism in children’s literature

This is because it will make feminism more accessible

if feminists don’t make their case to everyone, the media will

5: Reproductive Rights

in order to have gender equity around the issue of free love, women needed access to contraception and abortion

highlighting abortion ***rather than *reproductive rights - this highlighted class bias of women at the forefront of the movement

wealthy white women had access to contraception, most women did not

We’re still dealing with this! The anti-abortion platform has mainly targeted state-funded abortions

This means that poor women suffer most
This means that we lose ground on all reproductive issues

6: Beauty

All women reaped the benefit of feminist interventions (pants are great), but most women are embracing sexist beauty standards

Critique in and of itself does not lead to change - feminist critique of beauty has left many women with no alternative

7: Class Struggle

goals for feminists:

become economically self-sufficient
help other women better themselves economically

Class was the biggest difference between most women in the women’s liberation movement, class interests superseded feminist issues, and privileged women acted as if the feminist movement was for them

reformist vision demanded equal rights within existing class structures
revolutionary models called for fundamental change of existing structure
when women gain power and act like men, it undermines feminist politics

The media didn’t highlight working class feminist issues

only middle and upper class women were housewives
low-paying jobs already existed for women. Middle class women just didn’t want to do them

Only middle class women become economically self sufficient when they work outside the home.

Affluent women thought that economic gains for them translated to progress for all women
Just because women work outside the home, this doesn’t mean housework is equally shared between partners
“power feminism”

Ways we made life worse for working class women:

dismantling the welfare system

8: Global Feminism

Feminism isn’t a response to neocolonialism, but it needs to address it

Feminists should strengthen political solidarity with women internationally

power feminism - straight privileged white women are displayed as examples of success, however power feminism is aligned with the ruling class

many power feminists are projecting their ideals globally

it’s easy to address global issues of gender exploitation from a perspective of neocolonialism

label other cultures as “barbaric”
ignore parallel issues happening at home

9: Women at work

Work doesn’t mean liberation

1/3 of the workforce was female back in the 60s
if you work for low wages, you’re not economically self sufficient
if you use your money to consume instead of to enhance your quality of life, you’re not liberated

The right careers might mean liberation

self sufficient women can leave abusive relationships
increases self-esteem
participation in a community
the home becomes a place of relaxation

“equal pay for equal work”

Some women blame feminism for making them work, but the thing that makes us work so hard is consumer capitalism

Poverty is a central woman’s issue

welfare - has a stigma
unemployment is becoming more common

Some men blame unemployment on women in the workforce

they see it as their role to be providers

10: Race & Gender

A feminist movement will be incomplete if it’s not anti-racist. This is because there can’t be real sisterhood between white women and women of color if we ignore white supremacy

Just because someone participates in an anti-racist struggle doesn’t mean they’ve divested in white supremacy

abolitionists, for example, could still be racist

When activists emphasize gender, race is deemphasized

it’s difficult to be anti-racist if society is racially segregated

11: Ending Violence

it’s vital that parents raise their kids nonviolently

domestic violence happens because of the following belief: it’s acceptable for one person to control another through coercive force

the term makes it sound unthreatening, but people are being beaten and murdered in their homes
it’s important to recognize that men and women use violence
domestic violence is a direct outcome of sexism
- “that will not end until sexism ends” neither will end. It might be unrealistic to make the goal the “end of sexism” or the “end of domestic violence”
often, perpetrators of domestic violence are themselves dominated in other spaces

a feminist movement must have a goal of ending all forms of violence

once again, this is unrealistic

domestic violence against children:

many parents use physical or verbal violence against children. This teaches children that use of violence to dominate and control is acceptable
children have no way to organize against this

sexist thinking socializes boys to be “killers” as soldiers

imperialism maintains coercive power over other nations

12: Feminist Masculinity

A feminist vision embraces feminist masculinity, and we need new strategies and theories to achieve this

sexism against men is still sexism. Men are not the problem

Both men and women perpetuate sexism
the patriarchy is harmful to both men and women

The idea that men are the problem comes from the following:

anti-feminist men have a strong public voice
many women have intimate relationships with sexist men

Problem within the feminist movement: anti-male factions

insist that all men are oppressors
resent presence of anti-sexist men
portray men as the enemy
represent all women as victims
ignore class privilege

Feminism was portrayed as anti-male, which led to an anti-female men’s movement

Feminist theory should have offered more liberatory visions of masculinity

this would have made it difficult to portray the movement as anti-male
feminist theory doesn’t present a good alternative to patriarchal masculinity, except for a more “feminine” version of men
we need a version of masculinity where self esteem and self love are central (as opposed to deriving value from domination)
men’s movement teaches men to connect with their feelings

13: Feminist Parenting

Feminist goals:

end patriarchal domination of children (by men or women)
make a family where children are safe and free

There’s a hope that if feminists can raise children without sexism, we can create a future world where an anti-sexist movement isn’t needed

there’s been a focus on girls because of the assumption that boys had more privilege
female parents can transmit sexist thinking

In a culture of dominance (white supremacist capitalist patriarchal cultures), children don’t have rights

adult violence against children is seen as normal
women (the primary caregivers) are often the primary culprits of this violence
ethics of domination: the powerful can subordinate over the powerless however they want

Motherhood

we need a greater cultural appreciation of motherhood

there had been a devaluation of motherhood within feminism in favor to working outside the home
feminist thinkers challenged this

societal disparagement of single mothers

this has been hugely damaging to the feminist movement

14: Marriage & Partnership

gender equity creates a context where each member of a couple is likely to be affirmed

there’s a feminist critique of marriage

this is strengthened by the sexual liberation movement and the demand for birth control
contemporary feminists called traditional marriage a form of sexual slavery

sexual liberation leads to better sex for everyone

idea that “virtuous women” are not sexually active makes for bad sex
when women expect sexual pleasure, it’s better sex

non-monogamous relationships can lead to power imbalances within patriarchy

housework - most young people expect to split the housework between partners

parenting - we don’t think of women as primarily mothers, so our perception of the nature of marriages has changed

when there are no children in a relationship, it’s easier for a couple to be peers
since a patriarchal society expects women to do most of the parenting, things tend to become less equal when kids are born
parenting is better when both parents participate equally
generally, women have to choose between a career and children. This is not the case for men, which indicates that our society is still sexist

Feminists critique biological determinism in every area except motherhood

15: Sexual Freedom

mutual respect is essential for sexual freedom

it’s important for women to see ourselves as having value. This must be independent of being an object of male desire

sexist thinking divides women into madonna/whore roles

no basis for constructing a healthy sexual self

sexual freedom requires:

dependable, safe birth control
a working understanding of one’s own body
an understanding of the meaning of sexual integrity (what?)

sexual promiscuity and sexual liberation are not the same thing

a culture of domination assumes that every relationship has a dominant and submissive party

there’s a subset of feminists that opposes all heterosexual sex

makes the argument that all sex was coercive

sexuality is tied to power

porn

the feminist movement is divided on this issue
opposition of porn has made the movement seem anti-sex

Some women want sex, and others don’t. What happens when men in a relationship don’t get sex when they want it?

no one is responsible for making sure they get sex
women should feel free to say no to sex without fear of punishment (men finding sex elsewhere)

prostitution - if a woman sells her body because it’s the only way to get what she needs, she doesn’t have control over her own body

sexual liberation can include

same-sex encounters
masturbation
celibacy

16: Lesbianism & Feminism

women don’t need to depend on men for well-being and happiness

“man-identified woman” - drop feminist principles if they interfere with romantic concerns with men

most straight women place more emphasis on romantic relationship than feminism
it’s easier to get by without seeking male approval if you don’t try to get into relationships with men
however, lesbians can be just as sexist as straight women

building mutually satisfying bonds is just as difficult for lesbians

there’s always a danger of one party dominating the other

women who claim to be feminist while perpetuating homophobia are misguided

anyone who demands that lesbians follow a set of rigid moral standards to make straight people comfortable is perpetuating homophobia

17: The Heart of Feminism

Feminism gives us the foundation to create loving bonds. Love can never take root in a relationship based on domination and coercion. Mutual partnership is the foundation of love

Because of this, women in heterosexual relationships must make sure their partners are feminists
Early feminist though surrounding love was not complex enough, and it accepted many patriarchal assumptions surrounding love

Patriarchal understanding of romantic love is something that makes someone powerless

the deal: emotional women provide love, powerful men provide protection

Motherhood without feminism: a situation where a woman tries to live vicariously through her children. Moms become dominating

18: Spirituality & Feminism

There can be no feminist transformation of our culture without a transformation in our religious beliefs

requires control of the female body

early feminist criticized patriarchal religion. Fundamentalist patriarchal religion prevents the spread of feminism

metaphysical dualism: assumption that the world can be understood by binary categories, and each of these has a good and a bad

idealogical foundation of all forms of group oppression
encourages belief that inequality is “natural”

alternative: creation spirituality, liberation theologies

19: Visionary Feminism

Dream of feminism: replace culture of domination with a fold of communalism and social democracy. This is inherently a radical ideology

no discrimination based on race or gender
mutuality and interdependency
planet survives, everyone has access to peace and well-being

Fewer women are interested in dismantling the current system

result of class power within the system

fundamental goal: enhance personal power for all women

equal rights isn’t good enough. We need to lift up all women, especially poor women

educating the public: we need diverse material that’s easy to read

challenges

perception that anything related to women is feminist
link between male violence and male domination is not understood
alternative and reformist “feminist” ideologies
anti-feminist backlash
feminists who won’t accept men as comrades

The government in the current system gave us rights, but that same government can take them away