Kyriarchy and kyriarchal are handy words in intersectional feminist and social justice language. They define the uneven distribution of basic rights broadly; they show that privilege and power injustices do not only exist in the case of men benefiting at the expense of women. Kyriarchy goes beyond patriarchy to recognize the way systems of inequality work together to hurt everyone. Kyriarchy are the structures of domination working together as a network - not just one group dominating another. Its branches include but are not limited to racism, sexism, cissexism, heterosexism, ageism, and ableism. In a kyriarchy, our kyriarchy, this kyriarchy, different forms of supremacy on different axes are independent and interdependent. Kyriarchy gets at the nastiness of privilege by implicating all of it: Almost everyone holds unfair advantages and disadvantages granted by the kyriarchy based just on who they are. Kyriarchal describes actions that promote the kyriarchy. It is the adjective form of kyriarchy; it describes actions (and other nouns - words, attitudes, habits) that back up, reflect, or otherwise contribute to existing power structures. It can refer to an individual exercise of privilege, or it can refer to actions that reinforce an intersection of oppression. If you’re not familiar with kyriarchy, you may know the second-wave word it modifies, patriarchy. Patriarchy and patriarchal are staples of feminist lingo; it’s a common way to refer to sexist actions and systems. So why do I prefer kyriarchy to patriarchy? Patriarchy is a strictly defined term: it’s just about sexism. And that has its uses. But focusing on only sexism can undermine our understanding of how colossal and all-encompassing the functions of privilege are. Feminism is not just about sexism, because women as a group are not solely oppressed on the axis of sex. Used overbroadly, patriarchy defines social power as belonging to only men, and denies the oppressive advantages that women can hold. Kyriarchy is more descriptive of the approach I try to take to feminism. The word considers all parts of the oppressive structure we live in evenly - no one oppression is worse or better or more important than another. We are all subject to kyriarchy, and we all benefit from kyriarchy; we all share the burden and the blame in different measures and proportions. (The previous statement may not be universal, but it’s close.) But with patriarchy, only men are profiting and only women are subjugated; only women are acquitted of responsibility and only men are admonished. In intersectional discussions, patriarchy is usually too narrow: patriarchy puts the emphasis on solely sexism and erases other experiences of injustice (particularly the various oppressions men bear). Kyriarchy allows for the complexity of abuse that this world can bring down on al l bodies; it allows for both how we suffer from and participate in its tyranny. — Kyriarchy is not my word; it was coined by radical feminist theologian Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza. In her book, Wisdom Ways: Introducing Feminist Biblical Interpretation (published by Orbis Books in New York in 2001), Schussler Fiorenza defined kyriarchy as:

Kyriarchy – a neologism coined by Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza and derived from the Greek words for “lord” or “master” (kyrios) and “to rule or dominate” (archein) which seeks to redefine the analytic category of patriarchy in terms of multiplicative intersecting structures of domination…Kyriarchy is best theorized as a complex pyramidal system of intersecting multiplicative social structures of superordination and subordination, of ruling and oppression.

The best explanation of kyriarchy I’ve read comes from Lisa Factora-Borchers of My Ecdysis, who studied with Schussler Fiorenza. In her post, Factora-Borchers writes:

When people talk about patriarchy and then it divulges into a complex conversation about the shifting circles of privilege, power, and domination — they’re talking about kyriarchy. When you talk about power assertion of a White woman over a Brown man, that’s kyriarchy. When you talk about a Black man dominating a Brown womyn, that’s kyriarchy. It’s about the human tendency for everyone trying to take the role of lord/master within a pyramid. At it best heights, studying kyriarchy displays that it’s more than just rich, white Christian men at the tip top and, personally, they’re not the ones I find most dangerous. There’s a helluva lot more people a few levels down the pyramid who are more interested in keeping their place in the structure than to turning the pyramid upside down… So when we talk about woman asserting power over other womyn, we’re talking kyriarchy. When you witness woman trying to dominate, define, outline the “movement” or even what an ally should be - that’s the kyriarchal ethos strong at work.

The Body is Not An Apology is a global movement and organization committed to cultivating a foundational tool for social justice and global change. In the 4 years since our founding, we have grown exponentially, reaching over 250,000 people weekly from over 150 countries all across the world! TBINAA Leadership Circle is comprised of 25 people in over 4 countries who are committed to the life shifting work of radical self-love!  We are bad-ass, brilliant, light bringers who illuminate the world through our writing, our workshops and webinars, our social media engagement and our powerful community building!  We need to add more bad-ass, brilliant folks to the circle in order to grow this planet shifting work! Multiple Leadership Circle positions are currently available. Leadership Circle positions are paid consultant positions. It is important to note that TBINAA is a community funded startup. What does that mean?  It means we ain’t got much money! We have no private funding, no venture capitalist.  We are bootstrapping this movement. Consequently, we offer small consultant stipends to those who contribute their magnificent gifts to this work but it is nowhere near a living wage.  If you roll with TBINAA, it is because you are deeply committed to radical self-love and believe that this vision will sooner rather than later be an example of a wealth generating organization whose resources provide economic sustainability to individuals and communities in support of radical unapologetic self-love and social justice! We welcome all applicants who want to serve the cause of radical self-love, body empowerment and social transformation. Trans, Queer, Gender Non-Conforming, Gender Fluid, Disabled, POC, Immigrants, Aging Folks, Radical Justice Minded cis Men, Folks living at the intersections and on the margins WE WANT YOU!  

LEADERSHIP CIRCLE POSITION OPENINGS

TBINAA Content Writers (5 positions) $40 per article

Content Writers/Curators are a central element of the TBINAA philosophy and our community education. We are looking for discussion-provoking critical essays that are well researched with evidence to back up claims, timely statistics, and connections between one’s personal experience and larger social forces.  We talk about a variety of subjects but our tone is love, healing, unapologetic, and bold in addressing Body Terrorism. We look at personal experiences and their relationship to systemic oppressions, helping our readers connect dots and see themselves in our work. We love First-person essays but it is vital that the work move us from the personal to the collective.  We ask ourselves, “How can my vulnerability and honesty change the world?” We use our answers as a spring board for insight and analysis.  We write about our fears, our privilege, our learning and unlearning. We are not afraid of having been “wrong”.  We take risks and own our mistakes as a tool of radical self-love. We look fear-facingly at our internalized shame and oppression and are truthful about the times we have enacted those shames and oppressions on others.  As a new digital magazine our work must dance the line between popular and personal, hot topic and under addressed but important issue. Please read our magazine to get a sense of how our contributors strike a happy balance between the personal “I” and the larger social narrative at hand. This position is perfect if you LOVE writing.  What we promise is that you’ll become a better writer, build a brand and a portfolio, build valuable skills, and have the freedom to write about things you care about and receive exposure on an internationally recognized, rapidly growing media platform!

Looking specifically for people who can address the following subject matter:

Latinx Issues, Indigenous issues, Arab issues, Aging issues, Trans POC, Sex Positivity (Including pansexual, poly, asexual, demisexual and other marginalized sexual identities) , Sexual Assault & Violence, Eating Disorders,  Disability Justice Issues, Men and Body Pos issues, fat and super fat issues

Responsibilities include:

Write 2 articles monthly about radical self-love as     a vehicle for radical social transformation

Research and post articles about current issues

Collaborate with other writers

Work with our Content Manager on topics, edits, revisions, and framing

Participate in monthly meetings

    Digital Media Outreach Coordinator (1 position) ($1000 stipend)

Digital Media Outreach Coordinator is responsible for building and maintaining relationships with other digital media outlets with similar content and vision.   The Outreach Coordinator also identifies web based content (videos, articles, cartoons, speeches etc) that scream RADICAL SELF LOVE THAT THE WORLD SHOULD SEE RIGHT NOW and curates said content for cross posting on TBINAA.  The coordinator provides t 12 to15 curatorial suggestions per month.  

Responsibilities Include:

Sourcing radical     self-love or Body Terrorism focused articles, videos and other content.

Finding     transcriptions for video and audio content

Obtaining and     managing repost permissions from original publishing sources.

Obtaining Bios,     Photos and other supplementary information for reposts.

Cultivating and     Developing curatorial relationships with specific online magazines and     websites.

Social Media Administrator (1 position) ($1000 stipend)

Social Media Administrators ensure the visibility of TBINAA via social media platforms such as Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter. Social Media Administrators ensure that content from our website is transferred to our social media pages, share memes, affirmations, and images related to radical self-love. Social Media Administrators moderate comment sections ensuring TBINAA Community Agreements are upheld.  Social Media Administrators will also create affirmations and caption TBINAA content to attract readers and interest in the main site.

Responsibilities include:

Increase the     visibility and impact of TBINAA.

Communicate the     mission, vision, and principles of radical self-love to social media     audiences.

Maintain and update     TBINAA social networking vehicles, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr,     multiple times daily.

Respond to     followers’ comments, inbox messages, and concerns in a timely manner.

Monitor threads to     ensure users are respecting TBINAA Community Dialogue Agreements.

Increase the number     of Twitter, Facebook, and Tumblr followers on our pages.

Caption graphics and     provide video transcripts for accessibility.

Applicants should complete our online form at:  http://goo.gl/forms/rQYliug4Iw

Additionally, please submit your resume and letter explaining your interest via email to [email protected].

Application Deadline is June 3, 2016

Due to the volume of applications we receive, we’re only able to get in touch if we’re interested in considering you for the Leadership Circle. If you haven’t heard back from us by June 17th, you can assume that we’re not moving forward with your application but want to stay in radical loving community with you!

*College level applicants may receive college credits for their Leadership Circle work.

Notes

All Leadership Circle positions are virtual; thus, applicants must have reliable high-speed Internet connections and be skilled and responsible regarding electronic communication. Since the positions are remote, anyone anywhere in the world can apply.

All terms are six months with an option for renewal

Since Wednesday, students and supporters have been occupying Seattle University’s Matteo Ricci College. Their list of demands includes resignation by Dean Jodi Olsen Kelly—who’s railed unionization of adjunct professors—as well a substantial overhaul of the school’s curriculum. 

You can read their full list of demands—which include a call to decenter whiteness in the humanities program, advanced training for professors in the college, and more transparency and accountability for students, particularly surrounding recruitment processes—here. 

“We, as students of Matteo Ricci College, deserve and demand a radically changed undergraduate program. It is unacceptable to maintain the status quo. We recognize the information and demands provided may be challenging to internalize and process,” reads the statement from the protesters. “However, given the time of the university-wide Campus Climate Survey as well as Matteo Ricci’s current Program Review, we anticipate a timely response from the college so as to further explore ways to collaboratively address damages already done and improve our college for future and current students, staff, and faculty. This simply cannot wait.”

Using the hashtags #DearDeanKelly and #MRCHurtsMe, students have also taken to Twitter to express their frustration with the school’s leadership and curriculum.

Seattle U students are not the only ones who are demonstrating and demanding change within higher education; Inside Higher Ed reported yesterday that hundreds of students walked out at the University of Washington, calling on the UW to “sell holdings in any hedge funds that invest in private prisons.”

At a time when student debt is at an all-time high and college students continue to graduate into an economy where there’s no room for them to succeed, these demonstrations are a crucial component of the conversation. As much as free college for future students would be a game-changer, students who are currently in schools and receiving educations that may not serve them—or who are funneling their money both current and future into schools with a  stake in organizations or institutions with which they don’t agree—can’t really wait for federal policies.  

We support the occupation and the students of Seattle U and the University of Washington in their efforts toward a higher education system that actually benefits students and the greater community, and which broadly includes the narratives of everyone, not just the people (read: the white people) most often associated with academia. 

“In order to perpetuate itself, every oppression must corrupt or distort those various sources of power within the culture of the oppressed that can provide energy for change.” —Audre Lorde

Tess Asplund standing up alone to a neo-nazi demonstration in Sweden. The march involved 300 uniformed neo-nazis. This photo has gone viral in the country. “It was an impulse. I was so angry, I just went out into the street,” Asplund told the Guardian. “I was thinking: hell no, they can’t march here! I had this adrenaline. No Nazi is going to march here, it’s not okay.””

Know Yourself.

Know your Limits.