what’s an issue with radical feminism you’re struggling with? what do you have difficulty coming to terms with/ learning more about/ want perspective on/ need help understanding?
reblog this post with it, or send me an anon. knowledge is power and we need to be a resource to one another.
If I could take you up on your offer, then I have a few:
What exactly is the unified message for radfems? Many of them seem all over the place and wanting insanely different things. It’s hard to grasp what’s the goal of this new wave of feminism and that’s an issue personally for me.
I know your blog doesn’t specifically say that you’re a TERF/SWERF but are radfems doing anything to actively expel people who support massively damaging policies to large groups of people from your community? Or at least actively inform people is that radfem is more about inclusivity rather than divisive, damaging comments made from a vocal minority.
Radical feminism appears to only benefit cishet, white, females from first world countries. Is this incorrect? If so then how with specific examples?
Radfems have the appearance of trying to dictate what modern femininity should look like and shames women on both ends of the spectrum for not exemplifying that ideal. Housewives to soldiers are shamed for not being a proper feminist. What exactly would fit the bill of representing femininity to a radfem?
Radfems tend to be very vocal about letting women’s voices be heard but when a conservative women speaks she is often shamed, ridiculed, or passive-aggressively insulted into silence. Why do radfems do this when one message I’ve seen across the board is giving women the power to not be afraid of speaking their truth?
Radfems tend to resemble the MGTOW community, in my opinion, and blame men for all the world’s problems. Feminism was originally about creating equality among the genders, but now it appears to have morphed into knocking men down, both mentally and physically, in order to raise women up. Is this a correct assumption? If not, then why does a good portion of radfems, from what I’ve seen, feel the need to exclude men from the conversation just because they’re men?
Hi! Thanks for reaching out. I think it’s always useful to educate yourself on subjects you don’t know a lot about, so props to you for reading into new materials. I’ve taken screenshots of each question, so hopefully I can answer thoroughly! After a quick read through, though, it does seem like you’re confusing a portion of radical feminism with liberal feminism, so I’ll be certain to highlight those differences as we go. Okay!
1.
Firstly, radical feminism isn’t a new wave so much as a return to the values of second wave feminism, which is being championed by a new generation! Our collective goal is the liberation of women from historical and societal structures that bind them, working with an understanding that women suffer from sexism, or sex- based oppression. While we may have differing ideas on how to accomplish this goal, or the best route to take, you’ll universally see womens liberation on the forefront of our messages! Radfems agree that gender is a social class we ascribe to biology, that gender is the expectations and socializations we apply to our own innate biology! I.e. women are submissive, caring, like pink, will be mothers, will wear makeup…and men are strong, and unemotional, like blue, will be providers, will cut their hair short. Radical feminists say “we shouldn’t live in these boxes! Our biology doesn’t determine our interests, our abilities, who we love, or what we want to do with our life!” Radical feminists want a dismantling of gender roles, specifically because they are used to subjugate women.
2.
Radical feminism is for women, and liberating women, and it does so unapologetically. We understand that our feminism focuses on sex- based oppression - our sex being female. No radical feminists are trans exclusive. Trans men are as affected by female bodily autonomy (deserving access to female medical care, cervical screenings, breast exams, abortions, birth control, menstruation) as any woman. They deserve respect in the unique challenges they face in the cross section of transphobia and misogyny they face in the world. They deserve spaces free of male violence. The policies we pursue reflect that. People use the term “trans exclusive” because trans women do not play a role in our activism, as they are male-bodied and therefore do not experience sex-based oppression.
SWERF is interesting, isn’t it? I am not anti-sex workers at all. I am against the sex work industry. The term SWERF is like saying anti- child labor individuals are against children. On the contrary, I want sex workers (primarily female) to be liberated. I do not believe in the commodification of female bodies. I do not support an industry where rape is an on- the- job issue. I do not support an industry that puts price tags on women. An industry that the average age of entry is 14, where 90% of women want out, an industry that makes it more difficult to assist trafficked individuals, and is supplemented by trafficked individuals, an industry that does so much evil to women I have other posts you can reference if you need.
Again, all our policies value the liberation of women above anything else.
3.
I think you’re confusing radical feminism with liberal feminism, but let’s dive in! Cis - nah, trans men are the female sex and deserve protections from sex based oppression as well. Check out the radfems @spooky-rad-luka @discyours @bone-jar !! Het - we are literally almost all lesbian or bi, but there are some het radfems! White - actually, the radfem community is black, brown, Jewish, asian, latina, and white too, sure:) (check out what our sisters in Korea are accomplishing right now!)(or our sisters in Kenya!)(or our sisters in Saudi Arabia!)(or our sisters in Brazil!) Or talk to @empanado-feliz about the movement against Bolsonaro! Radical feminism is worldwide, because it discusses sex-based oppression, not identity politics. It concerns itself with child brides, and FGM, and menstruation huts, and the Indian rape crisis, and religious subjugation of women’s covered bodies, and the abuse and rape of women worldwide.
4.
This is being confused with liberal feminism too, I think? Radfems believe theres no wrong way to be a woman. You just are. It’s innate. There are plenty of GNC women in our movement. As for femininity, it’s a performance of beauty standards. Most radfems acknowledge the harm the cosmetics industry does to young women by the internalizing that their natural face is “wrong”. Or how shaving is the idealization of a female prepubescent body. We try not to engage in harmful behaviors, and encourage others not to as well!
5.
Andrea Dworkin wrote a piece called Right Wing Woman, I’m not suggesting you read a full novel, but heres a snippet that you might find useful. As a rule, I try not to regard other women as my enemy. I understand the anger of others though, certainly.
6.
I think that’s a classic misunderstanding - to radical feminists, feminism isn’t about equality. I don’t want to be ‘equal’ to a standard set by men; I don’t want to be drafted (I don’t want anyone drafted!), I don’t want violence, or indifference, valued in my life. I would rather men rise to women’s standards, personally. Of valuing empathy, emotional intelligence, managing house tasks, viewing other women as humans.
Nothing I do knocks men down. Nothing I’m demanding knocks men down. It is not my fault if they stumble when they fall off my back, I will not be a doormat anymore. I don’t care about “demasculating” men; if their masculinity isn’t built on subjugating women, then they’ll be just fine!
And if you worry about radical feminists “excluding men” from the conversation, you need to ask yourself why you’d like a movement by women and for women to include men’s voices. Should Black Lives Matter groups worry themselves about including white voices? Why should any group prioritize the voice of their oppressors? It’s nonsensical. Feminism isn’t for men. Radical feminism certainly isn’t for men.
I hope this cleared up everything! Xx
