Learning to Love the Patriarchy NOT!
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Patriarchy and the “women’s question”
are central to the world economy, to political struggle, to which way
the cookie will crumble (and who will be allowed to eat the crumbs). A
combination of different factors (male dominance on the left, internalized
sexism, and just plain theoretical backwardsness) makes patriarchy seem
invisible to many of us. But like “dark matter” that gets astrophysicists
all hot and bothered, patriarchy can be shown in theory to account for
most of what is out there (while it can be equally difficult to actually
locate it or prove its existence in specific cases). So women’s oppression is a subject at the center of our struggle for human liberation, but serious discussions as to why women suffer distinct forms of oppression, and why rape and other violence is so important in this, have generally been beyond the scope of most left analysis. What we get instead are platitudes about “culture,” “backwardness” and “personal attitudes,” occasionally slipping into plain old biological determinism in materialist drag. Or else all of this is swept under the rug, subsumed into some "more inclusive" or "more important" or "more fundamental" question (like class, or nation, or even gender), which in fact lays the groundwork for future divisions, oppressions and incoherence. While acting like any recognition of women’s importance is either a matter of generosity or chivalrous good humour, institution after institution, economy after economy, state after state, would be swept away without women’s support, or at least acquiescence. One should not confuse the left’s inability to easily mobilize women’s opposition or support with women’s “unimportance” or “apolitical nature” – rather, it is clearly a sign of the left’s continuing weakness. At the same time, the feminist movement that existed thirty years ago is no more. Hobbled from the beginning by its less radical and more privileged elements, and eventually torn asunder by centrifugal forces of its own making, the word "feminist" today has no specific meaning beyond showing a willingness to resist the malestream stigma of "being known as a feminist". While in some places this is something, we're fooling ourselves if we see this as evidence of some kind of position of strength. What follows are a collection of resources, links, ideas and suggestions - both on this site and off of it - that i think are relevant to the continuing necessity to find a way to destroy patriarchal relations and structures. Related Pages on this SiteHands Off Assata! [] Feminist Literature [] Support Queen Nzinga!
Women in Iraq [] Poison Girls (music) [] Women in Prison Caliban and the Witch The Military Strategy of Women and Children Links for Women's Liberation [] Feminist Essays Online email me [] homepage [] more poltics |
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Butch Lee is one of the most exciting writers i have ever come across. Her vision encompasses the strengths of 20th century feminism with the cutting analysis needed to confront the horrors of our new millenium. Drawing heavily on the experiences (both good and bad) of the anti-colonial revolutions, Lee applies these lessons to the necessity of women's revolution around the world. Texts by Butch Lee available on this site:
The following books by Butch Lee are all available from Kersplebedeb; email me to place an orde at info@kersplebedeb.com.
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