Radical feminism

Main

Radical feminism is a branch of feminism that calls for a radical reordering of society to eliminate male supremacy. It is radical because it aims for a root-level transformation rather than gradual reform. Key tenets of radical feminism include:

• Gender inequality is rooted in the patriarchal structure of society itself, not just in individual sexist attitudes.

• The nuclear family, heterosexuality, and traditional gender roles are inherently oppressive to women.

• Achieving true liberation requires a complete dismantling and rebuilding of current systems and institutions.

• Some radical feminists advocate separatism - women living separately from men to some degree.

Terms

• Feminism: The belief in and advocacy for women's social, economic, and political equality. Example: Fighting for women's right to vote.

• Gender roles: The societal norms dictating how men and women "should" behave and the roles they "should" fulfill. Example: The expectation that women be primary caregivers and men be breadwinners.

• Nuclear family: A family unit consisting of a pair of adults and their children. Example: A married couple living with their biological kids in a single household.

• Patriarchy: A system of society in which men hold most power and women are largely excluded from it. Example: The fact that most world leaders throughout history have been men.

• Radical: Relating to or affecting the fundamental nature of something; far-reaching or thorough. Example: The Civil Rights Movement demanded radical changes to racist laws and institutions.

• Separatism: The idea that an oppressed group should live separately from their oppressors. Example: LGBTQ+ individuals creating their own communities apart from mainstream heteronormative society.

Analogy

If society is a building with a cracked foundation, liberal feminism tries to patch the cracks and make small improvements. Radical feminism, on the other hand, says we need to tear down the whole building and pour a new foundation, because those cracks are load-bearing and can't be fixed with spackle. The building is patriarchy, and it's inherently unstable for women. Trying to renovate it is futile. We need to start fresh with a whole new blueprint for how we construct gender and power.

Misconception

Many people wrongly believe that radical feminists hate men. In reality, radical feminism is against patriarchy as a system, not individual men. The goal is to free everyone from restrictive gender roles. However, the controversial tactic of separatism - some radical feminists choosing to limit their relationships with men - has contributed to this misconception.

History

1. 1960s: Radical feminism emerges, arguing the "personal is political." Consciousness-raising groups form to discuss experiences of sexism.

2. 1970s: Influential radical feminist texts like The Dialectic of Sex are published. Protests and direct actions target issues like objectification and violence against women.

3. 1980s-1990s: The "Feminist Sex Wars" pit anti-porn radical feminists against "pro-sex" feminists. Intersectionality becomes more central to feminism.

4. 2000s-2020s: Radical feminism is less prominent but still influential, especially in online spaces. Debates arise around issues like the sex industry and transgender inclusion.

How to use it

1. A radical feminist group organizes a protest against the Miss America pageant, calling it a sexist display that reduces women to objects. They argue that beauty pageants are fundamentally patriarchal and can't be reformed - they must be abolished.

2. A woman creates a female-separatist commune where residents live without men. Inspired by radical feminism, she believes women need to create their own spaces and culture apart from patriarchal society in order to be truly liberated.

3. A radical feminist considers whether extreme tactics like property destruction are justified in the fight against patriarchy. She concludes that radical actions can be effective at raising awareness and forcing change, but they also risk alienating potential allies and harming the movement's reputation. She decides that non-violent disruptive protests are the best approach for her.

Facts

• Globally, women do over twice as much unpaid care work as men.

• 1 in 3 women experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime, mostly from an intimate partner.

• Women hold only 26% of seats in national parliaments worldwide.

• At the current rate of progress, the global gender pay gap won't close for another 257 years.

• 72 countries have had no female head of state in the past 50 years.