Category Archives: clarifying-concepts
FAQ: What is sexual objectification?
Sexual objectification is the viewing of people solely as de-personalised objects of desire instead of as individuals with complex personalities and desires/plans of their own. This is done by speaking/thinking of women especially as only their bodies, either the whole body, or as fetishised body parts. Sexual attraction is not the same as sexual objectification: […]
FAQ: Isn’t "the Patriarchy" just some conspiracy theory that blames all men, even decent men, for women’s woes?
Patriarchy: one of the most misunderstood critical-theory concepts ever, often wilfully misunderstood. Patriarchy is one form of social stratification via a power/dominance hierarchy – an ancient and ongoing social system based on traditions of elitism (a ranking of inferiorities) and its privileges. Societies can be (and usually are) patriarchal, oligarchal and plutocratic all at the same time, complicated by current and/or legacy features of sectarianism, imperialism and colonialism, so the gender hierarchy is only one source of social disparity. Because of the limited capacity of the word “patriarchy” to describe the full operation of intersecting oppressions, some now prefer to use the word “kyriarchy” instead, but it is not yet in common use.
Sexual Harassment
Haven’t put together an FAQ for SH yet, but I just found an excellent resource for anyone looking for clearly laid out material. From the Memorial University of Newfoundland: Sexual Harassment Information Site. Obviously, their definitions and referenced laws are specific to their own region, but the site offers more information about the conceptual and […]
FAQ: Can men be feminists?
(Updated with extra clarification in the clarifying concepts section)Many men are entirely comfortable with calling themselves feminists, and many feminist women are very happy to accept them as fellow feminists working for the end of sexist oppression. However, there are also men and women who are ideologically uncomfortable with men calling themselves feminists, because it […]
FAQ: What do feminists mean by "reproductive freedom"?
Reproductive freedom is so much more than merely being pro-choice. Without reproductive freedom, women’s rights to legal equality and social equity cannot be guaranteed. “Defined by feminists in the 1970s as a basic human right, it includes the right to abortion and birth control, but implies much more. To be realised, reproductive freedom must include […]
FAQ: Does feminism matter?
Hell yes. 1. Society deals with gender in a way that, on balance, harms women. 2. This is a problem that must be corrected. [yami (Green Gabbro): Feminisms] Related reading: All FAQ articles below have links to further reading on other sites Harm to women: FAQ:Isn’t feminism just playing “victim” politics? Gender inequity: FAQ:What is […]
FAQ: What’s wrong with suggesting that women take precautions to prevent being raped?
This FAQ has been updated with an addendum 2010-04-27 Short answer: Because it puts the onus on women not to get themselves raped, rather than on men not to do the raping; in short, it blames the victim. [From Grendelkhan, in comments, emphasis added] Why taking precautions doesn’t work Melissa McEwan points out that whether […]
shakesville
tekanji
tigtog
Recent Comments