Issues

FAQ: Isn’t "the Patriarchy" just some conspiracy theory that blames all men, even decent men, for women’s woes?

By tigtog March 21, 2007 66 Comments

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

By tigtog March 20, 2007 2 Comments

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?

By tigtog March 19, 2007 27 Comments

(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"?

By tigtog March 17, 2007 1 Comment

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 […]

Saturday Retrospective: early feminist writings

By tigtog March 17, 2007

Please feel free to leave comments quoting your favourite excerpts from these and why they speak to you. A Vindication of the Rights of Women (1792) by Mary WollestonecraftWith Strictures on Political and Moral Subjects It would be an endless task to trace the variety of meannesses, cares, and sorrows, into which women are plunged […]

FAQ: What can feminism do for me?

By tigtog March 15, 2007 1 Comment

You will find that you are not alone in thinking something is disturbing and unjust with the way that society deals with gender. my first encounter with feminist writing reassured me that i wasn’t insane, and that amongst other things, it was in fact normal to be bothered by violence and misogyny. [m. (sthreeling): 5 […]

FAQ: Does feminism matter?

By tigtog March 15, 2007 2 Comments

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?

By tigtog March 15, 2007 130 Comments

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 […]

FAQ: What is male privilege?

By tigtog March 11, 2007 133 Comments

Before discussing “male privilege” it is first important to define what privilege means in an anti-oppression setting. Privilege, at its core, is the advantages that people benefit from based solely on their social status. It is a status that is conferred by society to certain groups, not seized by individuals, which is why it can […]

FAQ: Isn’t feminism just "victim" politics?

By tigtog March 10, 2007 6 Comments

updated 01May07 No. Women as a class are subjected to real hardship and oppression just because they are women. This is unjust. Pointing out that women are disproportionately victimised is accurate analysis, not “playing victim”. Witchy-Woo on the “will you women just stop whining” subtext: I think that those who would rather avoid acknowledging the […]