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Radical Feminism

Radical feminism is an alternative perspective on the women’s liberation movement which evolved from feminism. Radical Feminism targets the patriarchal social system, a social structure in which men hold greater power and predominant social roles both politically and culturally. Through analyzing the structures of power, radical feminists believe the practices associated to patriarchy are a cause of women’s oppression or as part of an interactive system. (Willis 1984, p.117.). Hence, radical feminists advocate for the reordering of society in which patriarchal relations are eradicated to liberate women from male domination. (Echols 1989, p.139.). The term “radical,” was coined through the incessant demand for extreme societal change by women. Radical feminists argue to dismantle cultural practices that manifest male superiority. They believe that only the elimination of the patriarchy and the destruction of male control can liberate women. (Mandel, p.32).Radical Feminism was born in the 1960’s, during the momentous actions of the African American people and their struggle for equal constitutional and legal rights. Their persistent voices and actions relayed heavy influence to urge the commencement of the second wave of feminism in the early 1960’s. During this social and political movement Americans and the world were witness to organized social movements, grassroots protests, and activist groups that banded in unity to abolish racial segregation. (Amos, 1984) it was during the second wave that radical feminism emerged at the hand of experienced activists who fought in the civil rights movement as well. From the works of radical protests for racial equality to the fight for gender equality, an activist relationship between people of all different ages, classes, ethnicities, and races were born. "Radical feminist discourse attempted to develop a universally valid and trans- historical account of women's oppression under global patriarchy which could be the basis for a universal sisterhood." (Weedon, p.49) As feminism gained momentum, it came to be understood that it was not a problem caused by a singular social injustice that oppressed women but was interconnected with social movements and organizations that claimed to stand for human liberation. (Kandiyot 1988, p.276). Radical feminists beliefs derive from the excretion of male dominance and the effects it has on the exploitation of women. It is disputed that women are a secondary character to their male counterparts, and as such have been systematically oppressed and marginalized. (Lumby, C. 1997) This idea proposes that men use the social system to their benefit. The patriarchal theory details a relationship of dominance, where one party is dominant and exploits the other for the benefit of the former, has provided evidence as to how the oppression of women is favourable to men. “The radical feminist movement views the patriarchy as a set of power relations, which aim to keep men’s control over women’s sexuality, labour and motherhood.” (Barnett 2013). Moreover, radicals theorize that men have tactically used the social system to their advantage in order to continue to suppress women. (Atkinson 2000, pg. 86). In attempts to rectify the fundamental imbalance between men and women, radical feminists have targeted social issues beyond sexism, having found a direct correlation with racism, anti-religious hatred, diabolism and homophobia. These prejudices work alongside sexism and are seemingly interconnected. This has allowed a greater range of voices to join the feminist movement.

  A target was presented at the overview of the patriarchal system by women during the sexual revolution in the 1960’s. As women began to negate their male counterparts and their pressing views on their personal sexual freedom, women adopted a greater emphasis on “sex-roles.” They believe their innate subordination stems from men’s control of female sexuality and their domination in social institutions. (Mandel, p.32). Radical feminists believed sexism was rooted in "complementary patterns of male and female behavior". (Harding,1987) Therefore, women began to place more attention on singular power institutions. Alternatively women and radical feminists began to analyze the constructs behind marriage, family, prostitution, and heterosexuality as a cause further perpetuating and maintaining the "sex-role system". (Crow, Barbara A, 2000) They saw all of these as institutions that too needed to be destroyed in order to further society. Consequentially, radical feminist groups spread across the United States rapidly from 1968 to 1972.

Radical feminism is not to be mistaken only as a movement to share ideologies and theories, but also proudly takes direct action. Generally, radical feminists use their platform to raise awareness on concrete aims. From the emergence of radicalism and feminism, feminists began to protest against sexual unity, gender stereotypes, gender roles, sexual freedom, etc. In 1968 radical feminism began its first major protest “Miss America Pageant,” with hope to shed light on "sexist beauty ideas and social expectations." ("Kreydatus, Beth. "Confronting The Bra-Burners" Teaching Radical Feminism With A Case Study"".). This only continued in the early 1970’s once women began to speak on behalf of abortion, only later to circumvent the abortion ban. Socially feminism let alone radical feminism has faced a lot of backlash and criticism. Feminism in general alongside the label of identifying oneself as a feminist is underlined with a negative connotation. Further to identify as a radical feminist associates stereotypes such as “a man hater, lesbian or killjoy.” Society has popularly shamed anyone who identifies with gender activism. Subsequently, these prejudices prove to silence ideas and theories that were initialized solely to provide an alternative perspective regarding gender and world issues. The misconception on feminism has made activism a form of radicalism. The medias interpretation on radicalism misconstrues the work of feminists universally. To demand a reform on social structure is considered radical, whilst the media has devised “radicalism” in a connotation of violence or hatred. Radical feminists unified with an attempt to see a futuristic look into the patriarchal structures and societal norms. Through proactive measures radical feminists hoped to dissolve further social issues before they fully emerged whilst suppressing outdated stereotypes. Some argue that radical feminism is too singular, dissimilar from intersectional feminism or black feminism. Yet radical feminists have outlined that the liberation for women means the liberation for all. (Thompson 2002, p.28). This is not to blame men as a singular antagonist in the writings of history or to assume “in creating and maintaining these systems, are acting purely as men, in accordance with peculiarly male characteristics or specifically male supremacist objectives" (Willis 1984). Radical feminism was not born on the intention to declare a war on men but a war on the patriarchal system itself. With aspirations to build a better world for future generations, feminism can be acknowledged as one of the most powerful social justice movements to date.

Common misconceptions behind feminism and the branch of radical feminism details that it solely is a concern for women when in actuality radical feminism helps to target men who too have been failed by the patriarchal system in leading institutions. Another common misconception is found between the confusion of feminism and sex discrimination legislation. Through the ignorance and lack of knowledge, radical feminism is being demonized. Yet in consideration by cooperating with radical feminist views society is able to gain a different vantage point to identify different problems as a new view point is brought forward.

Reference:

Crow, Barbara A., ed. Radical feminism: A documentary reader. NYU Press, 2000.

Willis, Ellen. "Radical feminism and feminist radicalism." Social text 9/10 (1984): 91-118.

Daly, Mary. Gyn/ecology: The metaethics of radical feminism. Beacon Press, 2016.

Amos, Valerie, and Pratibha Parmar. "Challenging imperial feminism." Feminist review 17, no. 1 (1984): 3-19.

Kandiyoti, Deniz. "Bargaining with patriarchy." Gender & society 2, no. 3 (1988): 274-290.

Ferguson, Ann. "Sex war: The debate between radical and libertarian feminists." Signs: journal of women in culture and society 10, no. 1 (1984): 106-112.

Luke, Carmen. "Feminist politics in radical pedagogy." Feminisms and critical pedagogy (1992): 25-53.

Harding, Sandra G., ed. Feminism and methodology: Social science issues. Indiana University Press, 1987.


Echols, Alice (1989). Daring To Be Bad: Radical Feminism in America 1967-1975. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.

Misra, Kalpana, & Melanie S. Rich, Jewish Feminism in Israel: Some Contemporary Perspectives. Hanover, N.H.: Univ. Press of New England (Brandeis Univ. Press), 1st ed. 2003. 

"Kreydatus, Beth. "Confronting The Bra-Burners" Teaching Radical Feminism With A Case Study"". History Teacher Academic Search Complete. Lumby, C. 1997. Bad girls: The media, sex and feminism in the 90s. Australia: Allen & Unwin Pty Ltd. (on reserve)

Macdonald, M. 1995. Representing women: Myths of femininity in the popular media. London: Hodder Headline PLC. (on reserve)

Barnett, Hilaire. Introduction to feminist jurisprudence. Routledge-Cavendish, 2013.

Wall, Misty L. "Feminist theory, lesbian parents, and social work." Sincronía 63 (2013): 1-20.

Langellier, K. & Hall, D. 1989. Interviewing Women: A Phenomenological approach to feminist communication research, in Doing research on women’s communication;Perspectives on theory and method. K Carter & C. Spitzack (Eds.) Norwood, NJ: Ablex Publishing Corporation. (on reserve)