Radical Feminism 5 ALREADY PASSED

Radical Feminism is -DISMANTLING PATRIARCHY Where did Radical Feminism come from? -Started in the late 1960s Grew out of the women's liberation movement Sees women's oppression as the root of all oppression (radical = 'of the roots') Not allied to pre-existing political/ philosophical systems - the first such system to be overtly woman- centred (by women, for women) Key concept: "the personal is political" How does radical feminism explain gender inequalities? -As a product of male domination of women, or patriarchy (see Millett, 1970, Sexual Politics) - women seen as an oppressed political class And patriarchy's 'sex/gender' system, an ideology that constructs masculinity and femininity as opposites in ways that systematically favour men How do radical feminisms believe that gender inequalities are maintained? -Women's oppression is maintained by socialisation, the structures of institutions (including marriage, compulsory heterosexuality, schooling, the labour market), and some coercion/force (including rape) Key aims of radical feminism -To eliminate male control To do this, gender, as constructed under patriarchy, must be eliminated Some (e.g. Millett) look to androgyny - integrating best 'masculine' & 'feminine' traits Others (e.g. Daly) see the solution in rejecting patriarchy's version of femininity (it's good to be a 'wild female' or 'hag', to reject a 'slave morality', which values self-sacrifice and self-deprivation) Seek to create an entirely new social system - liberal reforms won't touch the deeper oppression of patriarchy