Definition of Radical Feminism
A Look Within the History and Understanding of the Movement
Nov 20, 2008
The 19th Amendment, which was passed in 1920, is seen as the marking point of the separation between liberal feminists and radical feminists. There is a certain criterion when defining radical feminism, and how it takes its lessons from Marxism is just as important to understand. There are two forms of radical feminism, and it seems that all feminists who see themselves as radicals are either one or the other. Radical feminism is seen to be an action-packed form of feminism, where followers are leaving the inactive liberal feminists groups to dive into the trenches of radical feminism.
What is Radical Feminism?
To understand the movement is to understand the standards. Those standards are: Women were historically the first oppressed group, and most widespread. It exists in everywhere. Women’s oppression cannot be removed by social changes. Women’s oppression is above class oppression. It has high levels of sexist prejudices, and causes the most suffering to victims. Women’s oppression brings a level of understanding to other types of oppression. Radical feminism is said to derive from several notions of Marxism. The main idea being used from Marxist theory is the concept of a the oppressors and the oppressed. Therefore, radical feminists want to destroy the whole concept of the sex/gender as a class system, and wish to end the idea of differences between men and women.
What are the Variations of Radical Feminism?
Radical feminsim is known for its activism. Some of those actions can be seen as staged sit-ins, acted out dramatizations, and marches. There are essentially two forms of radical feminism, radical-libertarian and radical-cultural feminists. Radical-libertarian feminists beliefs stem from the idea that gender is an aspect that is separated from sex, and that male dominated societies place unyielding gender rules to control women. Patriarchy is the primary oppressor, not individual men. The deconstruction of the nuclear family in favor for the communal family and contracted motherhood would also break chains of mothering stereotypes. Radical-libertarian feminists believe women should have free rein to choose sexual preferences, essentially nothing is taboo. On the other hand, radical-cultural feminists conclude that the idea of heterosexuality is male domination over females, and it sets the stage for a number of vices such as rape, sexual harassment, abuse, and prostitution. The thought is, if women want to be real feminists, they have to become lesbians, shirking the mental connection between women to men. Concerning pornography, radical-cultural feminists wish to restrict the material that encourages men mistreat women, which also keeps women feeling their second-class citizenship. Radical-cultural feminists believe women are natural mothers, and the rights of female reproduction are important. To both classes of radical feminism, men should be educated about women, and shown that their attitudes are detrimental to women. Only after this could men and women band together to change patriarchy.
What the movement has done for the United States women is to give them issues to focus on and artistic drive. Radical feminists have pushed for many women’s rights we know today, such as contraceptives, improvements to the Pill, legalization of abortion, and in-vitro fertilization. The radical feminists have gained a lot of ground and respect from the GLBT movements, in helping to ease the fear and hate of homosexuality. The movement has come a long way, and it can only grow and help the world deal with the winds of change.
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Sources
Brownmiller, Susan. In Our Time. New York, New York: The Dial Press, 1999.
Firestone, Shulamith. Dialectic of Sex. New York, New York: William Morrow and Company, Inc., 1970.
Tong, Rosemarie Putnam. Feminist Thought. Boulder, Colorado: Westview Press, 1998.
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