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Radical Feminism - Thinkers - Coggle Diagram
Radical Feminism - Thinkers
KEY THINKER: Kate Millett
Kate Millett was a
SECOND WAVE
feminist and believed that sex based oppression is both political and cultural
She identified the role of both sexism and heterosexism within modern novelists as she believed that the portrayal of women (particularly lesbian women) was largely degrading
Key works: Sexual Politics (1969)
Millett concludes that patriarchy demands a revolution in the domestic division of labour with radical alterations towards personal and family lifestyles. As a solution, she advocates undoing the traditional family unit
Radical Perspectives on the patriarchy
Kate Millett:
Looked at the family to aid understanding of the patriarchy. In marriage, women are exploited both sexually and economically
Her work 'Sexual Politics' was a criticism of the role of men in patriarchal society. Men oppress women in all fields: home, the economy, in life. The domination is political because it involves power.
Millett had much to do with the idea of male chauvinism
Germaine Greer: Wrote within 'The Female Eunuch' (1970) that men actually hated women and that is why they oppress them.
Furthermore, women have been taught to hate themselves and willingly subject themselves to an inferior position
Pushed for a need in female consciousness as she quoted that:
'Until women themselves reject the stigma and refuse to feel shame for the way others treat them, they have no hope of achieving full human stature'
Shulamith Firestone: Wrote 'The Dialectic of Sex' (1970). Firestone saw the history of civilisation as a dialectic struggle between men and women (in a similar way to Marx's view of dialectic class struggle)
The origins of the gender struggle lay in the biological differences between men and women and the traditional bondage which women faced by being confined to life at home
Her solution to this was to abolish gender norms and embrace forms of androgyny. This would give people a genuine right to free choice and biological sex would become unimportant. The idea of heterosexual relationships being 'normal' would not exist. There would be a sense of normality and no 'normal' at all
Patriarchy exists because women are constrained by childbirth and housework, destined forever to be enslaved by men.
Believed women should be liberated from the barbaric nature of pregnancy
Andrea Dworkin: Campaigned against sexual oppression of women and in particular, she saw pornography as symptomatic of men's view of women as little more than sex objects
This could only be combatted by women forming themselves in lesbian communities. As long as women allow themselves to be sex objects for men, they will never achieve true liberation
Such feminists as Millett, Greer and Firestone all have in common their stress on the importance of specifically female consciousness of patriarchy.
Women's consciousness of their own inferiority stems partly from their biological role, which appears to be subordinate to men and partly due to the view they have of themselves, which is imposed by men
Patriarchy destroys any ideas of potential liberation among women. Zillah Eisenstein criticised the limited horizons of liberal feminists and the self-delusion that women have the potential to liberate themselves
Summary of Kate Millett's views
Believes that sexism and heterosexualism reinforce patriarchy
The views that heterosexual relationships are superior to homosexual ones reinforces the superiority of the male
Patriarchy is intensely political as it focuses on all aspects of life, this leads to the concept of liberation politics
Sexual liberation (therefore lesbianism) is required in order to achieve women's liberation
Whilst mainly concerned with sexual orientation, she looked towards society and economy
Not a socialist but did consider the view of working class women and she criticises other feminists for focusing on middle class women
Kate Millett's views on the key themes
Human nature: Women are all capable of freeing themselves from male oppression by engaging in lesbian relationships
The state: The state is merely an agent of the patriarchy. It is part of the problem NOT the solution
(differs to liberal feminists who believed utilising the state would lead to progression)
Society: Modern society is completely characterised by patriarchy which is all pervasive and infests both the private and public sphere
Economy: Millett is a quasi-socialist BUT this is not fundamental to her feminism