Comments on: The comfortable feminist http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/2009/10/03/the-comfortable-feminist/ Wed, 08 Sep 2010 01:11:03 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Jill http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/2009/10/03/the-comfortable-feminist/#comment-154966 Jill Thu, 15 Oct 2009 22:14:12 +0000 http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/?p=2879#comment-154966 <em>"Twisty, you could be a TV star."</em> Gaak! I'd rather die screaming. “Twisty, you could be a TV star.”

Gaak! I’d rather die screaming.

]]> By: Felicity http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/2009/10/03/the-comfortable-feminist/#comment-154954 Felicity Thu, 15 Oct 2009 14:10:52 +0000 http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/?p=2879#comment-154954 A feminist TV channel is my fantasy dream. Free from dudes/ tools posting comments and having to take an edgy stance like in articles, it is imho totally the next step in a revolution. Finn Mackay doing speeches, writers, artists, witty people untangling the nonsense of every day craziness. Then we establish leaders. We might even need a password to watch the stuff. Even just a 'Women's Network' with a feminist angle! But in the UK we have enough men actually campaigning about stuff like 'Loose Women', which is a mere panel of four women discussing womanly things (about as far from feminist as you get). Mm the problems of a feminist TV channel in a patriarchy... Not saying it wouldn't reel in viewers - males with their testicles in a twist for a start. Plus it would be the only thing other than 'Living TV' which is female friendly. Who'd have thought women might enjoy TV which doesn't spew bitter hate at them? A feminist TV channel is my fantasy dream. Free from dudes/ tools posting comments and having to take an edgy stance like in articles, it is imho totally the next step in a revolution. Finn Mackay doing speeches, writers, artists, witty people untangling the nonsense of every day craziness. Then we establish leaders. We might even need a password to watch the stuff.

Even just a ‘Women’s Network’ with a feminist angle! But in the UK we have enough men actually campaigning about stuff like ‘Loose Women’, which is a mere panel of four women discussing womanly things (about as far from feminist as you get). Mm the problems of a feminist TV channel in a patriarchy…

Not saying it wouldn’t reel in viewers – males with their testicles in a twist for a start. Plus it would be the only thing other than ‘Living TV’ which is female friendly. Who’d have thought women might enjoy TV which doesn’t spew bitter hate at them?

]]> By: DaisyDeadhead http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/2009/10/03/the-comfortable-feminist/#comment-154951 DaisyDeadhead Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:04:56 +0000 http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/?p=2879#comment-154951 As an ex Yippie, of course, I have to say no, no, no to the Programme. I prefer Yippie tactics, designed to bring millions of now-apathetic women into the movement: <b>Mass burnings of diet books and cosmetics, huge bonfires. (Ideally, the size of a small island.) Sit-ins of selected patriarchs, wearing fun costumes. These could go on for days or weeks, with shifts changing. Free-access feminist TV, available 24/7. We could include music videos, interviews and stuff like that.</b> Twisty, you could be a TV star. Once we have the TV station up and running, we should be able to stage mass "tea parties" of our own. If Glenn Beck can do this, anyone can. Really. As an ex Yippie, of course, I have to say no, no, no to the Programme. I prefer Yippie tactics, designed to bring millions of now-apathetic women into the movement:

Mass burnings of diet books and cosmetics, huge bonfires. (Ideally, the size of a small island.)

Sit-ins of selected patriarchs, wearing fun costumes. These could go on for days or weeks, with shifts changing.

Free-access feminist TV, available 24/7. We could include music videos, interviews and stuff like that. Twisty, you could be a TV star.

Once we have the TV station up and running, we should be able to stage mass “tea parties” of our own.

If Glenn Beck can do this, anyone can. Really.

]]> By: Cathy http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/2009/10/03/the-comfortable-feminist/#comment-154892 Cathy Mon, 12 Oct 2009 22:26:38 +0000 http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/?p=2879#comment-154892 Jill, you have gotten to the core of the problem: Those with enough power to effect change are too comfortable to rock the boat (much), and those who are miserable enough have no power, as all their time is used just trying to survive. Your "wackaloon" idea will never go over with the menz, because they are so sure that women are all vindictive, fickle liars, that we might completely consent, but then in the morning change our minds because they left their dirty underwear on the floor. In other words, they are afraid that we will behave like them. Jill, you have gotten to the core of the problem: Those with enough power to effect change are too comfortable to rock the boat (much), and those who are miserable enough have no power, as all their time is used just trying to survive.

Your “wackaloon” idea will never go over with the menz, because they are so sure that women are all vindictive, fickle liars, that we might completely consent, but then in the morning change our minds because they left their dirty underwear on the floor. In other words, they are afraid that we will behave like them.

]]> By: 1st Step http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/2009/10/03/the-comfortable-feminist/#comment-154797 1st Step Fri, 09 Oct 2009 12:13:13 +0000 http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/?p=2879#comment-154797 Rescue Wikipedia from the clutches of Patriarchy, starting with the Patriarchy page. Rescue Wikipedia from the clutches of Patriarchy, starting with the Patriarchy page.

]]> By: Flores http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/2009/10/03/the-comfortable-feminist/#comment-154783 Flores Fri, 09 Oct 2009 03:36:31 +0000 http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/?p=2879#comment-154783 I feel compelled to jump to Firestone's defense. Her take on Freud and Marx still reads well to me. While later researchers rightfully tore Freud's methods apart, his importance can't denied. He wasn't merely making stuff up, but trying to interpret and explains the existing culture. Firestone showed how patriarchal constructions muddled his analysis; rather than being hopelessly dated, her revision of Freudian theory resonates with 21st-century reality. In like fashion, her cybernetic communism becomes more and more relevant with each advance in automation. It's grossly unfair to say she simply embraced the privileged and popular Marxist thought of her time. To the contrary, she disassembled and remade Marxism from a radical feminist perspective. She combined this recentered socialism with a prescient appreciation for the transformative power of technology. The Dialectic of Sex was a visionary work that will retain its impact for generations to come. I feel compelled to jump to Firestone’s defense. Her take on Freud and Marx still reads well to me. While later researchers rightfully tore Freud’s methods apart, his importance can’t denied. He wasn’t merely making stuff up, but trying to interpret and explains the existing culture. Firestone showed how patriarchal constructions muddled his analysis; rather than being hopelessly dated, her revision of Freudian theory resonates with 21st-century reality. In like fashion, her cybernetic communism becomes more and more relevant with each advance in automation. It’s grossly unfair to say she simply embraced the privileged and popular Marxist thought of her time. To the contrary, she disassembled and remade Marxism from a radical feminist perspective. She combined this recentered socialism with a prescient appreciation for the transformative power of technology. The Dialectic of Sex was a visionary work that will retain its impact for generations to come.

]]> By: fannie http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/2009/10/03/the-comfortable-feminist/#comment-154688 fannie Wed, 07 Oct 2009 16:33:59 +0000 http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/?p=2879#comment-154688 Laughingrat, Well, if the "critical acclaim" and reviews on Amazon are any indication, doods think the comic is the greatest thing since Wonder Bread. It's too bad really since, as you rightly note, it is essentially an MRA fantasy book that fails to acknowledge that, as Twisty notes, reality is a patriarchal dystopia. From the perspective of the one male character, the Amazon Womyn Hate Men (of course) For Practically No Reason At All! Laughingrat,

Well, if the “critical acclaim” and reviews on Amazon are any indication, doods think the comic is the greatest thing since Wonder Bread. It’s too bad really since, as you rightly note, it is essentially an MRA fantasy book that fails to acknowledge that, as Twisty notes, reality is a patriarchal dystopia. From the perspective of the one male character, the Amazon Womyn Hate Men (of course) For Practically No Reason At All!

]]> By: Ottawa Gardener http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/2009/10/03/the-comfortable-feminist/#comment-154641 Ottawa Gardener Wed, 07 Oct 2009 01:26:43 +0000 http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/?p=2879#comment-154641 Long time reader, first time commenter. May I just say, sign me up. Long time reader, first time commenter. May I just say, sign me up.

]]> By: procrastinatrix http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/2009/10/03/the-comfortable-feminist/#comment-154620 procrastinatrix Tue, 06 Oct 2009 20:21:06 +0000 http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/?p=2879#comment-154620 ..and I'm also a big fan of the Elimination of Consent idea. Looking forward to reading the Australian law stuff tonight. ..and I’m also a big fan of the Elimination of Consent idea. Looking forward to reading the Australian law stuff tonight.

]]> By: procrastinatrix http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/2009/10/03/the-comfortable-feminist/#comment-154600 procrastinatrix Tue, 06 Oct 2009 17:49:46 +0000 http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/?p=2879#comment-154600 Loving this post and the discussion in the comments. As a privileged, comfortable American feminist I lived in Ethiopia for three years in the early 2000's. I LOVED reading about the great work of the Ethiopian Women Lawyers Association, who bravely work for women's economic, political, civil rights, despite intermittent banning by successive governments there. Long way to go there as here, but these are some effective revolutionaries. Looked for a website but couldn't find one. Best I could do was this link on an Ethiopian affairs blog: http://nazret.com/blog/index.php?title=ethiopia_ethiopian_woman_awarded_by_the_&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1 Loving this post and the discussion in the comments.

As a privileged, comfortable American feminist I lived in Ethiopia for three years in the early 2000’s. I LOVED reading about the great work of the Ethiopian Women Lawyers Association, who bravely work for women’s economic, political, civil rights, despite intermittent banning by successive governments there.

Long way to go there as here, but these are some effective revolutionaries. Looked for a website but couldn’t find one. Best I could do was this link on an Ethiopian affairs blog: http://nazret.com/blog/index.php?title=ethiopia_ethiopian_woman_awarded_by_the_&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1

]]>