This is part of one of the most important theories we are beginning to articulate. We call it “the pro-woman line.” What it says basically is that women are really neat people. The bad things that are said about us as women are either myths (women are stupid), tactics women use to struggle individually (women are bitches), or are actually things that we want to carry into the new society and want men to share too (women are sensitive, emotional). Women as oppressed people act out of necessity (act dumb in the presence of men), not out of choice. Women have developed great shuffling techniques for their own survival (look pretty and giggle to get or keep a job or man) which should be used when necessary until such time as the power of unity can take its place. Women are smart not to struggle alone (as are blacks and workers). It is no worse to be in the home than in the rat race of the job world. They are both bad. Women, like blacks, workers, must stop blaming ourselves for our “failures.”
The Personal Is Political – Carol Hanisch
Here is an amusing realization: the quote above comes from the 1969 essay that contained the original statement that became one of the foundations of contemporary feminism: the personal is political.
More than four decades ago, it was already clear that, in order to survive, women had to use certain tactics that might appear, at first sight, as a compromise (acting in conventionally or stereotypically feminine ways, for instance). Yet, 42 years after this essay was written, not only do we still need to do so in order to fit in, but, women are still policed about the validity of such need.
And honestly, even within feminism we seem to have de-volved in many aspects. Because, still, all of these discussions only refer to performative femininity for cis, White women. Even the link to the post at Feministe, where the writer attempts to counter point the Huffington Post piece, all the “role models” presented are White and cis. Because yeah, generations pass but hegemony runs eternal.
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