If I ever mention I'm a Radical feminist, or that I have a feminist blog, people tend be surprised, confused, even freaked out. In the social consciousness, "feminist" is bad enough, but active feminism? Radical feminism? Now that's extreme. And what's funny - by funny I mean unfortunate - is that society's level of "extremism" when it comes to liberal ideology is very, very low.
As soon as systems of oppression are pointed out, the average citizen in this society curses the damn libs for daring to criticise our progressive society. That same progressive society incarcerates and kills black people disproportionately to their crime. That same progressive society still only jails 3% of rapists. The evidence is literally in writing, check out the Australian Bureau of Statistics. So why is it that average levels of progressiveness are "extreme", while conservative anti-refugee propaganda is pretty standard?
Again, it all comes down to the fact that the people who have power in this society do not want to be challenged. People in power includes but is not limited to: White people, men, straight people, cisgender people, able-bodied people. It is no surprise that the agenda of the oppressors consists largely of ensuring upstart challenges to the status quo remains silenced. Yeah this sounds very Orwellian, but for all the drastic language I may use, this kind of social mentality exists in our everyday lives. Why are women characterised as overemotional when they get angry, if not to invalidate their complaints about the patriarchy? Why are black women characterised as sassy and angry even more so than white women if not to ensure that their voices are never taken seriously? Why are lesbians painted as ugly, mean, sub-culture weirdos if not to alienate them from mainstream society so that their words will never be heard?
Stating that there is an imbalance in equality is not a particularly drastic thing to say, unless you are afraid of toppling a fragile system custom built to provide you with unfair privilege. And while Radical feminist theory aims to change society in a way that is "extreme", what we need to recognise is that society is so "extremely" caught in a structure of oppression, that it is going to take some "extreme" remodelling to create even slight semblance to equality.
This blog is not extreme, and even if it was, that would be a good thing.
Again, it all comes down to the fact that the people who have power in this society do not want to be challenged. People in power includes but is not limited to: White people, men, straight people, cisgender people, able-bodied people. It is no surprise that the agenda of the oppressors consists largely of ensuring upstart challenges to the status quo remains silenced. Yeah this sounds very Orwellian, but for all the drastic language I may use, this kind of social mentality exists in our everyday lives. Why are women characterised as overemotional when they get angry, if not to invalidate their complaints about the patriarchy? Why are black women characterised as sassy and angry even more so than white women if not to ensure that their voices are never taken seriously? Why are lesbians painted as ugly, mean, sub-culture weirdos if not to alienate them from mainstream society so that their words will never be heard?
Stating that there is an imbalance in equality is not a particularly drastic thing to say, unless you are afraid of toppling a fragile system custom built to provide you with unfair privilege. And while Radical feminist theory aims to change society in a way that is "extreme", what we need to recognise is that society is so "extremely" caught in a structure of oppression, that it is going to take some "extreme" remodelling to create even slight semblance to equality.
This blog is not extreme, and even if it was, that would be a good thing.
:) Hannah
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