radical feminism
Dec 11 2006 22:50
i'm not on a recruiting drive ;D, but i often get asked about radfem stuff to read, or what radfems believe, and i found a good reading list, so thought id post it up for those who are or might be interested.
so here it is, nicked off another site.
Radical Lesbian Feminist Theory
Spinster and Her Enemies, Sheila Jeffreys
A Passion for Friends, Jan Raymond
Call Me Lesbian, Julia Penelope
The Lesbian Heresy, Sheila Jeffreys
The Lesbian Body, Monique Wittig
Politics of Reality, Marilyn Frye
Willful Virgin: Essays in Feminism 1976-1992, Marilyn Frye
Lesbian Ethics, Sarah Hoagland
Radical Feminist Theory - General/Collections
Sister/Outsider, Audre Lorde
Love and Politics, Carol Anne Douglas
The Dialectic of Sex--The Case for Feminist Revolution, Shulamith Firestone
Sisterhood is Powerful, Robin Morgan, ed.
Radical Feminism: A Documentary Reader, edited by Barbara A. Crow
Radically Speaking: Feminism Reclaimed, Renate Klein and Diane Bell
Feminism Unmodified, Catharine MacKinnon
Three Guineas, Virginia Woolf
Sexual Politics, Kate Millett
Radical Feminism, Anne Koedt, Ellen Levine, and Anita Rapone, eds. On Lies, Secrets and Silence, Adrienne Rich
Beyond Power: On Women, Men and Morals, Marilyn French
Feminism Unmodified: Discourses on Life and Law, Catharine MacKinnon
Femininity and Domination: Studies in the Phenomenology of Oppression, Sandra Bartky
Women, Culture, and Politics, Angela Davis
Life and Death, Andrea Dworkin
This Bridge Called My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color, Gloria Anzaldua and Cherrie Moraga, eds.
The Whole Woman, Germaine Greer
Wildfire: Igniting the She/Volution, Sonia Johnson
Right Wing Women, Andrea Dworkin, New York
Homegirls: A Black Feminist Anthology, Barbara Smith ed.
Fugitive Information, Kay Leigh Hagan
Talking Back: Thinking Feminist, Thinking Black, bell hooks
Deals with the Devil and Other Reasons to Riot, Pearl Cleage
"What is Feminism?" De Clark, Feminista!, vol 3, no 10
http://www.feminista.com/archives/v3n10/clarke.html
Pilgrimages/Peregrinajes, Maria Lugones
Feminist Theory - Specific Areas
Prostitution
Female Sexual Slavery, Kathleen Barry
"Women, Lesbians, and Prostitution: A Workingclass Dyke Speaks Out Against Buying Women for Sex," by Toby Summer, in Lesbian Culture: An Anthology, Julia Penelope and Susan Wolfe, eds.
"Ten Reasons for Not Legalizing Prostitution," Jan Raymond
http://sisyphe.org/article.php3?id_article=691
"The Legalisation of Prostitution : A failed social experiment," Sheila Jeffreys
http://sisyphe.org/article.php3?id_article=697
Pornography
Pornography: Men Possessing Women, Andrea Dworkin
Pornography: Evidence of the Harm, Diana Russell
Pornography and Sexual Violence: Evidence of the Links (transcript of Minneapolis hearings published by Everywoman in the UK)
Rape
Against Our Will, Susan Brownmiller
Rape In Marriage, Diana Russell
Incest
Secret Trauma, Diana Russell
Battering/Domestic Violence
Loving to Survive, Dee Graham
Lesbian Sadomasochism
Unleashing Feminism: Critiquing Lesbian Sadomasochism in the Gay Nineties, Irene Reti, ed.
The Sex Wars, Lisa Duggan and Nan D. Hunter, eds.
"Sex, Lies, and Feminism" Charlotte Croson, off our backs, June 2001
www.questioningtransgender.org/sexlies.htm
Separatism/Women-Only Space
"No Dobermans Allowed," Carolyn Gage, in Lesbian Culture: An Anthology, Julia Penelope and Susan Wolfe, eds.
For Lesbians Only: A Separatist Anthology, Julia Penelope & Sarah Hoagland, eds.
"Women-Only Spaces: An Alternative To Patriarchy," Jennie Ruby http://www.questioningtransgender.org/WomOnlySpace.htm
"Exploring the Value of Women-Only Space," Kya Ogyn
http://www.questioningtransgender.org/support.htm
Medicine
Witches, Midwives and Nurses: A History of Women Healers, Barbara Ehrenreich and Deirdre English
For Her Own Good: 150 Years of the Experts' Advice to Women, Barbara Ehrenreich and Deirdre English
The Hidden Malpractice: How American Medicine Treats Women as Patients and Professionals, Gena Corea
The Mother Machine: Reproductive Technologies from Artificial Insemination to Artificial Wombs, Gena Corea
Women and Madness, Phyllis Chesler
"Women, Health and the Politics of Fat," Amy Winter, in Rain And Thunder, Autumn Equinox 2003, No. 20.
Motherhood
Of Woman Born, Adrienne Rich
The Reproduction of Mothering, Nancy Chodorow
Maternal Thinking: Toward a Politics of Peace, Sara Ruddick
Marriage/Heterosexuality
The Sexual Contract, Carol Pateman
"A Radical Dyke Experiment for the Next Century: 5 Things to work for Instead of Same-Sex Marriage" Betsy Brown in off our backs, January 2000 V.30; N.1 p. 24
http://www.offourbacks.org/MorFeat.htm#ARadical
Intercourse, Andrea Dworkin, Touchstone, 1997
Transsexuality/Transgender/Queer Politics
The Transsexual Empire: The Making of the She-Male, Janice Raymond
Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity, Judith Butler
Unpacking Queer Politics, Sheila Jeffreys
"Men in Ewes' Clothing: The Stealth Politics of the Transgender Movement," Karla Mantilla in off our backs April 2000
www.questioningtransgender.org/stealth.htm
"Teena Brandon: The Unmaking of a Lesbian," Carolyn Gage
www.questioningtransgender.org/brandon.htm
Language
Speaking Freely: Unlearning the Lies of the Father's Tongues, Julia Penelope
Websters' First New Intergalactic Wickedary, Mary Daly
Feminist Theology/Spirituality/Religion
Gyn/Ecology: The Metaethics of Radical Feminism, Mary Daly
The Gods and Goddesses of Old Europe, Marija Gimbutas
Woman, Church and State, Matilda Joslyn Gage
The Women's Bible, Elizabeth Cady Stanton
Pure Lust, Mary Daly
Backlash
The War Against Women, Marilyn French
Backlash, Susan Faludi
History/Memoir
Surpassing the Love of Men, Lillian Faderman
AntiClimax, Sheila Jeffreys
Going Too Far: The Personal Chronicles of a Feminist, Robin Morgan
The Creation of Patriarchy, Gerda Lerner
The Creation of Feminist Consciousness, From the Middle Ages to Eighteen-Seventy, Gerda Lerner, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1993
Why History Matters, Gerda Lerner
A Vindication of the Rights of Women, Mary Wollstonecraft, ed.
The Elizabeth Cady Stanton-Susan B. Anthony Reader: Correspondence, Writings, Speeches by Ellen Carol Dubois (Editor), Gerda Lerner, Elizabeth Cady Stanton
The Suffragette Movement, Sylvia Pankhurst
In Our Time: Memoirs of a Revolution, Susan Brownmiller
Women, Race and Class, Angela Y. Davis
Science/Gender
Myths of Gender, Anne Fausto-Sterling
Economy
If Women Counted, Marilyn Waring
For-Giving: A Feminist Criticism of Exchange, Genevieve Vaughn
Fat/Body Image
Shadow on a Tightrope: Writings by Women on Fat Oppression, Lisa Schoenfielder and Barb Wieser
The Beauty Myth, Naomi Wolf
Unbearable Weight: Feminism, Western Culture, and the Body, Susan Bordo
The Invisible Woman: Confronting Weight Prejudice in America, Charisse Goodman
Disability
With the Power of Each Breath: A Disabled Women's Anthology, Susan E. Browne, Debra Connors, and Nanci Stern
and here's a list of online sources compiled by me 
feminist reprise
check out the article archive, and another booklist. also, amy blogs
i blame the patriarchy
highly amusing blog by twisty faster
mad sheila musings
blog
a view from a broad
gulf vet and movie fan ginmar - radical feminism mixed with rants about horror movies
kirsten anderberg
anarchist and radical feminist
laurelin in the rain
blog from laurelin
screaming into the void
blog from amananta
sparkle*matrix
"musings of a mad geordie woman"
trash talks back
blog
well i'll go to the foot of the stairs
blog
the primary contradiction
"influenced by radical feminism, Marxism, post-colonial theory, and anti-imperialism"
feminista
ezine which hasnt been updated for a long time but has great archives
anyway, theres tons of links on all of those, but thats a decent selection for anyone wanting to find out more about radical feminism.
i'm cross posting this elsewhere.
Dec 11 2006 22:58
#2
yeah cheers for that, except this is a discussion forum and not a womens study undergrad course.
I'd prefer it if arf actually presented her own arguments instead of sending me links and reading lists that don't directly address the points of discussion.
BTW Angela Davis and a no doubt a good few others you list as radical feminists are not "Radical Feminists", radical feminists are just not feminists who are "radical", it refers to a specific strain of feminist thought, it's not like you can just call Emma Goldman a radical feminist because she was a radical women with uncompromising politics.
Dec 11 2006 23:15
#3
look- i put the booklist here because a couple of people have asked for sources. it doesnt matter whether all the authors on the list specifically id as radical feminists or not, the books on the list are recommended by radical feminists themselves as being relevant to radical feminism. the category "radical feminism" is pretty new, only a few decades old, so there are going to be lots of resources that radfems recommend that dont id as radfem. take it or leave it, its there as a place to start, not to start or cause an argument.
i havent read many of those books myself, like i said i nicked the booklist from another source. i made the weblist from sources i visit often, many of them are friends who i think are good radfem writers, writing about radical feminism as it is evolving now.
so, take it or leave it. if you aint interested, dont look further. thats simple enough.
Dec 11 2006 23:20
#4
no it's fair enough but i'd prefer to actually discuss concrete issues rather than play pokemon cards with links and books.
Dec 11 2006 23:30
#5
im happy to do that, about stuff i know about- i tend to read but not comment on subjects i know fuck all about. its just that i keep promising to send people lists of stuff and being a slacker i never actually seem to get round to it, so when i saw the list i thought, right, i'll do it now. i wasnt meaning to start a discussion really, just provide some info. i thought 'thought' was the right place for that.
Dec 11 2006 23:35
#6
also - the beauty myth by naomi wolf is not very good, imo. i think she's more of a liberal feminist and the book was kind of dull. theres another book by sheila jeffreys on the same subject, beauty and misogyny, which i havent read yet, but have heard really good things about, maybe that would be a better recommendation.
and, i have "speaking freely" as a pdf if anyone wants me to email it to them.
Dec 11 2006 23:50
#7
Leave off it revol, she's providing what she thinks is a useful list for people to read if they so wish. If you want to critique have a go at the books selected (giving reasons) not the effort.
Dec 12 2006 00:02
#8
saii do you read my posts or do you just see my tag and then post?
I said fair enough I was just pointing out that i think the issues need to be discussed concretely between people on the boards.
Dec 12 2006 00:18
#9
True what revol says about radical feminism. It's a fairly distinct variety from other flavours of feminism.
In the medicine category, I've read the first (it was in zine format, not sure if it's also a proper book) and looked through the second, both by Barbara Ehrenreich and Deirdre English. They are both awesome. To the list I would add A New View of a Woman's Body the Federation of Feminist Women's Health Centers which I beleive is now out of print but is one of the most awesome books ever written IMHO. I don't think it's radical feminist but I never miss an opprotunity to reccomend it. 
Dec 12 2006 00:24
#10
I really appreciate arf posting this, and I couldn't give a fuck where it is, because I'm not captious, just so long as it is made available to me. )
Dec 12 2006 00:26
#11
Arf
Actually i quite like the bits I have read of "The Beauty Myth".. Naomi may be liberal (even more moderate now or so I have heard.. 
)but there is still some amazingly quotable stuff in there - I remember a particular bit I referred to earlier this year on these boards had peeps in a spin and no mistake...no messing..
I guess the reading list prob. belongs in the library somewhere as a reference guide thingy - not quite sure where - an admin. geek should be able to assist. 
Dec 12 2006 00:27
#12
James
I like you. Er.. but what does "captious" mean????
Do you mean "capricious"?? One of my fave words..
Dec 12 2006 00:30
#13
Captious means pedantic or caviling.
Dec 12 2006 00:32
#14
James
Cool - that is a great new word... (new for me that is...)
Dec 12 2006 00:32
#15
James
Cool - that is a great new word... (new for me that is...)
Double post - I must like the new word A LOT.. 
Dec 12 2006 00:49
#16
re naomi wolf
i read the beauty myth once, a couple of years ago, and i just didnt feel enthused (if thats the right word) by it. i felt it was a bit dull. but i'll give it another look now, seeing as you disagree. i have recently read "misconceptions" by her, which was again, a bit dull. its like i already know everything she's saying, and she doesnt really go far enough, iyswim? just as i feel she's beginning to grasp something, she ends and moves on, it's a bit frustrating.
Dec 12 2006 01:12
#17
Arf
I haven't read the whole thing, as I said.. but the place I was coming from in giving it a recco is that I felt it to be enlightening for peeps who are a LOT less informed than you.. I am sure you WOULD want her to take things further.. me too.. but for some peeps our ongoing journey is their major wake-up call, iyswim??? (I refer to naive men, btw.. 
)
Love
LW X
Dec 12 2006 01:15
#18
revol68 wrote:
I'd prefer it if arf actually presented her own arguments instead of sending me links and reading lists that don't directly address the points of discussion.
Btw Revol - mebbe this wasn't entirely aimed at you, y'know - ego boy..
Dec 12 2006 09:49
#19
I don't know about the content of most of those books, cheers to arf for posting though, there's nothing wrong with posting up lists of books or whatever.
One thing about kirsten anderberg, I don't if people remember when she turned up here? During her spat with infoshop's Chuck (and people know we have our disagreements with infoshop) her behaviour was pretty appalling - and not very feminist. She was reduced to mass emailing hundreds or thousands of groups and people (including us) saying that Chuck lived with his mum and couldn't get laid, as if "getting" a woman would make him more of a man or something 
(that's if it was even true in the first place)
Here's the thread (wow I'd totally forgotten that!)
Dec 12 2006 10:26
#20
I'd like to add a recommendation to the transsexual/gender category:
Stone Butch Blues, by Leslie Feinberg
Memoirs of a working-class butch born in '50s New York state. Also, go to her website, s/he's a pretty awesome individual all-around.
Dec 12 2006 12:08
#21
If anything in there advocates herbal abortifacients I'll be super-pissed. 
Dec 12 2006 12:10
#22
John. wrote:
I don't know about the content of most of those books, cheers to arf for posting though, there's nothing wrong with posting up lists of books or whatever.One thing about kirsten anderberg, I don't if people remember when she turned up here? During her spat with infoshop's Chuck (and people know we have our disagreements with infoshop) her behaviour was pretty appalling - and not very feminist. She was reduced to mass emailing hundreds or thousands of groups and people (including us) saying that Chuck lived with his mum and couldn't get laid, as if "getting" a woman would make him more of a man or something
Here's the thread (wow I'd totally forgotten that!)
yeah i hadn't put 2 = 2 together.
That women is crazy, remember the fun we all had pulling mental shit from her website. She seemed to have a massive chip on her shoulder about Male Superanarchists, namely folks who got published, and she wanted a slice of the cake. He crappy articles are copyrighted et al.
Dec 12 2006 12:10
#23
Refused i thought you didn't drink
Dec 12 2006 12:18
#24
Thanks arf
John. wrote:
I don't know about the content of most of those books, cheers to arf for posting though, there's nothing wrong with posting up lists of books or whatever.One thing about kirsten anderberg, I don't if people remember when she turned up here? During her spat with infoshop's Chuck (and people know we have our disagreements with infoshop) her behaviour was pretty appalling - and not very feminist. She was reduced to mass emailing hundreds or thousands of groups and people (including us) saying that Chuck lived with his mum and couldn't get laid, as if "getting" a woman would make him more of a man or something
Here's the thread (wow I'd totally forgotten that!)
That thread was amazing - isn't weird reading back over stuff you wrote almost two years ago though?
Dec 12 2006 12:32
#25
Thora wrote:
That thread was amazing - isn't weird reading back over stuff you wrote almost two years ago though?
Shit yeah how time flies...
It'll be *really* weird in the future if we can read what we wrote 15 years ago...
Dec 12 2006 12:35
#26
What a horrible thought
Dec 12 2006 12:37
#27
I remember neing surprised at agreeing with Thora in that thread. Especially since I was still a reactionary fuckwad at the time.
Dec 12 2006 13:24
#28
I just read the links about prostitution from sisyphe, they were pretty useful.
Dec 12 2006 13:49
#29
revol68 wrote:
... it's not like you can just call Emma Goldman a radical feminist because she was a radical women with uncompromising politics.
No, but I think you can call her radical because she moved beyond the suffragettes to demand free love for women and contraceptives.
Dec 12 2006 13:51
#30
treeofjudas wrote:
revol68 wrote:
... it's not like you can just call Emma Goldman a radical feminist because she was a radical women with uncompromising politics.No, but I think you can call her radical because she moved beyond the suffragettes to demand free love for women and contraceptives.
which is pretty much what i said, though by recent standards the demand for contraceptives and "free love" ain't very radical at all.
Lovely.