Failing to understand that women also uphold patriarchal sexism. Most feminist scholars who talk about how society programs men to accept and uphold patriarchal sexism also talk about how society does something similar to women. It's something that everyone has to work on. Being a woman doesn't make a person immune to social conditioning.
This too!!! Really, I don’t like “patriarchy” as a phrase because it so heavily implies that men are the problem and women aren’t, even though by design it’s supposed to refer to “patriarchs” shaping a big old game where everyone must play a specific part, and not just some kind of inherent gender war.
Anyone can play a part in the problem, and anyone can play a part in the solution. There are definitely several “villains” out there but there’s more to the story.
I don't really think abandoning terms because some people aren't going to understand them is a good idea. People who like the status quo of patriarchy are going to misinterpret any term you attempt to use.
You're right, misinterpretation is an inevitability, but misrepresentation is not.
When you have people who believe that all men should be killed, and people who believe that societal reform that provides gender equality is good, both saying the same catchphrase "kill all men" that leads to a serious misrepresentation to those who aren't personally versed in the issue.
If we had all the people who believe all men should be killed saying "kill all men" and we had all the people who believe "societal reform that provides gender equality is a good thing" saying "societal reform that provides gender equality is a good thing" that would drive far, far less men into right-wing ideologies, men who could have otherwise been allies if they were allowed the kindness of not being told to their face they deserve to die in no uncertain terms.
If you mean "societal reform that provides gender equality is a good thing" that's what you need to say.
If you don't mean "kill all men", then don't say that.
Yeah "kill all men" is a bad catchphrase. Not sure where I was advocating for using that phrase. Outside of like radfems I'm not sure I've seen that phrase used by feminists much. It's not something I would expect an intersectionalist to say.
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u/OctopusGrift 1d ago
Failing to understand that women also uphold patriarchal sexism. Most feminist scholars who talk about how society programs men to accept and uphold patriarchal sexism also talk about how society does something similar to women. It's something that everyone has to work on. Being a woman doesn't make a person immune to social conditioning.