France, Alternative Libertair #222 - The Dico antipatriarcat Elisa: What is feminism? (fr)

The Dico antipatriarcat Elisa: What is feminism?
Feminism is a movement that developed in the nineteenth century, for equal rights between 
men and women (right to work, to vote, to education, control of their bodies ...) and 
whose contours theoretical current, although different, are largely from the Women's 
Liberation Movement (WLM) of the 1970s. It challenges both patriarchy (political and 
economic system based on the exploitation of women by men) and sexism (which justifies 
inequalities by combining a set of prejudices to every kind of innate qualities and 
defects). Therefore, beyond the political, economic and social feminists also raise the 
issue of domestic and sexual exploitation, saying that "the personal is political."

But this movement knows from the outset a very wide variety of analysis and strategy. 
Should denounce social conditioning, or upgrade the roles of women, hitherto denigrated or 
invisible (the second position of feminism finally broke ranks)? What is the relationship 
between the feminist struggle and the struggle against capitalism? If feminism "liberal" 
simply assert the equality of women before the law, others also raise the question of 
economic exploitation.

But for feminist class struggle, women's issues are consequences of capitalism, radical 
feminists denounce specific oppression. The place of men in this struggle also poses 
question. If the non-mixing has often been used to allow self-organization of women to the 
bad faith of the men who accused him of dividing the proletariat radical lesbianism pushed 
to its climax. More recently, the pro-sex feminism has challenged the anti-prostitution 
and anti-pornography movement largely denouncing him about the commodification of sexuality.

Also, many issues have evolved. Until the right to vote in 1944, the main demands included 
equal rights. After May 68, the perpetuation of relations of domination in the struggles 
made to realize that the oppression of women was not soluble anti-capitalism. The MLF was 
born and the willingness of autonomous struggle and led the fight to free disposal of 
their bodies by women (abortion rights, the fight against rape and violence). Since the 
1980s, the movement has continued to evolve: consideration of racism in the oppression of 
minority women, over identity questions (queer movement). Today, the media suggest that 
feminism has no raison d'?tre. But social inequalities are very real: part-time, double 
day, precariousness and generally lower wages. The crisis may not fix things. And closures 
abortion centers remind us that without a constant struggle, patriarchy could soon 
challenge the past victories.