quote:
I just wish more feminist organizations would contribute to demonstrating that both men and women are confined, controlled, and victimized by society in different ways.
From what I've read and experienced, most do. However, you'd never know it by the tone of Adriene Sere's article (linked in OP), which oversimplifies the issue beyond recognition. Even Syamsu wouldn't be shameless enough to expect people to believe this bald assertion:
But violence against all women by men of all races continues to be treated as trivial and within men's rights.
Really? Where? In Mongolia?
The laziness of this critique is a shame, seeing as how it deals with such a crucial issue. Unfortunately, even Ward Churchill puts more thought into his fulminations than is on display here. Although she quotes the insightful words of Angela Davis asking the pertinent question,
On the one hand, it is necessary to create legal remedies for women who are survivors of violence. But on the other hand, when the remedies rely on punishment within institutions that further promote violence--against women and men--how do we work with this contradiction? , Sere then shows how insecure her own case is by demonizing anyone who would dare disagree with her position on Davis's dilemma:
Activists should be wary, however, of the potential for criticisms to be used by misogynists to dissuade women from exercising their right to police and legal protection.
So if anyone agrees with Davis that the penal system is basically state-sponsored violence, or raises doubt about the government's role in eradicating the rape culture from which it benefits, then by Sere's standards, that person is a misogynist. There are a lot better analyses of this issue, believe me.
regards,
Esteban Hambre
™ Version 4.2
