From: gcf@panix.COM (Gordon Fitch)
Subject: Re: Basic Instinct Denied
Newsgroups: soc.feminism
Organization: mydog in exile
Date: 25 Jul 92 14:39:14 GMT

gcf@panix.com (Gordon Fitch) writes...
| GF> (some lines skipped...)
| GF> _Sexual_Politics_ and with feminist confrontation of the patriarchal
| GF> ideology around such issues as homosexuality.            ^^^^^^^^^^^
|     ^^^^^^^^

Will Steeves <goid@zooid.guild.org> writes:
| ...
| In this example, I point out your reference the "fact" of the
| "patriarchal ideology" on homosexuality... Now, without too much
| knowledge of feminist ideology, I do not know what this theory
| consists of.  So, I *would* be very curious to have it explained (I
| am *not* flaming or mocking you... I *am* serious in saying that I
| would like to see that concept explained)
|
| The reason why I criticised your reference to heterosexism as a
| "patriarchal ideology" is because it seems to imply that only men
| are capable of being heterosexist, and are the first and only people
| to eschew homosexuality.
|
| Believe me, I know plenty of women, not only men, who have *great*
| problems with homosexuality ... I don't agree with their objections,
| but I am not going to say "You're being heterosexist" (Yeah, I've
| got guts ... Not!)

I thought patriarchal theory was so well-known as not to need
description.  Surely this newsgroups FAQs suffice?  Very briefly,
patriarchalism is the theory that men are superior to women, and
that certain characteristics and values assigned to males are
superior to the complementary or opposed female values.  In the
case of homosexuality, a preference by a man for a female sexual
role clearly threatens the theory that the male sexual role is
superior.  It also blurs the distinction between men and women,
which under patriarchy is as clearly drawn as possible in order
to separate the good (male) from the evil or weak (female).

If the genders or sexes are equal, on the other hand, there is
no need to worry if they become blurred a bit or if some
members of one set emigrate to the other.

There is no implication that only men are capable of being
heterosexist.  It is quite common for women to accept patriarchal
values, just as it is common for racial minorities to accept
racist values.  One of the most difficult and revolutionary acts
for an oppressed category of people is breaking free from the
ideology of the oppressor, which often has more power than
even physical restraint.

| GF> I would like to open a discussion on why so many people feel that
| GF> sexuality is irrelevant to feminism.  Reading Usenet or the daily
| GF> newspapers, which are still replete with misogyny and homophobia --
|                                              ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
| GF> check out the "feminazi" discussion -- does not give me the idea that
|     ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
| ...
| Just because one opposes the views of ONE RADICAL FEMINIST who says,
| among other things, that "all heterosexual sex is rape" (!), and
| EVEN if one goes so far as to call her a "Feminazi" does NOT mean
| that one is showing hatred of women in general.  And if there IS any
| "hatred," it is to the ONE woman involved.

The "feminazi" discussion was energized by misogyny, in my
opinion.  I can't prove this, of course, without being able
to open up people's heads and take pictures of their ideas,
but the whole business -- from Rush Limbaugh on down, or I
should say, up, can be explained by hostility to women and
little else.  We're not talking about a few insults, but
passionate insistence that such a term was a legitimate part
of rational discourse.  I would invite you to go see for
yourself, but fortunately it has almost certainly gone off
the edge of the world for most systems by now, and awaits
the judgment of eternity in a few Limbaughian archives and
the FBI's famous Usenet tapes.
--
Gordon Fitch | gcf@panix.com | uunet!cmcl2!panix!gcf
*       1238 Blg. Grn. Sta., N.Y., N.Y. 10274      *


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