bell hooks part three
This week we will read only 1 chapter and hyperfocus our attention on it. We are also going to collect related contemporary materials, so that when we discuss the chapter we can have a greater clarity of what it means to put the theory in this chapter into practice (or not).
Chapter 5 of "From Margin to Center" by bell hooks, titled, "Men: Comrades in Struggle"
Feminism is women's work if only to create social equality for women, not an end to oppression.
oppreseed men who then
"Often feminist activists talk about male abuse of women as if it is an exercise of privilege rather than an expression of moral bankruptcy, insanity, and dehumanization." 77
she makes distinction between oppression / domination & sexual violence not an exercise of privilege but rather the affect of the demoralizing system that we are all under. (the perpetrator doesn't meaningfully benefit) who does benefit is the capitalist patriarchy who isn't being rebelled against.
Pitting women against men is an antagonistic stance that distracts everyone from seeing and fighting against the larger system(s) of oppression: capitalism, patriarchy. It also feeds the fire that is men's rights activists, which ultimately blames women for the suffering they experience under patriarchy, rather than recognizing and working against patriarchy itself.
"sexism as the oldest form of oppression" ?
Separatism ignores that women are able to be influenced by and perpetuate toxic masculinity. Perhaps we should use language that places blame on toxic masculinity rather than men, although maybe that lets men off the hook too much because its an abstract concept/quality that men can claim they don't possess.
Pitting women against men is an antagonistic stance that distracts everyone from seeing and fighting against the larger system of oppression.
"the unemphasized point, which is that men can lead life-affirming, meaningful lives without exploiting and oppressing women." 73
bell hook's is sort of explaining male oppressive behavior against women, but not excusing it. That is can be explained but not justified. hooks makes a case for looking at the problem in more than one way.
Its possible for women to opress in a male style, as was given in an group members anecdote about queer female dynamics that internalize pateriarchy. Partirarchy can exist without men.
problem leaving it up to movment is verilent effect of brining up offence... that they purpertrator will get attacked. councelers / people conflict resolution /
someone says something
advocate ... downward solitary.