File spoon-archives/marxism-feminism.archive/marxism-feminism_1997/marxism-feminism.9706, message 23


Date: Wed, 25 Jun 1997 19:57:49 -0700
From: Rachel Carey-Harper <rch-AT-capecod.net>
Subject: Re: M-FEM: What kind of list would you like this to be?


malgosia askanas wrote:

> I would like to encourage everyone who has a vision of how to make the list
> viable to try and articulate this vision.  Why is the list not working now?
> What prevents you from posting?  What would encourage you to post?  What
> should the list's character be?  How should this character be achieved?
> What kinds of issues would you like to see discussed?  Why are you hesitant
> to start a discussion of these issues?  And so on.

The reason that I do not post to this list is because it became evident
that many males who are involved have not worked on the sexism that all
males carry and perpetrate because they have been raised and steeped in
sexist cultures (and some women who are involved need to work alittle
more on internalized sexism). There were incidents on this list that
were blantently sexist. Without clearness on this distress, posting to
this list feels similar to working on racism with whites who have not
examined their own racist assumptions and prejudices and cannot be
trusted to not use the n-- word.  
Around the world millions and millions of women are being murdered,
raped, battered or living in slavery because of sexism.  Until this
seriously addressed,  no economic or intellecualized theory is going to
mean dittly.
I would be encouraged to post if it was clearly stated and repeated
periodically that this list would not tolerate sexist behavior and gave
priority to women's vision and wisdom.  I would also be encouraged to
post if this list was about sharing specific actions that people were
either already working on or wanting to be involved with and if one of
this list's functions was to give support and encouragement for such
activities. I feel there is far too much talking and not enough walking.
Some of the issues I would be interested in are difficulties and
sucesses in organizing in nonheirarcical fashions,  a discussion of the
historic and comtemporary sexism in marxist theory and practice and
visions for how to change,  perhaps some exercises such as to require
everyone who wishes to stay involved with the list to once a week post
something that they have seen, heard,  read or experienced that is
sexist.
Denial around this issue is exectionally strong both from men who claim
that they are not sexist and women who claim it doesn't effect them. I
have been hesitant to post these concerns because I expect denial, 
marginalization and backlash. 
You asked, I answered. 
Keep up the struggle and smell the flowers,
Rachel

visit " A Spiral Path to Knowhere" http://www.capecod.net/~spiral/
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