Exclusivity: Effective or Ineffective?

[Sunstone]

Can an exclusive feminism -- a feminism that is only of women, only by women, and only for women -- have a reasonable hope of taking on the patriarchy, or does feminism need to be inclusive of men if it is to achieve such a goal?

Second question: Can an exclusive masculism -- a masculism that is only of men, only by men, and only for men -- have a reasonable hope of taking on the patriarchy, or does masculism need to be inclusive of women if it is to achieve such a goal?

More generally, can any movement to dismantle the patriarchy afford to be exclusive along lines of sex, gender, race, religion, etc.? Why or why not?

 

[Laika]

Can an exclusive feminism -- a feminism that is only of women, only by women, and only for women -- have a reasonable hope of taking on the patriarchy, or does feminism need to be inclusive of men if it is to achieve such a goal?

Second question: Can an exclusive masculism -- a masculism that is only of men, only by men, and only for men -- have a reasonable hope of taking on the patriarchy, or does masculism need to be inclusive of women if it is to achieve such a goal?

More generally, can any movement to dismantle the patriarchy afford to be exclusive along lines of sex, gender, race, religion, etc.? Why or why not?

No. This is making the mistake of seperating patriarchy from men or women's self-consciousness. partiarchy is made real by people acting on those ideas. I'm not sure how far you could go given that partiarchy is tied to legal relationships in the family by marriage and inheritence as their ultimate source, but either way an exclusive emphasis on one gender won't be effective. Men have to be part of the solution whilst at the same time women have to point out that the problem exists because male privallage can blind us to what is really going on.

Additionally, third gender persons can also challange these roles as well, given that the binary 'male-female' patriarchial concept also excludes them as an oppressed minority.

 

[Sunstone]

No. This is making the mistake of seperating patriarchy from men or women's self-consciousness. partiarchy is made real by people acting on those ideas. I'm not sure how far you could go given that partiarchy is tied to legal relationships in the family by marriage and inheritence as their ultimate source, but either way an exclusive emphasis on one gender won't be effective. Men have to be part of the solution whilst at the same time women have to point out that the problem exists because male privallage can blind us to what is really going on.

Additionally, third gender persons can also challange these roles as well, given that the binary 'male-female' patriarchial concept also excludes them as an oppressed minority.

Very well put. Thanks!

 

[MysticSang'ha]

No. This is making the mistake of seperating patriarchy from men or women's self-consciousness. partiarchy is made real by people acting on those ideas. I'm not sure how far you could go given that partiarchy is tied to legal relationships in the family by marriage and inheritence as their ultimate source, but either way an exclusive emphasis on one gender won't be effective. Men have to be part of the solution whilst at the same time women have to point out that the problem exists because male privallage can blind us to what is really going on.

Additionally, third gender persons can also challange these roles as well, given that the binary 'male-female' patriarchial concept also excludes them as an oppressed minority.

Excellent post!!