Separatist feminism
From Open Encyclopedia
Separatist feminism is a form of feminism that does not support heterosexual relationships due to a belief that sexual disparities between men and women cannot be resolved. Separatist feminists generally do not feel that men can make positive contributions to the feminist movement and that even well-intentioned men replicate the dynamics of patriarchy.
Author Marilyn Frye describes separatist feminism as "separation of various sorts or modes from men and from institutions, relationships, roles and activities that are male-defined, male-dominated, and operating for the benefit of males and the maintenance of male privilege--this separation being initiated or maintained, at will, by women." [{{fullurl:}}#endnote_frye]
Within the feminist movement only a small number of women advocate separatism. These women usually choose to live either in celibacy or lesbian relationships (see lesbian feminism) in order to escape patriarchal society. Some of these arrangements are permanent while others are viewed as a "first step" period to enhance personal growth.
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Lesbian separatism
Lesbian separatism is a form of separatist feminism that incorporates queer nationalism and political lesbianism.
Lesbian separatism has inspired various works of lesbian science fiction, depicting future utopias in which all men have died out, and advances in reproductive technology have eliminated the need to have men for human reproduction. John Varley's novel Wizard depicts such a "coven" of lesbian separatists who live in a space habitat at L2.
The Aristasia community is one attempt at translating such utopian lesbian separatism into real life, creating a world of women with two "sexes" (blonde and brunette) which is not only a subject of fiction but a way of life lived by women. Unlike many within the lesbian separatist movement, Aristasia accepts and celebrates the traditional idea of femininity.
Lesbian separatism is frequently associated with Dianic paganism. It is also referred to as "militant lesbianism" by some critics.
Controversy
Separatist feminism is cotroversial and is frequently a subject of dispute even within the feminist movement.
Some extreme separatist feminists have advocated that all men should be killed. Julie McCrossin quotes "dead men don't rape" and "kill them in their cots" as slogans of extreme lesbian separatism [{{fullurl:}}#endnote_mccrossin] while feminist Valerie Solanas's SCUM Manifesto suggestes that it is the job of females to "destroy the male sex." It is difficult to determine how serious these statements are as they are sometimes referred to as "jokes" or "satire"; however, McCrossin intentionally puts the word "jokes" in scare quotes, as if to suggest that they may not be entirely joking, and although Solanas subsequently denied that her statements were meant to be taken seriously, she did in fact shoot at three males.
Critics of feminism sometimes stigmatize women-only events and organizations as "separatist"; however, even most non-separatist feminists support the creation of "safe spaces" (for example, Take Back the Night).
Noteworthy separatist feminists
Separatism within the feminist movement enjoyed a peak in popularity during the 1970s. Organizations associated with separatist feminism include:
- Chicago Lesbian Liberation
- Collective Lesbian International Terrors
- The Killer Dyke
- The Furies Collective (Washington, DC)
- The Gorgons (California)
- The Lesbian Separatist Group (Seattle, WA)
- The Lesbian-Feminist Center (Chicago, IL)
- Radicalesbians Revolutionary Lesbians (Ann Arbor, MI)
- Tribad (New York City)
Individuals associated with separatist feminism include:
- Rita Mae Brown, author and founder of The Furies Collective
- Charlotte Bunch, international human rights activist
- Mary Daly, theologian and former Boston College professor
- Andrea Dworkin, American author
- Charlotte Perkins Gilman, author of Herland
- Karla Jay, English professor and former member of the Gay Liberation Front
- Judy Grahn, American poet
- Audre Lorde, African-American poet
- Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon, American activists
- Kate Millett, author of Sexual Politics
- Holly Near, American singer/songwriter
- Adrienne Rich, American poet
- Jane Rule, Canadian author
- Linda Shear, American folksinger
- Barbara Smith, African-American activist
- Valerie Solanas, American writer and would be assassin
