Morgaine at What She Said has written an outstanding piece on the deadly seriousness of the feminist cause. Without the righteous anger so eloquently expressed by Morgaine, the feminist cause has no hope whatsoever.
Lucky reader, you can visit Morgaine's blog and read the whole thing. This blogger feels privileged to offer you a taste:
. . .Mary Daly once said words to the effect that in order to move culture in the direction of change, there have to be a few wild women willing to be on the fringe so the middle of the road moves more in that direction. I'm on the edge. . .
I'm not here to make friends, I'm here to start a revolution. . . .
I am angry. I am a feminist. Deal with it. I know it would be easier for all concerned for me to just shut the fuck up and endure my second-class status in that demure, long-suffering way that women are taught to - be happy with 3/4 of a paycheck for twice the work, cause permanent damage to my feet and my credit to wear those spiked heels that make me more vulnerable to predators, and smile dutifully when a guy takes credit for or benefits from my work - FUCK. THAT.
I don't care if I scare the white people. My sisters are being systematically beaten, raped, tortured, mutilated, bought, sold and murdered, with religious and government support, everywhere. This is a literal war on women, and that gives me a right to be angry.
My government is controlled by greedy white men who don't give a shit about the poor, the sick, the young or the old. Laws are being discussed which will determine the status of my genitalia, by a government practicing gender apartheid. I live in the most ass-backward developed nation in the world in terms of poverty, health care, infant mortality, education, and violence, and that gives me a right to be angry.
It looks as if the lot of women in America is about to get a lot worse, and that gives me a right to be angry.
From my perspective, any woman who is not angry, is not paying attention. I'm going to do everything in my power to get her attention, because solidarity is our only hope.
Awomyn.
If you haven't read the author Morgaine references, this is - in my view - Mary Daly's most feminist eye-opening and life-changing book. In a nation serious about combating world-wide misogyny, Mary Daly (and Morgaine) would be required reading.
For background on Morgaine's piece, see Sour Duck's excellent analysis: The Feminist (blog) community and Anger
Feminism Mary Daly Gyn-Ecology Patriarchy gender apartheid