On Radical Feminism and Composition

In some ways, I found Rhodes' argument appealing. More scholarship is almost always a good thing, So its probably a worthwhile goal to try and look at radical feminism when thinking about the relationship between feminism and composition studies.

I can't speak to the claim that radical feminism has been left out of the recieved history of composition studies. From my experience through my years of education though, I've had no lack of exposure to the ideas of radical feminism. I remember being taught Cixous back in hich school, and all of my courses in feminism have looked at radical feminism as an aspect of second wave feminism both in the U.S. and abroad. Feminism, from my experience, is well aware of this part of its history, and is in many ways still grappling with the issues raised therein.

I'll return to Rhodes though. She holds up the Redstockings Manifesto written in 1969 as an example of the type of radical feminist discourse that should be looked at and incorporated. Not being familiar with this particular text, I decided I'd find a copy for myself.

Rhodes is critical of the critique that radical feminism is universalizing and essentializing. She argues that we should look deeper at these texts. My problem is, the Redstockings Manifesto, held up by Rhodes as an exemplar of the kind of texts she is talking about is universalizing and essentializing. From tenet 3 of the Redstockings Manifesto, "All men have oppressed women." That doesn't leave much room for individual distinctions or difference. Its a very straightforward, universl declaration. How is it not to be read and essentializing and universalizing? It's a simple statement, designed to elicit a response. Or how about Andrea Dworkin who states in her book Intercourse, "Intercourse is the pure, sterile, formal expression of men's contempt for women."

So, by all means, lets be conscious and aware of the past, of what has been written and said. Let's look to radical feminism, and incorporate and learn from it. But let's not dismiss the critiques of it as ill founded or unjustified. Yes, radical feminism offers an example of political discourse written by women, on a particular issue and cause. Yes, there are likely ideas worth incorporating. It is also a problematic aspect of feminism, one that hs provoked as much debate within the feminist movement as it has outside.