Garrett Daun

Chapter 2: 45-70

Radical Feminism developed out of various radical movements of the 1960' and 1970's in the United States. The Women's International Terrorist Conspiracy from Hell (WITCH), the Redstockings, the New York Radical Feminists and many other women's liberation groups "throughout the U.S. perceived themselves as revolutionaries rather than reformers." (Tong, 45) This distinction hints at the origins and respective belief systems that differentiate Radical Feminism from Liberal Feminism.

Where Radical Feminists usually came to feminism through their involvement in other radical causes, Liberal Feminists grew out of efforts to reform the system. Two main divisions have emerged from within the broad range of those feminists who view the patriarchal sex and gender system as the non-reformable machine of the oppressor. These two are Radical Libertarian Feminism and Radical Cultural Feminism.

Both Radical Cultural Feminism (RCF) and Radical Libertarian Feminism (RLF) agree that the oppression of women stands as the oldest, most widespread, most entrenched, and most brutal form of oppression. (Tong, 46-7) They also believe "that women's oppression…provides a conceptual model for understanding all other forms of oppression." (Tong, 47) The two groups differ quite radically on issues such as reproduction, gender definition, pornography, sexuality and biological versus environmental origins of masculine and feminine traits.

RLF's long for all men and women to adopt some form of androgynous combination of the best of masculine and feminine traits. The various authors Tong covers, Millett, Firestone and Piercy, suggest different characteristics and traits they favor or disdain. Millett suggests that all masculine and feminine traits must undergo feminist analysis and the best traits from each combined to form the "ideal" androgynous person. (Tong 49-51) In general, RLF's look favorably on pornography (Tong, 65) as a liberating fantasy tool, and want women's sexuality liberated from all societal taboo and dictate. (Tong, 56-64) RLF's also believe that gender definitions have their origin in societal and environment based conditioning. They feel that women must be liberated from natural reproduction by means of technological advances, freeing up women's bodies for other more liberated activities. (Tong 73-4)

Some RCF's feel that femininity is better than masculinity, and that the former must be separate from and free of masculinity entirely. Other RCF's reject both terms as male-defined patriarchal constructs. This correlates with the RCF view that gender traits emerge from biological&emdash;as opposed to environmental&emdash;differences between man and woman. Many RCF's vehemently oppose pornography, seeing it as part and parcel of the patriarchal system of oppression. Where RLF's advocate absolute liberation of sexuality, RCF's promote a lesbian separatist agenda in order to purge the male influence from womanhood completely. RCF's also disagree on reproduction issues, seeing natural reproduction as a woman's main source of power, and something unavailable to men.