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| portrait of Andrea Dworkin is from here |
The problem with the pornography industry, first and foremost, is that it is white and male supremacist and promotes anti-woman and anti-feminist practices in men. It also promotes those practices in women and trans people too.
When I hear her addressing an audience or crowd, what strikes me is that it is so uncommon for anyone in media or in front of a camera to be deeply outraged by any form of structural violence that targets women and girls specifically and systematically, perhaps most especially if the women and girls are not privileged by class and race. We all know that the chances of dominant media caringly, insightfully, and consistently reporting on the disappearance and murder of poor women and girls of color are low to non-existent.
To hear Andrea address a group on political matters is to be reminded of what an appropriate response is to white and male supremacist and racist-misogynist violence.
Here is the link to the documentary, on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9j7-zZks08
This just shows that absolutely nothing has changed over the years. White male supremacy is as deadly to women and girls now just as it always has been.
ReplyDeleteThis makes me so frustrated: why hasn't the US done a film, a conference, anything to homor her life's work? She was one of ours!
ReplyDeleteI'm tired of seeing such brilliant feminsts 'dissapeared', by the publishing industry who won't publish them and the universities who won't celebrate them. I've read that feminism is in a slightly better state in the UK than in the US, and this proves it.
Hi lauren,
ReplyDeleteI have seen over the decades how the UK has generally held a more favorable level of regard and respect for Andrea. I hesitate to wager a guess as to why that is but I suspect one reason is the virulent anti-radicalism that is so much a part of dominant US society. Progressive and radical stances on everything are put down here, as I'm sure you know. And I find that is particularly the case with regard to feminism. Anything women do that is at all challenging to or critical of the status quo that directly addresses how girls and women are harmed by men and male supremacy is either ignored or insulted. And then there's the peculiar form of anti-intellectualism that is rampant here. Silly arguments about nothing, and ridiculousness passed around as thoughtful "debate"--such as what Newt Gingrich engages in, are commonplace here. There's hardly any room at all in the US for serious thinking, let along serious activism. Even academic thinking usually has to cater to conservative to liberal forces.
I'm only glad that while she was alive, Andrea found some people in other parts of the world who politically understood and deeply appreciated her work.
What a brilliant documentary.
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