Radical Feminism

Radical feminism as a specific movement, rather than simply radical feminists, stated that women should all be lesbians.

As is stated in this article by a self described radical feminist

Ah - now I understand more

Wasn't sure whether Grennie was asking for perceptions of radical feminism or asking for informed viewpoints. Clearly the latter.

One of the reasons I'm not actively involved in any campaigning group is my (mis(?))perception that the campaigners will be humourless and think I'm shallow.

(Happy for anyone to do whatever they like with their 'pits'.)

Yes, 'radical' comes from 'root' so it's about analysing/changing society from its foundations.

There are lots of non-radical feminists who do great campaigning and activist work, Bunnylion. Though radical feminists generally oppose prostitution in all its forms, whereas liberal feminists don't always.

Radical feminists tend to focus on violence against women as the most crucial feminist issue and very aware of the structural prejudice against women that still exists in society; whereas liberal feminists were traditionally focused on the law and so many of their demands were granted in the 1970s with the Equal Pay Act etc.

Radical feminists mostly argue that gender roles are imposed by society, and are therefore less likely to follow culturally imposed grooming expectations... but I have never known any rad fems who do shave their armpits get a hard time for it! (Though anyone turning up at a rad fem event in TOWIE get-up might feel rather out of place.)

All in my experience of course.

They also eat baby boys which I think is a step a little too far. Us liberals feminists just humiliate and emasculate them

As far as I know it's more focussed on taking apart the patriachy and rebuilding from scratch, rather than adjusting the current system.

So based on that I wouldn't define myself as radfem as I feel that the aim is a little too out of reach.

My understanding of rad fem is that it's the active side of feminist thinking. So setting up DV shelters, campaigning against prostitution and for female reproductive rights, against fgm etc. ["campaigning against fgm" just autocorrected to "campaigning against fun")

Not sure it has anything to do with shaving your pits chocoluvva

Essentially to me, radical feminism is just a different way of achieving the same end. So as a liberal feminist, I believe you can work with the system instead of it needing to be dismantled.

On the more nuanced points of radical feminism, I agree with many of them but don't necessarily agree with how it's aims would be achieved.

Unfortunately radfem has been taken over by others, particularly MRAs to mean hard core, man hating nutters. Something that doesn't describe any of the radfems I know.

I am someone who is aware that we live in a patriarchy, to the disadvantage of women - though ultimately not in anyone's interest - and saddened and angered by the oversexualisation of females in western culture. I've never actively campaigned or done any reading (unless you count signing and sharing e-petitions).

My (very limited understanding of rad fem) is that it involves actively rejecting gender stereotypes including personal grooming done by only women eg removing body hair, wearing ' women's' clothes associated with being sexually available eg high heels.etc.