How do you interpret radical feminism?

I don't think RadFem ideas are gaining momentum at all. My eldest daughter who is in her late teens, is fully on board, which is tremendous, but she is very frank about being a complete sore thumb at college because of it.

In fact, a common experience for both of us is that our commitment to our faith, and our feminism, has set us on quite a counter-cultural path.

The general culture has absorbed an understanding of third wave feminism as the definitive kind to the point that many, many people - women included - think that feminism is about 'equality for everyone' and 'choice' and often that there is no need for Feminism anymore anyway.

Exactly this. I think it's an exciting time for feminism at the moment as it's gaining momentum. I don't think you will be lonely.

Do you think radical feminism is gaining momentum? I see a particular type of corporate social media clicktivism without any sort of coherent analysis is gaining momentum.

What Floral said. Plus this social system has existed for thousands of years (at least) -- how we go about changing it, you can think of the meaning of radical, and argue that society needs changing from the root, that it won't be put right by bunging in a few bits of legislation. But that system is based, at the root, on the differences between female and male biology, which can't be disappeared by wishing, or by us 'pretending' they aren't there.

Only way of looking at the facts, social, historical, biological, political, that makes sense to me! Explains a lot...........

for people who see the word 'radical' and think it's a synonym for 'extreme'
Yes, when I found my way here, I thought I was a "common sense" feminist, so I was confused that the ideas were seen as radical.

I found radical feminism because it was the only place that I felt truly represented justice. Nothing else felt fair and just in my gut. Yes, it's about dismantling the patriarchal structure down to the root but the reason we want to dismantle it isn't for personal gain but rather simply because it is unjust.

I saw a Gail Dines quote today where she said she believes she was born a radical feminist. I feel like it is an internal guide that tells me right from wrong. I didn't know what it was called for a very long time. Now I consider radical feminism to be a very complicated term for "the thing that is just."

For me the biggest thing to overcome in accepting myself as a radical feminist was realizing how lonely I was going to be for the rest of my life.

"And I am not interested in any politics centred on the individual. I'm interested in structural analysis. Liberal and/or third wave feminism has nothing of use for me and, in particular, for working class women."

This.

While liberal feminism pays lip service to being inclusive of disability it's insistence on biological sex not being the source of oppression means it minimises how many disabilities which either disproportionally affect women or which affect women differently are treated differently - or not treated at all.

"Shut up bitch."

I only discovered I was rad fem when people got angry at me having opinions that "women" with kind eyes don't.

I don't consider myself a radical feminist since I'm not a blank slatist, and, if push came to shove and all else was equal, would prioritise the political interests of a working class man over an upper class woman.

But I consider radical feminist (not the self-identified version) spaces to be the most nurturing and inspiring for women. And I am not interested in any politics centred on the individual. I'm interested in structural analysis. Liberal and/or third wave feminism has nothing of use for me and, in particular, for working class women.

I'm also not interested in trying to change the definition of radical feminism because bits of it don't suit me personally. It's a perfectly clearly delineated theoretical framework.

I understand the radical in radical feminist to be about the root, or basis of women's oppression. Which is that our society is set up to advantage those with a male biology, and actively put at a disadvantage, or in many cases, actual danger, those with a female biology. This is done, most obviously, by the enforcement of the idea of Gender, behaviours and roles which are designated as belonging appropriately to either men or women.

I have lived over forty years, through many things, and I recognize clearly that pretty much everything that has held me down has been rooted in my biology and the system of gender which means that my biology remains a serious disadvantage.

Tbh, although from everything I've read I'm definitely in the second wave RadFem camp, I do prefer Women's Liberation as a term because it requires less unpacking for people who see the word 'radical' and think it's a synonym for 'extreme'.

^ what upstart said

Liberal feminism is about the individual, radical feminism looks at the framework the person lives in and works out how to make it fit for humans.
That's why I am a radical feminist. There's no point putting out buckets while there's a hole in the roof.