I think Radical Feminism must be one of the most misunderstood political movements going. And I don't think it is a coincidence that that is the case.
WidowWadman you said the following which I think is interesting to examine;
But I've read a few times things which roughly paraphrased were "these women do it (dress feminine/like cum in their face/like BDSM/be a SAHM/paint themselves orange) only because they've been conditioned to do it by the patriarchy" as if being a woman makes you (before the radfem bolt of enlightenment hits you) incapable of independent thought and actually tastes of their own.
I think you are pretty well on the money with this. Except that it is not quite as straightforward (I appreciate that you were paraphrasing).
As I radical feminist, I would say that women and men are socialized to behave in certain ways, rather than conditioned.
And to say that, does not mean that we are not capable of independent thought. It means that we are influenced by the society in which we live - I don't think that is an outrageous statement to make. Look at how differently people behave now, to for example, Victorian times - we can clearly see how societal norms and paradigms affect a population's behaviour.
Radical feminists disagree with the current set up. In order to disagree with something in a politically organised way (feminism is a political movement after all), one first needs to analyse what one is disagreeing with. To do that one needs to develop analytical tools, thought processes, concepts and abstracts.
And this means examining the current set up through a female perspective and really scratching under the surface to see if a thing is a result of patriarchal thinking or not. To see if a thing is oppressive to women as a group or not.
And this is quite difficult to do. It is difficult because it means rejecting a lot of values and ideals which are familiar and feel secure and 'natural'. This is where Blackcurrants' Shakespeare analogy is brilliant.
Radical feminism is a political movement which challenges the current status quo. And it challenges it in its entirety. Radfems believe that there is nothing to be salvaged from patriarchy/male supremacy. They think the whole thing is wrong.
They think it is all wrong because their analysis of it, is that patriarchy is a social system based on the fetishization of submission and dominance - with women being the submissives and men being the dominants. In other words we are in a male supremacy with female oppression. Radical feminism does not work towards equal rights but towards liberation. There can be no equal rights in a meaningful way within male supremacy. Male supremacy must end for women to be able to achieve equality.
And that is kind of it really. But the above thinking leads one to reject the social constructs of femininity and masculinity and by logic, their manifestations.
Now of course this idea, from the position of the status quo, feels pretty extreme and 'out there'. And of course this position challenges our lifestyles, our values, our morals, our culture, our family set up, indeed our very identities. And that is pretty scary (well I think it is anyway and I'm a radical feminist).
But pure radical feminist thought does not want to tell anyone what to do. The objective, if you like, of radical feminism, is revolution (not necessarily in the way we think of it in patriarchal terms). Radicals often talk wryly of 'come the revolution, such and such will happen'.
Ideologically after the revolution (should it ever come to fruit) there will be no culture of submission and dominance. There will be no social constructs of masculinity and femininity (which are based on submission and dominance whilst simultaneously used to perpetuate and reinforce submission and dominance).
Most of the radical feminists I have met try not to judge women for their current behaviour in patriarchy - they concentrate on the behaviour of those in power, the men.
Yes, you will come across some scathing comments or sarcasm sometimes but I think it is borne out of frustration and also the fact that radical feminists are maligned and 'othered' - and that kind of gets to you sometimes.
We women, all do what we have to, to get by in the patriarchy, is the way most radical feminists see it.
And that might be shaving your legs, being drawn to BDSM, being a prostituted women or anything else. (All three of those examples come from the foundations of submission and domination however.)