Sharon Smith (1)

I really liked the analysis in this book, but could have lived without the author lamenting that "feminists" aren't doing enough to change the capitalist status quo. Certainly, mainstream feminist organizations were co-opted into the capitalist movement ages ago, but there are plenty of radical organizations and individual women who have been fighting back.

Feminism whether radically applied to our lives, studied through the lense of academia, or ridiculed by the disintegrating pulpits of the conservative press has lost it's sense of cohesiveness and more important it's orignal sense of urgency . Feminisms decline here in America can easily be attributed to (and often is by third-wave feminist writers) to the men and their system of patriarchy. Radical Feminists have clung to this thesis since the sixties, but what's more sad than this show more blatantly false diagnosis is that feminism has been pawned off, bought off, and sold as a cheap parlor trick. Sharon Smith explains the urgency of Feminism, while espousing the need for socialism in order for all women and men to live equally and achieve the lofty goals of feminist men and women. Socialism is written about in this book as a clear prerequisite for the conditions of equality between men and women. The individualist's approach to feminism as Sharon Smith repeats throughout the book has led to such absurdities as NOW (the National Organization of Women) defending Bill Clinton's sexual harrasment of Paula Jone's because he was "supporting them." it is an eye opening read for anyone interested in defending women's rights internationally and fighting for a amangeable picture of equality between the sexes. show less

This is a long article on identity politics in issue no. 62 of the journal, International Socialism.