Browsing Tag
#MeToo
4 posts
Vilification of Amber Heard should be a concern of all who oppose gender-based violence
By Steph Lacey, ROSA Socialist Feminist Movement & Socialist Party From #MeToo, to Ni Una Menos, to the…
Misogyny, sexism & capitalism in the dock
The trial has brought to the fore the prevalence of sexist and misogynistic attitudes that exist in the legal system and society in general. In Northern Ireland, over 94% of all rape trials have resulted in no conviction for the accused. The conviction rates for sexual violence are far lower than for any other crime. In the South only 19% result in convictions and 7% when the case is contested. As Suzanne Breen, one of the few journalists who have covered this trial in a fair manner, put it: “This was a case where it wasn’t always clear who exactly was on trial. Each defendant is rightly allowed their own legal representation. But a 21-year-old woman being cross-examined by four defence barristers over eight days pulls at your heart-strings…The young woman failed to secure the verdict she desired. She did not win, yet she has certainly not lost.”
#MeToo Takes to the Streets: Build a Mass Campaign To End Harassment at Work
The primary strategy of capitalism to maintain the rule of a tiny few over billions of workers worldwide is to divide workers from one another along the lines of race, national origin, religion, and gender. Socialist feminism recognizes that the oppression of women is part of the system of capitalism itself, and not simply caused by bad laws, outdated attitudes, or even men themselves. Socialist feminists fight for reforms that make a real difference in the lives of women and to foster solidarity among working-class people. At the same time, we recognize that full liberation for women is only possible on the basis of a socialist transformation of society that eliminates all forms of oppression
Time’s up on women accepting sexual harassment
Just a few months ago, detailed allegations of Harvey Weinstein’s sexual harassment first broke into the mainstream media. Courageous actresses took a stand against a powerful figure within a multi-billion dollar industry that normalises sexism and further headlines were made by the legal fund created by actresses under the “Time’s Up” banner. This has sparked a new phase of a growing women’s movement in the USA which began with the explosive reaction to Trump’s election but has also had international repercussions. It was also quickly followed by accusations of similar harassment in Westminster.