[Kobi]

In the words of my ancestors, holy canoli Chazz! This made the radical feminist inside of me stand at attention.

I agree with your analysis. And, it is very clear to me, even if I dont have the postmodern terminology for it. What I am finding in print, to me, seems like an excess use of words to justify positions rather than something firmly grounded in female focused, female driven quest to attack the underlying pathology of the patriarchy.

And, I tend to look more at real life manifestations rather than the "theoretical analysis" of it. Often times the rhetoric doesnt fit the reality, no matter how many words we use to make it appear like it is something else.

In my opinion, when I look at the world, I see so many good changes for women. Yet, I also see more responsibility as well and perhaps in unintended ways. There is always a flip side to everything. If one bears more, another bears less.

There have been unmistakeable benefits for educated white women in professions that afford them more general freedoms. For non white, uneducated or less educated women there have been few if any benefits. Poverty in this group is rising at unprecedented porportions. http://www.nclej.org/poverty-in-the-us.php

Women freed ourselves sexually. Yay! Now, think again. We, as women, are second class citizens in a patriarchy. Did we "free" ourselves or did the partriarchy see there was a huge benefit to IT and them if we were "free"? Is it a win-win or are have we just played into our own objectification? Who wins in the politics of sex in a patriarchy?

Women took control of their own financial wellbeing. Yay for us! Now, think again. If we are supporting ourselves, who ends up having more disposable income?

Women took control of reproduction. Yay for us! Now, think again. We spend billions of dollars a year on a growing number of contraceptives which have the potential to adversely affect our bodies, our health and endanger our very lives. We bear the burden of the expense and risk to our heath. Male contraceptive, at the moment, still revolves around condoms and for the non wimping ones, a vasectomy. Orgasms aside, who won here?

Growing numbers of women who want to be a parent are happy to proceed without husbands and father figures for their children. I actually kind of like this one. But, men, in those cases, are merely sperm donors, without any financial or parental responsibility for the product of their seed. Looks to me like more for women and less for men again.

So, while we are so busy with getting an education, working, being sexually free, being parents without help, and all the other lovely "perks" of women's liberation, how much time and energy do we have to look at and speak to the "new and improved" manifestations of our oppression?

The great thinkers and leaders of feminism in my generation had a vision and foresight which continues to astound me. The great thinkers and leaders of today havent impressed me as much. They are well spoken, well educated, can turn a phrase with the best of them, and debate at a level that still eludes my full comprehension.

Yet, to me, the post modernists have dropped the proverbial ball. Actions speak louder than words. And when I look around me, I see some nifty stuff happened for women.

But, in the scheme of the patriarchy, greater things happened for IT and for those who benefit the most from it.

In case I havent said it today....I love this thread and all the great minds that are contributing to it.