Unleashing Feminism
Critiquing Lesbian Sadomasochism in the Gay Nineties/A Collection of Radical Feminist Writings
Irene Reti; Pat Parker; Anna Livia
Review
I find arguing about lesbian sadomasochism a lot like talking to Humpty Dumpty. I can’t get my brains around a good argument because old words take on new meanings like some cruel game of Dictionary. What I might call beating someone up is actually a scene. What I thought was an ever-fascinating exploration into the variety of the familiar, like the virtuoso performance of a jazz standard, is really only vanilla. If I express any critique of intimate piercing, jewelry of slavery, leather hoods, or wonder why looking through On Our Backs makes me wet, I’m accused of a kind of ism, and worse; I’m accused repressing my true desires and inordinately emphasizing my letch to spoil other people’s fun. I’d rather have a good argument where no one gets hurt and everyone learns something without changing her mind–too much. In my lesbian utopia we constantly argue about everything. Dissent is not only the conscience of a group of lesbians, it is sometimes most of the brains. I meant dissent, as in loyal opposition, not issues with our ex-lovers. I found, in Unleashing Feminism a series of conversations I could enter into and not be thrust into dizzying Wonderland word games. Unleashing Feminism is a valuable offering of arguments by seven very smart and ethical women. It’s the kind of book you want to argue with, even if you agree with what they say. Start with these essays and take off on the perspectives, analyses, and questions provided; it doesn’t matter if you agree with the essays or not. It’s not like Wonderland, it’s a vast Argument Landscape where our thoughts can run wild. –Linda Rosewood Hooper
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Details
| ISBN | 9780939821044 |
| Genre | Anthology – Nonfiction |
| Publication Date | May-93 |
| Publisher | Herbooks |
| Editor | Irene Reti |
| Format | Trade Paperback |
| No. of Pages | 168 |
| Language | English |
| Rating | NotRated |
| Editor | Irene Reti |
| Subject | Feminism; Lesbianism; Sadomasochism |
| BookID | 13900 |
