The misdirected passion of Andrea Dworkin (Powerful Stuff from the Boston Globe)

The Boston Globe ^ | 18 April 2005 | Cathy Young

[Lando Lincoln]

WRITING ABOUT Andrea Dworkin, the radical feminist author and activist who died on April 9, is no easy task. Decorum requires accentuating the positive when speaking of the recently deceased; here, there is little positive to accentuate, except for a badly misused talent and a badly misdirected passion.

Still, with Dworkin's admirers hailing her as a titan of modern feminism, obituaries describing her as a controversial but noble crusader against pornography and violence, and even some of her feminist critics paying homage to her alleged achievements, it's important to set the record straight.

To put it plainly: Dworkin was a preacher of hate. Her books are full of such declarations as, ''Under patriarchy, every woman's son is her betrayer and also the inevitable rapist or exploiter of another woman." (''Patriarchy," of course, covers contemporary Western societies.) ''Male sexuality, drunk on its intrinsic contempt for all life, but especially for women's lives, can run wild." ''Hatred of women is a source of sexual pleasure for men in its own right."

In Dworkin's world view, the Marquis de Sade and Jack the Ripper seem to be representative of all men (though she made an exemption for some men in her own life). Meanwhile, women who defend their right to enjoy heterosexual sex are branded ''collaborators, more base than other collaborators have ever been: experiencing pleasure in their own inferiority."

[Lando Lincoln]

On this thread, there is a strictly enforced No Picture Rule.

Lando

[TheBigB]

Thou hast thrown down a challenge...

[Lando Lincoln]

Okay, okay....some notable exceptions allowed.....have anymore??

Lando

[TheBigB]

Not that won't get me banned at the moment. :-)

[Army Air Corps]

Excuse me while I babble incoherently to myself for a few minutes...

[Lando Lincoln]

Hey, this is kinda appropriate on an Andrea Dworkin thread....dontcha think??

Lando

[Sthitch]

While it is always nice to see a picture of young miss Lohan, I think that the no picture rule pertained to no pictures of the deceased. That is because her image in life would ruin any thread no matter how many beauties you attached to it.

[Army Air Corps]

Lando:

Why yes, it is. I gues that we can launched into a Dworkin inspired screed.

TheBigB: You are fomenting the further enslavement of the female gender! You nasty objectifier you!

/screed

[TheBigB]

I think that the no picture rule pertained to no pictures of the deceased.

Well, he's gonna hafta be more specific. ;-)

[LdSentinal]

Did she have those thingies in "The Parent Trap"?

[TheBigB]

You are fomenting the further enslavement of the female gender!

Everybuddy needs a hobby...

[Darkwolf]

If Andrea Dworkin looked like that, I'd have been her apostle. :)

[relictele]

Holeeeeeee...........

[Army Air Corps]

LOL! Now, is this a vocation or an avocation? :-)

[TheBigB]

Nope, I do believe them sprouted later on...

[cincinnati65]

This from a FEMALE writer at the BOSTON GLOBE??????

Methinks the seventh seal is opening......

[Lando Lincoln]

You know what?? I gotta go wish I could hang out here. Ol' Andrea could prove to be an inspiration. Back later.

Lando

[TheBigB]

[Army Air Corps]

Must to go movies and buy one gross of candy

Must go to movies and buy one gross of candy

Mmmmmmmm, hot tamales, mmmmmmmm...

[BigSkyFreeper]

On this thread, there is a strictly enforced No Picture Rule.

I'll drink to that!