Re: Class trumps gender? (Was Re: NOW and Marxism)

["viveka" <kaliyuga@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> >Viveka: Some weeks back, there was a similar discussion re gender v.
class, and
> >someone posted that "class trumps gender every time."  The above is quite
> >illustrative of that point.  Given the choice of siding with their gender
or
> >their class, the decision of these educated upwardly mobile women to side
> >with their class was a no-brainer.  The same might be said of black
middle
> >class folks that have made entry into the white world, who distance
> >themselves from their black "brothers and sisters" in the streets.
>
> Nancy: What exactly are you saying here? That in cases of workers'
> actions to protect themselves from the greed of the ruling elite, class
trumps
> gender everytime? Of course class trumps gender in the case of workers'
actions
> to defend themselves -- the struggle was a workers' struggle in the first
place.
>

Perhaps I didn't make myself clear.  These academic women sided with their
"class" rather than their "gender" in this case, leading one to conclude
that class holds more weight than gender.    Thus, "class trumps gender."

> >Viveka: My own observations about the workplace is that lines are drawn
first along
> >class, with, certainly, men getting the lion's share within each sphere.
To
> >focus one's efforts on increasing the proportion of women withIN each
sphere
> >does little to move us forward toward a classless society.
>
> Nancy: Are you saying that in the workers' struggle, the addition of more
women
> would do little to move us forward toward a classless society?

Did I say that?  Don't think so, but again, maybe I didn't make myself
clear.  More is better, with the caveat, again, that academic feminists
cannot be counted on in a real struggle not to abruptly switch sides in
favor of their class interests.

>
> As for Judith Shapiro, I have little respect for her kind of academic
feminism.
> Feminists like her are completely into the gender question as unrelated to
the
> social setting -- i.e., out of context. Another one who is out of touch
with
> reality.

I think we're saying the same thing.

Tamara



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