Searching for the right hat
Another example of how not to amplify support for your cause: Pensacola Women’s March on Facebook:
Trigger Warning and Content Warning for comments:
Transphobia, Cissexism, Racism, mention of Sexual Assault, Genital Mutilation, Misogyny and Trans-Misogyny.The Pink P*ssy Hats represent a very concentrated and thus, exclusionary sect of feminism that ignores, neglects, and ultimately harms the fight for global women’s liberation. The entire concept is based around the idea of biological essentialism and shared womanhood (Mia McKenzie, Black Girl Dangerous): two incorrect ideas that women are all on the same level despite conflicting classes, races, sexualities, etc. and are also bound by “the power of the vagina”. This is a very popular concept developed and expanded upon during the second wave of feminism, usually called “radical feminism”. This type of feminism, though hugely successful in terms of reproductive justice, ultimately emphasized a mistreatment of transgender women that continues today. Though some transgender women do choose to have Genital Reconstruction Surgery, many do not, and should not have to to prove their being a woman. The right to self-determination, a concept that all feminists must get behind, allows transgender women to be women. Thus, not every woman has a vagina, and with the right to self-determination existing for transgender men and non-binary transgender people as well, not every person who has a vagina is a woman. The Pink P*ssy Hat reinforces the notion that woman = vagina and vagina = woman, and both of these are incorrect. Additionally, the Pink P*ssy Hat is white-focused and Eurocentric in that it assumes that all vaginas are pink; this is also an incorrect assertion.
The Pensacola Women’s March organizers understand that this idea was a knee-jerk reaction to the heinous, sexist, misogynistic Trump administration, but it is also just that: a knee-jerk reaction, not fully thought out. Therefore, we ask that march goers refrain from wearing this hat and instead, pick an alternative headwear that focuses on collective women’s liberation for ALL women: transgender women, multinational women, disabled women, queer women — the most marginalized. It is only through the centering and leadership of these groups that women will be liberated — not through exclusionary white feminism, which the Pink P*ssy Hat is indicative of.
The Pensacola Women’s March team will be removing all forms of hate speech that they encounter in an effort to promote a safer environment for all women.
Let’s discuss that. The idea appears to be that feminism made a big mistake from the outset by…well, by being feminism: by seeing women as an oppressed class and working to end that oppression.
There’s a lot that’s strange about that idea. To pick out just one – why is it only feminism that is accused of this? Why are other oppressed classes allowed to name their oppression and their class while women are told that’s “mistreatment”?
To pick out another – how can women organize to end their oppression if they can’t name themselves?
To pick out a third – this claim that feminists think women are ‘bound by “the power of the vagina”’ is nonsense. There’s some rhetoric about pussy power and so on, but that’s because of entrenched fear and loathing that is entangled with misogyny and male supremacy and all the rest of it; it’s not a literal belief in “the power of the vagina.” Again, feminists should not be ordered to stop using rhetoric to counter fear and loathing.
Updating to add: A trans friend of mine left this comment on the post:
This was anti trump protest in the most graphic way possible on television. I can’t see how anybody who is against his illegal reign would be offended . Only thing I can conclude is some these folks allegedly opposed to pink hats are agents of a GOP fifth column. When the right wants to wreck something , what better than to set it up to look like an attack from the left. Nixon used those tactics too.
I think that’s all too plausible.
That does indeed sound all too plausible.
This is a specious post hoc rationalization for the narcissist trans activists’ real objection, which boils down to “folx without vaginas can be women too, and this doesn’t center meee!
I’m pretty sure the hats are pink because pink is the color associated with women and girls. Newsflash: NOBODY’S vulva is that shade of pink.
And if it really bothers anyone she could always knit her hat in brown. Or mauve. Or whatever.
It’d be nice to think that all left-cannibalism – eating our own kind (metaphorically!) – is the work of fiendish Deep Cover Fascists, but there’s too much of it for too long over too many issues. We sign up by picking our own injustices, we develop our political stances around them, and it’s only when we’re thinking in good company or very carefully that we assign every other injustice its appropriate weight and don’t reduce it to trivia or a distraction in the quest to end our pet sin.
@2 Lady Mondegreen, what you said. Not to mention that the pussy hats DON’T REPRESENT VAGINAS. They are CAT HEADS. That’s why they’re clever. It seems like I have to say this constantly. Can it really be that a majority of the public has never seen a vulva? Because that’s what I’m starting to conclude.
Its worse than that the pussy hat is the confederate flag of white feminism ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ :
https://medium.com/@shewritestolive/pussy-hats-the-confederate-flag-for-white-feminists-7a21352b2f5e
I found the link in a comment on the Facebook post.
I certainly don’t object to the pussyhats but I do think the concept is somewhat confusing. They’re apparently called that both as a reaction to “grab them by the pussy” and because they look vaguely like they have cat ears. If we’re going with the latter, I’m not sure why an anti-Trump movement would be associated with cats.
The crowd wearing them is a cool visual though, so it’s a great identifier of the movement. I guess in the end that’s what matters.
That statement is ridiculous though. I honestly thought it was a joke, but, if so, they’ve put a lot of effort into it, since that Facebook page appears to have been running for a while. The last sentence almost sounds like they intend to confiscate the hats!
@6 Skeletor, the anti-Trump faction represented by the Women’s March is associated with cats because Trump said he grabs women “by the pussy.” Pussy = cat. It’s because of Trump’s own words.
So yes, as you stated, the pussy hats are called that both as a reaction to “grab them by the pussy” and because they look vaguely like they have cat ears. Precisely. That’s the joke.
@5 sentient spanner, god that is embarrassing. These people get so worked up.
Indignant high-chair banging is not an effective political act. Its what Trump and his dupes have elevated to dominance. Once someone is locked into self-righteous spite as their chief emotion, their political commitment can be quite flexible. How many of our most loathsome Rightists turn out to be ex-Leftists?
Bannon, Horowitz, the whole gang at ‘Spiked.’
Skeletor – are you completely unfamiliar with the concept of a “pun”? The pussy hat is a pun. Sort of looks like a cat–>cats=pussies–>pussy hat. Two meanings of pussy. That’s a pun.
There’s a bit I didn’t make enough of yesterday:
That claim that transgender women should be both centered by and leading feminist groups.
No.
For a hint at why – have you ever seen a trans men telling MRAs that trans men should be leading them? If so please share. I’ve never seen that, but I’ve seen many occurrences of the claim above. That’s male privilege right there; that’s the brass-plated assumption that women aren’t good enough even for feminism and they have to be shoved aside by trans women.