This is based on Kate Millett's book Sexual Politics written in 1970 and serves as canonical text in the area of Feminism

1. © Capital Community College
Sexual PoliticsSexual Politics
Kate MillettKate Millett
Presented To:
Dr.Shireen Haider

2. Katherine Murray Millet (1934 ---)Katherine Murray Millet (1934 ---)
American Feminist and activistAmerican Feminist and activist
Best known for her 1970’s book (firstly a doctoralBest known for her 1970’s book (firstly a doctoral
dissertation) Sexual Politicsdissertation) Sexual Politics
Divided into 3 parts:Divided into 3 parts:
Sexual PoliticsSexual Politics
Historical BackgroundHistorical Background
The Literary ReflectionThe Literary Reflection
GAVE BIRTH TO RADICAL FEMINISMGAVE BIRTH TO RADICAL FEMINISM

3. Humanist FeminismHumanist Feminism
Defines femininity as the primary vehicle ofDefines femininity as the primary vehicle of
women’s oppression and calls upon malewomen’s oppression and calls upon male
dominated institutions to allow women thedominated institutions to allow women the
opportunity to participate fully in the publicopportunity to participate fully in the public
world-making activities of industry, politics,world-making activities of industry, politics,
art and scienceart and science
Gender difference as accidental to humanityGender difference as accidental to humanity

5. Biological EssentialismBiological Essentialism
There is nothing new about men’s power orThere is nothing new about men’s power or
women’s recognition of it. Men havewomen’s recognition of it. Men have
dominated, ruled, lorded over and subjugateddominated, ruled, lorded over and subjugated
women as long as there have been recordedwomen as long as there have been recorded
history.history.
The myth of fallThe myth of fall

6. If God in ‘his’ heaven is a father ruling hisIf God in ‘his’ heaven is a father ruling his
people, then it is the ‘nature’ of things andpeople, then it is the ‘nature’ of things and
according to divine plan and the order ofaccording to divine plan and the order of
universe that society be male-dominated.universe that society be male-dominated.
Within this context a mystification of rolesWithin this context a mystification of roles
takes placetakes place
(Mary Daly, Beyond God the Father)(Mary Daly, Beyond God the Father)

7. Pastoral LetterPastoral Letter
The power of woman is her dependenceThe power of woman is her dependence
Unto the woman God said: I will greatlyUnto the woman God said: I will greatly
multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; inmultiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in
sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; andsorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and
thy desire shall be to thy husband, and hethy desire shall be to thy husband, and he
shall rule over thee.. Genesisshall rule over thee.. Genesis

8. PatriarchyPatriarchy
Here Millett offers a comprehensiveHere Millett offers a comprehensive
critique ofcritique of patriarchypatriarchy in Westernin Western
society and literaturesociety and literature
• Any culture that privileges men by promotingAny culture that privileges men by promoting
traditional gender roles.traditional gender roles.

9. SEXSEX: biological constitution as female: biological constitution as female
or maleor male
GENDERGENDER: our cultural: our cultural
programming as feminine orprogramming as feminine or
masculinemasculine

10. Patriarchy is by definitionPatriarchy is by definition sexistsexist
• It promotes the belief that women are innatelyIt promotes the belief that women are innately
inferior to meninferior to men
• ““head of the tribe or family”head of the tribe or family”

11. Traditional Gender RolesTraditional Gender Roles
MenMen
• RationalRational
• StrongStrong
• ProtectiveProtective
• DecisiveDecisive
WomenWomen
• Emotional (irrational)Emotional (irrational)
• WeakWeak
• NurturingNurturing
• SubmissiveSubmissive

13. All this is drilled into children by toys,All this is drilled into children by toys,
games, the social propaganda of televisiongames, the social propaganda of television
and the bound of educationand the bound of education

14.  A woman must always be a few feet behind her
husband. If he’s an M.A., you should be a B.A. If he’s
5’4” tall, you should not be more than 5’3” If he’s
earning 500 rupees, you should never earn more than
400 and 99 rupees. That’s the only role to follow if you
want a happy marriage. Don’t ever try to reverse the
Doctor-Nurse, Executive-Secretary, Principal-Teacher
role. It can be traumatic, disastrous. And, I assure you,
that it does not work. He’ll suffer and so will the
children. Women’s magazines will tell you that a
marriage should be equal partnership. That’s non-sense.
Rubbish. No partnership can ever be equal. It will always
be unequal, but take care that it’s unequal in favor of
your husband. If the scale tilts in your favor, God help
you, both of you
barirahnazir@ymail.com

15. The oppression of women is Total andThe oppression of women is Total and
therefore it exists in mind, it istherefore it exists in mind, it is
psychological oppression.psychological oppression.
A female is nothing but a sex-object. SheA female is nothing but a sex-object. She
must be pretty and assessed by the world;must be pretty and assessed by the world;
weighed, judged and measured by her looksweighed, judged and measured by her looks
alonealone

16. TranscendenceTranscendence
It designates the free subjectivity thatIt designates the free subjectivity that
defines its own nature and makesdefines its own nature and makes
projects that bring new entities into theprojects that bring new entities into the
world.world.
Patriarchal society allows only menPatriarchal society allows only men
such transcendencesuch transcendence

17. ImmanenceImmanence
Immanence designates being an object, a thingImmanence designates being an object, a thing
with an already defined naturewith an already defined nature
Patriarchal culture confines women toPatriarchal culture confines women to
ImmanenceImmanence
Feminine biology plays role but mostFeminine biology plays role but most
important is gender-conditioningimportant is gender-conditioning

18. Public PatriarchyPublic Patriarchy
Gender exploitation enacted inGender exploitation enacted in
contemporary workplace and through thecontemporary workplace and through the
state (Carol Brown, 1981)state (Carol Brown, 1981)
Women, a majority of the world’sWomen, a majority of the world’s
population, receive only a small share ofpopulation, receive only a small share of
developmental opportunities. They aredevelopmental opportunities. They are
often excluded from education or from theoften excluded from education or from the
better jobs, from political systems or frombetter jobs, from political systems or from
adequate health care.. Female indexadequate health care.. Female index
development is only 60% that of malesdevelopment is only 60% that of males

19. Women are exploited in the Marxist sense toWomen are exploited in the Marxist sense to
the degree that they are domestic laborersthe degree that they are domestic laborers
facing capitalist class exploitationfacing capitalist class exploitation
Women undergo specific forms of genderWomen undergo specific forms of gender
exploitation in which their energies andexploitation in which their energies and
power are expended, often unnoticed andpower are expended, often unnoticed and
unacknowledged, usually go to benefit menunacknowledged, usually go to benefit men
by releasing them for important andby releasing them for important and
creative work, enhancing their status or thecreative work, enhancing their status or the
environment around them, or providingenvironment around them, or providing
them with sexual or emotional servicethem with sexual or emotional service

20. Love & MarriageLove & Marriage
Millett assails romantic love ("a means ofMillett assails romantic love ("a means of
emotional manipulation which the male isemotional manipulation which the male is
free to exploit"), calls for an end tofree to exploit"), calls for an end to
monogamous marriage and the familymonogamous marriage and the family
("patriarchy's chief institution") and("patriarchy's chief institution") and
proposes a sexual revolution that wouldproposes a sexual revolution that would
"bring the institution of patriarchy to an"bring the institution of patriarchy to an
endend

21. Sexual dominion is the most pervasiveSexual dominion is the most pervasive
ideology of our culture and provides its mostideology of our culture and provides its most
fundamental concepts of power.fundamental concepts of power.

22. POLITICSPOLITICS
Politics is something in which women arePolitics is something in which women are
least interestedleast interested
Can the relationship between the sexes beCan the relationship between the sexes be
viewed in a political light at all?" Theviewed in a political light at all?" The
answer depends on how one defines politicsanswer depends on how one defines politics
Power-structured relationships,Power-structured relationships,
arrangements whereby one group ofarrangements whereby one group of
persons is controlled by anotherpersons is controlled by another

23. Far from the exploration and considerationFar from the exploration and consideration
of the erotic as a source of power andof the erotic as a source of power and
information, men confuse it withinformation, men confuse it with
pornographypornography
To openly admit the power of erotic isTo openly admit the power of erotic is
actually empower womenactually empower women

24. The feeling that woman's sexual functionsThe feeling that woman's sexual functions
are impure is both world-wide andare impure is both world-wide and
persistentpersistent
Sex is associated with women.. Dirty andSex is associated with women.. Dirty and
mysteriousmysterious

25. Ahsen Javed all the grlz in the world r bloody having sameAhsen Javed all the grlz in the world r bloody having same
mind !!!!!!!!!mind !!!!!!!!!
nobody can ever reach 2 their mind and their plans,,,,,,,,butnobody can ever reach 2 their mind and their plans,,,,,,,,but
only i am the only person have the power to do this .....resultonly i am the only person have the power to do this .....result
made grlzfrend only 4 time pass!!!!!! THATS MY Advise 2made grlzfrend only 4 time pass!!!!!! THATS MY Advise 2
all,,,,,4RM GAMERall,,,,,4RM GAMER
October 1 at 1:16am · Comment · LikeOctober 1 at 1:16am · Comment · Like
Ahsen Javed likes this.Ahsen Javed likes this.
• Ahsen Javed ya we have no mind thats why grlz wantAhsen Javed ya we have no mind thats why grlz want
us !!!!!!!! if u r hurt 4rm my comment then really sory okus !!!!!!!! if u r hurt 4rm my comment then really sory ok
and rahe boys ki bat tou un k dam par hy yh dunai hai dntand rahe boys ki bat tou un k dam par hy yh dunai hai dnt
4rget!!!!!October 1 at 7:56pm · Like4rget!!!!!October 1 at 7:56pm · Like
• Ahsen Javed ahm ahm !!!!1October 4 at 11:26pm · LikeAhsen Javed ahm ahm !!!!1October 4 at 11:26pm · Like

26. Ballot or ….Ballot or ….
Ballot is no real admission to civil life i.e.Ballot is no real admission to civil life i.e.
towards equality. All this is official hoaxtowards equality. All this is official hoax

28. Politicisation of women is transforming thePoliticisation of women is transforming the
way it was earlier..way it was earlier..

29. GoalsGoals
Therefore, feminism’s goal is to changeTherefore, feminism’s goal is to change
these degrading views of women so thatthese degrading views of women so that
all women will realize they are not aall women will realize they are not a
“non significant Other” and each“non significant Other” and each
woman is a valuable person possessingwoman is a valuable person possessing
the same privileges and rights as everythe same privileges and rights as every
man.man.

30. Women must define themselves and assertWomen must define themselves and assert
their own voices in the arenas of politics,their own voices in the arenas of politics,
society, education, and the arts.society, education, and the arts.
By personally committing themselves toBy personally committing themselves to
fostering such change, feminists hope tofostering such change, feminists hope to
create a society in which not only the malecreate a society in which not only the male
but also the female voice is equally valued.but also the female voice is equally valued.

31. Millett and her work failed to achieve theMillett and her work failed to achieve the
lasting popular recognition enjoyed bylasting popular recognition enjoyed by
other second-wave feminists such as Simonother second-wave feminists such as Simon
de Beauvoir, Betty Friedan, and Germainede Beauvoir, Betty Friedan, and Germaine
GreerGreer
Re-printed in 2000Re-printed in 2000

32. "Feminism is a very transformative thing,"Feminism is a very transformative thing,
whether intended or not. And that is whenwhether intended or not. And that is when
society loses its patience."society loses its patience."
"I love making trouble. It's a wonderful"I love making trouble. It's a wonderful
job. You don't get paid but you have a lot ofjob. You don't get paid but you have a lot of
adventuresadventures

33. Millett’s Farm HouseMillett’s Farm House