When I moved to England from Sweden I was shocked to realise that feminism was seen by many as extremism. How can the fight for equal rights be seen as fanatical?
But after living in the UK for more than thirteen years I have realised that the history of feminism in England has been more violent than in Sweden.
In England, the suffragettes had to go to extreme measures to make their voices heard in a society where they had no right to speak in public. Not that I really think it is extreme to chain yourself to the gates of Buckingham Palace.
The suffragettes were facing strong resistance from the established society and that meant that they were forced to constantly raise the stakes to make their voices heard. The state responded with the ‘Cat and Mouse Act’ (Prisoners, Temporary Discharge for Health Act), which was a very effective way for the state to deal with the suffragettes. The men in power were not going to give up their powers and since the people in power make the laws, they used the laws to increase their powers against the suffragettes.
When the oppression of a group has become extreme then the resistance has to be extreme. You can see evidence of this political struggle against oppression all over the world; we have seen it in Iran, Iraq and now lately in Egypt and Libya.
It is easy to forget that the suffragettes were just women fighting for their right to vote and be recognised as a legal person in their own right and not just as some ones daughter or wife. They were not some mentally deranged lunatics that made no sense. And they were certainly not extreme in their actions!
Today, feminism is seen as something old fashion and out of date as if the oppression of women has stopped and women should stop nagging about equality, we have moved passed that now. But have we? Is the issue really out of date?
The 5th March 2011, I joined the Million Women Rise march from Hyde Park to Trafalgar Square on the anniversary of the International Women’s Day. The march was to end the male violence against women and children and the Statement of Demands is not out of date or old fashion, it is a fair demand for justice for women and our equal right to be protected by the state from violence. Don’t be afraid to use the word Feminism - do it with pride!
Join the struggle for women rights:
