In her 1971 book "The Dialectic of Sex," Shulamith Firestone argued that curing aging and eliminating death by old age was necessary for feminist revolution to fully liberate women from the unequal labor burden of child-raising. There will be no need for society to produce or raise children once we no longer have an aging population:

[Firestone's] view is that it is because women bear children that it has been possible for men to gain ascendancy over them, for the subjugation of women is rooted in the division of labor which begins with the differing roles males and females have in the reproduction of the species. This division of labor is institutionalized in the family. Therefore, to free women it is necessary to eradicate the family, at first by developing alternative lifestyles and social institutions and eventually by reproducing people artificially, eliminating the female reproductive function. Equality for women is to be accomplished through scientific discoveries that progress from the artificial reproduction of babies to the elimination of childhood, ageing, and eventually death itself. [link]

Firestone's criticism of the 70's left's views on science and technology in Dialectic of Sex was thoroughly developed and foresightful, and predated Haraway's manifesto by 14 years.

Radicals, rather than breast-beating about the immorality of scientific research, could be much more effective by concentrating their full energies on demands for control of scientific discoveries by and for the people. For, like atomic energy, fertility control, artificial reproduction, cybernation, in themselves are liberating -- unless they are improperly used.... It is clear by now that research in the area of reproduction is itself being impeded by cultural lag and sexual bias. The money allocated for specific kinds of research, the kinds of research done are only incidentally in the interest of women when at all.

And Firestone was a feminist proponent of fully automated luxury communism before we had a term for it:

Another scientific development that we find difficult to absorb into our traditional value system is the new science of cybernetics: machines that may soon equal or surpass man in original thinking and problem solving... We will need almost overnight, in order to deal with the profound effects of fertility control and cybernation, a new culture based on a radical redefinition of human relationships and leisure for the masses. To so radically redefine our relationship to production and reproduction requires the destruction at once of the class system as well as the family. We will be beyond arguments about who is 'bringing home the bacon' -- no one will be bringing it home, because no one will be 'working.' Job discrimination would no longer have any basis in a society where machines do the work better than human beings of any size or skill could.

So I see the sub isn't very active but I would like to know if anyone could provide me with some examples of how women today are oppressed for their biology and societal pressures that women as a population still face. I have a list already made but want to check with women who are more informed and see if I can get a few more additions. Thank you!

Hi! I'm 24 and I've been a radical feminist for a few years now. I want to ask my fellow heterosexual radical feminists (if there's any of us here), how do you reconcile your feminist convictions with you needs for intimacy and a relationship? As I'm getting older I see my friends entering relationships, getting engaged and so on, while I remain single as a pingle. I have a very good life I built around my relationships with women but not gonna lie, I increasingly find myself longing for intimacy and closeness that comes with having a partner. Morning kisses, sitting on someone's laps, cuddles...

I tried dating but I'm heterosexual and the men out there... Subpar, exploitative, and boring individuals. It's almost palpable when they get uncomfortable when I assert myself. I respect myself, my experience, my knowledge and I won't cater for anyone's insecurities and make myself small. The men I have so far met are either not interested in dating someone like me, or straight up feel threatened by me. I tried hooking up, so at least my sexual needs are met, but it left me feeling even more desperate for the real intimate bond with someone. I have close male friends but not partner material either.

What should I do now? Should I keep on looking for a rare gem among men? Are there any decent men out there at all? Is there hope for me? It's been bugging me for such a long time now... The intrusive thoughts telling me that if I shaved, wore makeup, make myself more agreeable, I could be in a fulfilling relationship...

I'm looking for a new writer/novels. Most of the time I'm interested in essay but this time I want to read a novel with feminist(s) main character(s). English is not my first language and I think I'm not able to read complex stuff(not now at least) so please advise me

r/wgtow , r/feministseperatism , and r/seperatistfeminism have all been eradicated, and I can find no active communities that have been created by women for this purpose from a google search. Mgtow spaces, however, are very popular, and very sexist. I’m inclined to believe that these subreddits were deleted because men found them sexist? However, on radical feminist spaces, the idea of separatism is very popular. It all seems like someone went on a rampage reporting these spaces, because of how absolutely dismal a google search is. It’s hard to believe that with so many people subscribing to separatism, or being a “febfem,” or even straight women just going their own way like mgtows, that there would not be enough interest to generate even a subreddit.

I posted this in another sub, but wanted to share here as well. The more I've thought about it, the more I view it more as a female empowerment issue vs. just a sexual issue. I recently traded private messages with another female redditor in another sub and it made me realize I want to clarify and vocalize these thoughts. I can be a bit extreme/out there in my thoughts sometimes, so here goes.

I recently read a book by Wednesday Martin called "Untrue." It was very enlightening and eye opening, but made total sense in light of the events in my own life. It was about the traditional views of women's sexuality and how they are all wrong. I won't really go into a lot of details about this, but the long and short is, I am married to a man, but about a year ago I started opening up my relationship sexually with a female friend (with his full knowledge). Here are my thoughts of some conclusions as to where my journey has led.

We all know sex is a very powerful force in the world, and while it is and can be a very wonderful thing, it has also been used by men since the dawn of time as a tool of oppression and evil. I know there have been multiple books and essays about how women can use sex to their advantage in the power struggle, and this has always bothered me. It implies that we need to use our bodies to be equals with men, whereas men do not have to do any such thing. Although I fully support exploring ways to equalize power, I do not support a method that requires something not required of men. I suggest something a bit different when it comes to utilizing our sexuality.

I do not speak for all women, but my experience has always been that there is something very different in my relationships with other women compared to those with men. It's not something I can put my finger on, but it is a closeness and an understanding/appreciation that is extremely difficult to attain with a man. The common pitfalls I've had in my male relationships of gaslighting, having the other person wonder "did I do something" when I'm just trying to express how I feel, and overall getting me just aren't nearly as prevalent in my female relationships. My closest, emotionally tender moments in life have been shared with my close female friends. I don't think I'm alone, but I would guess a large percentage of women have been in those moments, and there is a moment, even if only briefly, where the lines between friendship/kinship and the feelings of closeness experienced in a romantic/sexual relationship are blurred. In my own life, I have taken those feelings to the next step and allowed that friendship/kinship to progress into sexual expression. Forget labels for a moment. Whether we are bi, lesbian, straight, or identify in any other way, I truly believe that taking that next step into sexual expression is a very natural thing that is a natural extension of the close feelings and emotions in friendship between women.

I really think the only reason this doesn't occur more is because of the world we live in and the stigmas that have been created by a male dominated society. If we could wipe our programming clean, I think these types of connections would happen way more frequently between women, and absent any male involvement. Here is why I think this is important. We are the gatekeepers of sex with the men who have caused the problems (for purposes of this post, I am not referring to gay or bi men who too have been oppressed). If women had more frequent expression of sexual desire with other women, it would do two things:

1. It would take much of the power out of men's hands. We would decide when and how sex involved a man. If we chose to, we would. If not, we don't. But if we were satisfying our sexual desires with other women, that might be adequate for us and we would not have a reason to give in to the patriarchal bullshit that so often governs sex. It leads to a very significant shift in the power dynamic.
2. My experience has taught me that sex with another woman can be very empowering. It is so different in terms of how it effects self-image and confidence. It has changed the way I think about myself and by extension has changed how I interact in my public life. It has nullified some of the confidence and self image issues that I believe are a product of a patriarchal society. I truly believe it would do the same for other women.

I know what I am proposing seems very much out there, and would require a total rethinking of traditional relationships, but I wish more women felt comfortable with this. There is so much we go to our female friends for: affirmation, openness, understanding, etc....why can't sexuality be one of those things? It just seems to fit so naturally into the order of things. It would change so many things as well. I realize many will look at this and say "But I'm straight, that wouldn't work for me." I grew up thinking I was 100% straight. Until a little later in life, I didn't give desire for other women a second thought, but I truly believe it's something that would work for almost every woman out there. I think there is so much more this could lead to. It would only strengthen the bonds between women in many different aspects of our lives (personal, career, etc.) and when we are closer and together, we are in a much better position to change the world.

A Philosopher, A Psychologist, and An Extraterrestrial Walk into a Chocolate Bar

When a self-appointed independent activist and her office-temp-with-a-doctorate buddy embark on a quest for a chocolate bar (a bar that serves not alcohol, but chocolate – in all its deliciously decadent forms), they pick up a hitchhiking extraterrestrial who’s stopped on Earth to ask for directions.  Trying to explain Earl (Earth), confronting everyday sexism (rather like bashing your head against a jellyfish), and committing assorted outrageous acts and everyday rebellions, they help ‘X’ find the information she needs to get back home – and go with her – to become chocolate bartenders.

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My favorite line:

“DO WE HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL ALL MEN DO IT?”

Hi all! Can you pls share your favorite feminists blogs in instagram, twitter or maybe tumblr? Or anywhere else. Thanks in advance!

I've been cruising around some radfem circles and I've heard the term "hop" brought up several times, would somebody be able to inform me about what "hop" stands for/is? Google has been zero help.

It is difficult to recognize modern oppression in marriage. If it is a country, Brazil, with legislation that women can legally own lands and objects, and there is a division of tasks at home, what are the oppressions of a marriage?

of course the ideal would be the socialization of domestic work, but I am starting from an individual perspective