Dear Prof. Friedman,

Oh -- a really good bibliographical reference that spells out quite clearly the failure of white feminists to appreciate what it's like for African Americans to experience the double whammy is an ancient but very powerful one--although I can't tell if it would still be powerful; it set me straight immediately against any false pretences of shared viewpoints the moment I read it but that was 30 years ago: Common Differences--Conflicts in black and white feminist perspectives by Gloria I. Joseph and Jill Lewis (South End Press). 

But in any case A. Dworkin and C. MacKinnon were not presuming or attempting to explain racism at all, nor do I assume to 'understand' it as you put it, any more than I aim to 'understand' sexism, but I was suggesting to borrow their approach to provide a version of their very powerful argument by analogy to counter the free speech defence of pornography by treating pornography as an infringement on women's constitutional rights--like the 'whites only' sign in a private business window is an infringement on constitutional rights of people whose freedom is thereby degraded.  This argument can be found in "The Reasons Why: Essays on the New Civil Rights Law Recognizing Pornography as Sex Discrimination." Andrea Dworkin, "Against the Male Flood: Censorship, Pornography, and Equality," Harvard Women's Law Journal  vol 8 1985
and Catharin A MacKinnon, Pornography, Civil Rights, and Speech" Harvard Civil Rights-Civil Liberties Law Review, vol. 20 .no. 1, Winter 1985.

All these readings are so old I mistakenly take it for granted that the lessons learned from them are shared in these contemporary conversations about shared concerns among strangers; a great mistake, evidently. Very sorry.

Helen Lauer




On Sunday, November 24, 2013 7:35 PM, "Friedman, Marilyn" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
I really appreciate your interest in my work.

Regards,
Marilyn
________________________________________
From: helen lauer [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Saturday, November 23, 2013 5:39 PM
To: Friedman, Marilyn
Subject: Re: how to respond to colleagues derision of CSW poster

God, I wish.

What a thrill to get an email from you, Prof. Friedman!  I have just been relying upon your book review of Nussbaum's for a paper on the role of African higher education beyond the labour market.  I will send you a pre-print copy of the paper.
Helen


On Saturday, November 23, 2013 10:29 PM, "Friedman, Marilyn" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Helen,

Could it be that your colleagues have a sincere concern that "got women?" treats women like a passive substance that people can have or not?  Just a thought.

Marilyn Friedman
________________________________
From: Feminist ethics and social theory [[log in to unmask]] on behalf of helen lauer [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Saturday, November 23, 2013 3:38 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: how to respond to colleagues derision of CSW poster

Thanks even more for your prompt and collegial reply!
I think the nub of it is to get to the point where the idle and ad hoc maintenance of covert male supremacists as the harbingers of good taste and propriety, constitutes a hostile work environment.  But that is revolutionary. Just as revolutionary as MacKinnon and Dworkin being able to convince legislators once in Minnesota that pornography in supermarkets is a constitutional infringement on the free speech of women (namely, it silences them).
Sigh.
I guess Rome wasn't built in a day, is what to say next.
It is pretty amazing that now 'nigger' jokes aren't funny.  One day it won't be polite to snigger and cackle when the issue of women's entitlements and subordination are raised in an otherwise enlightened academic forum, like a Faculty Senate.  Because we have been under very strict surveillance to come up to speed in order to be eligible for Carnegie funding and other highly competitive global support for African universities, we at U.Ghana have the gender sensitivity policy in some nominal sense, but no one has a clue how to use it, and more importantly no one much cares to try.

Best,
Helen


On Saturday, November 23, 2013 9:22 PM, Anita Silvers <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
We actually liked the Philosopher poster and have it in several colors, and several sizes.  We liked it having less text, and a multiplicity of diverse faces for our students to see.
-
________________________________
From: Feminist ethics and social theory [[log in to unmask]] on behalf of Peggy DesAutels [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Saturday, November 23, 2013 12:24 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: how to respond to colleagues derision of CSW poster

Hi Shari,

I'm not sure it's possible to convince people who think something is "weird" that it's not weird!  I suppose you could point out how many others agree with you.  Sales to date:

"Philosophy - Got Women?" poster:  148
"Philosophy - Where are the Women?" poster:  17
"Philosopher" poster:  36

All my best,

Peggy DesAutels
(past Chair of CSW and manager of the CSW online store at http://www.zazzle.com/apacsw )

On Nov 23, 2013, at 3:06 PM, Shari Stone-Mediatore wrote:

Hello,

My male colleagues tell me that that they are happy to make our dept more inviting to female students (which is sorely needed here) and perhaps put up a poster with women philosophers, but they don't like the CSW "Got women?" poster .  They think "got women" doesn't say anything meaningful and is "weird."  (And they wouldn't like the other posters any better, which, frankly, I think are less meaningful.)


Any suggestions?

Thanks!
Shari

--
Shari Stone-Mediatore
Professor of Philosophy
Ohio Wesleyan University
Delaware, OH  43015
United States
740-368-3795
[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>


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Peggy DesAutels
Professor
Department of Philosophy
University of Dayton
http://www.peggydesautels.com<http://www.peggydesautels.com/>





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