Anyone who comments approvingly of your analysis of ‘the Western-centric nature of intersectional feminism and how this fails Muslim women’ will no doubt be accused of ‘dog whistling’ their own ‘racist and colonialist attitudes’, so to avoid being ‘cancelled’ by intersectional feminists I had better not do so.
But my dear, we have the Exchequer for the finances, and the bins were the purvey of local government last time I checked!
This increasingly indecent world (and ever more so when the lack of decency is driven by burning passions for an ideal greater good) needs decent, reasonable, honest people in public office. A Prime Minister is supposed to give guidelines that make up the soul of a government, and our best governments have had such people at the helm. That why I expressed that desideratum.
It was hyperbole -- if you wished to enter politics you would have done so, and it is a messy, too often thankless thing for honest folks. Just know that reading you never fails to give me hope. It is the discerning mind, the solid principles, and the lack of apodictic judgements. There should be more of you.
Thanks Helen for this excellent analysis. I first realised something had gone awry with intersectional feminism when I read what happened to Maryam Namazie at Goldsmiths University. I was astonished that the aggressive Islamist men were defended by the ‘feminist’ and ‘LGBTQ’ societies!! This despite the fact that Islamists tend to think it’s ok to kill homosexuals, daughters who ‘dishonour’ their families, and apostates. Delving a little, I learnt that ex-Muslims in western countries were pretty much ignored or abandoned by ‘liberals’ and progressives. This is when it first dawned on me the ‘progressive Left’ had lost its bearings. https://www.secularism.org.uk/news/2015/12/islamist-students-try-to-disrupt-ex-muslim-maryam-namazies-talk-on-blasphemy-at-goldsmiths-university
It's part and parcel of a greater co-opting of traditional progressive spaces by organized Islamist (not Muslim, but specifically Islamist) forces. This reached a crescendo in 2023 when the Believe all Women credo was amended to include everyone but Israeli women, who were either branded as liars or outright told that sexual assault is a legitimate form of resistance.
This space needs to be reclaimed, and rather urgently at that.
Roger Scrunton's term "Oikophobia" needs more widespread acknowledgment. This is at the heart of every prog/liberation movement and manifests as reflexive anti-Westernism.
Anyone who comments approvingly of your analysis of ‘the Western-centric nature of intersectional feminism and how this fails Muslim women’ will no doubt be accused of ‘dog whistling’ their own ‘racist and colonialist attitudes’, so to avoid being ‘cancelled’ by intersectional feminists I had better not do so.
Well I totally agree with you. Well reasoned.
I truly wish I could vote you for Prime Minister.
I'd screw up our finances and forget to have the bins collected!
But my dear, we have the Exchequer for the finances, and the bins were the purvey of local government last time I checked!
This increasingly indecent world (and ever more so when the lack of decency is driven by burning passions for an ideal greater good) needs decent, reasonable, honest people in public office. A Prime Minister is supposed to give guidelines that make up the soul of a government, and our best governments have had such people at the helm. That why I expressed that desideratum.
It was hyperbole -- if you wished to enter politics you would have done so, and it is a messy, too often thankless thing for honest folks. Just know that reading you never fails to give me hope. It is the discerning mind, the solid principles, and the lack of apodictic judgements. There should be more of you.
Well articulated argument supporting Muslim women’s autonomy and also
opposing islamophobia. Thank you for your clear speech.
Thanks Helen for this excellent analysis. I first realised something had gone awry with intersectional feminism when I read what happened to Maryam Namazie at Goldsmiths University. I was astonished that the aggressive Islamist men were defended by the ‘feminist’ and ‘LGBTQ’ societies!! This despite the fact that Islamists tend to think it’s ok to kill homosexuals, daughters who ‘dishonour’ their families, and apostates. Delving a little, I learnt that ex-Muslims in western countries were pretty much ignored or abandoned by ‘liberals’ and progressives. This is when it first dawned on me the ‘progressive Left’ had lost its bearings. https://www.secularism.org.uk/news/2015/12/islamist-students-try-to-disrupt-ex-muslim-maryam-namazies-talk-on-blasphemy-at-goldsmiths-university
Yes, that was a pivotal realisation moment, wasn't it? Or should have been.
It's part and parcel of a greater co-opting of traditional progressive spaces by organized Islamist (not Muslim, but specifically Islamist) forces. This reached a crescendo in 2023 when the Believe all Women credo was amended to include everyone but Israeli women, who were either branded as liars or outright told that sexual assault is a legitimate form of resistance.
This space needs to be reclaimed, and rather urgently at that.
Roger Scrunton's term "Oikophobia" needs more widespread acknowledgment. This is at the heart of every prog/liberation movement and manifests as reflexive anti-Westernism.
It is not just oikophobia. It is xenophilia.
Just gotta say I came here as a break from reading Foucault’s Pendulum. Somehow I’m finding the interrelationships of those ideas easier to follow…