Oh this so resonates just now... I'm just finishing off an article for a magazine of a feminist organisation the Association of Radical Feminists (ARM). The piece focuses on a recent publication 'How can universities promote academic freedom?' My title is 'In praise of debate: feminist consciousness and ARM'. One of the aspects I talk about that I see as specifically feminine, is the way women connect and share through story telling; we sit in circle and talk. In our case it is a midwifery and birthing women's group (primarily - but open to all), but it could be a knitting group, a book club, a health group or class, or support group, but the key factor tends to be women sharing experiences in a personal narrative to educate - antenatal groups are classic in the birthing world along with other mother's groups for this kind of story telling. Your words on 'naming' are pertinent in many debates - if we can't/don't or fear naming, things escalate. I quote Andrea Dworkin - “Ethical individualism needs a particular kind of culture – a culture of independence – in which to flourish. Its enemy is the opposite culture – the culture of conformity, of Khoumeni’s Iran, Torquemada’s Spain, and Joe McCarthy’s America – in which truth is collected not person by person, in acts of independent conviction, but is embedded in monolithic traditions or the fiats of priesthood or junta or majority vote, and dissent from that truth is treason. That totalitarian epistemology – searingly identified in the finally successful campaign of Orwell’s dictator to make his victim believe, through torture, that 2 and 2 is 5 – is tyranny’s most frightening feature.” (Dworkin 1996) I may well quote you Josh...? Great post - wish it was longer.
Thanks so much Lynn and my apologies for the incredibly late reply. Please feel free to quote any of the words in these essays if they resonate or are relevant. Andrea Dworkin is a favourite writer of mine - a 'truth-teller' of the highest calibre. I remember reading 'Women Hating' back in 2004. I have the original E. P. Dutton version that I keep as reference for my writing.
I'd love to read your article (if possible) when it is published/publicly accessible. Storytelling is so central towards unearthing the experience within - I see it as a way of nurturing the soul. There is a ritualistic dimension to the exchange of stories that Drowkin explored in her early work where the listener and storyteller undergo a liminal experience of 'becoming' - a transformation that begins through 'naming'.
Can you share a link? Yet another alphabet agency to investigate? Sounds like we need updated definitions of "radical midwives" versus "feminists". Often so called "radical" midwives are the greatest feminists. But all women who give birth (& humans who are born) can benefit from the midwives. I can imagine but have no information about what "radical" midwives are. In some circles "Midwives" are automatically seen as radical.
www.midwifery.org.uk even radical midwives don’t agree on what they are...;) I did try and capture this in a book - Women's Choices, Midwife Voices: What does it mean to be radical? https://amzn.eu/d/gNsSZXs
Very nice piece! Naming things is a divine act. By naming a set of patterns or events, we speak them into existence. For to name something one must first see and understand it. There’s so much mythology and stories around words, like the idea of having power over someone/something if you can name them (Rumpelstiltskin). Anyway good stuff!
Beautifully said! I second Renee's comment - the reference to Rumpelstiltskin is brilliant. It is also interesting to note how certain cultures have 'naming ceremonies' (similar to baptism ceremonies) for new-born's as part of their induction into the world. It is indeed a divine act right from the process of utterance.
Thank you! And can relate to the naming ceremonies: My (full) siblings and I had the privilege of naming my half brother (dad remarried later in life). It was a very special moment.
Naming is an act of rebellion against all that which misguides human compassion. To exorcise the Devil we have to call it by its name! Another intellectually tantalising post. Thank you for sharing.
Very good post, thanks. Yes, wrote about this in several posts, most recently in how these factors may affect us through digital technology and “META”. Through our stories we invent and/or reinvent the world.
Cheers! I read your article this weekend and thoroughly enjoyed it. The digital technology perspective certainly adds another dimension to 'calling things out'. My favourite quote from your piece: "...I present that the world of Meta is not what we are choosing. It is what we have been sold by unethical would be warlords who wish to control us. The entire biotechnology mystique is based on these false choices. It is only by seeing the reality of this false choice that we may choose a different one."
Oh this so resonates just now... I'm just finishing off an article for a magazine of a feminist organisation the Association of Radical Feminists (ARM). The piece focuses on a recent publication 'How can universities promote academic freedom?' My title is 'In praise of debate: feminist consciousness and ARM'. One of the aspects I talk about that I see as specifically feminine, is the way women connect and share through story telling; we sit in circle and talk. In our case it is a midwifery and birthing women's group (primarily - but open to all), but it could be a knitting group, a book club, a health group or class, or support group, but the key factor tends to be women sharing experiences in a personal narrative to educate - antenatal groups are classic in the birthing world along with other mother's groups for this kind of story telling. Your words on 'naming' are pertinent in many debates - if we can't/don't or fear naming, things escalate. I quote Andrea Dworkin - “Ethical individualism needs a particular kind of culture – a culture of independence – in which to flourish. Its enemy is the opposite culture – the culture of conformity, of Khoumeni’s Iran, Torquemada’s Spain, and Joe McCarthy’s America – in which truth is collected not person by person, in acts of independent conviction, but is embedded in monolithic traditions or the fiats of priesthood or junta or majority vote, and dissent from that truth is treason. That totalitarian epistemology – searingly identified in the finally successful campaign of Orwell’s dictator to make his victim believe, through torture, that 2 and 2 is 5 – is tyranny’s most frightening feature.” (Dworkin 1996) I may well quote you Josh...? Great post - wish it was longer.
Thanks so much Lynn and my apologies for the incredibly late reply. Please feel free to quote any of the words in these essays if they resonate or are relevant. Andrea Dworkin is a favourite writer of mine - a 'truth-teller' of the highest calibre. I remember reading 'Women Hating' back in 2004. I have the original E. P. Dutton version that I keep as reference for my writing.
I'd love to read your article (if possible) when it is published/publicly accessible. Storytelling is so central towards unearthing the experience within - I see it as a way of nurturing the soul. There is a ritualistic dimension to the exchange of stories that Drowkin explored in her early work where the listener and storyteller undergo a liminal experience of 'becoming' - a transformation that begins through 'naming'.
No worries - I haven’t read Women Hating - I’ll get it from the library. Cheers
Agree 100%. Getting together to celebrate story telling is critical. The stories we tell ourselves are fundamental to who we choose to become.
Oops ARM is association of radical midwives not feminists!
Can you share a link? Yet another alphabet agency to investigate? Sounds like we need updated definitions of "radical midwives" versus "feminists". Often so called "radical" midwives are the greatest feminists. But all women who give birth (& humans who are born) can benefit from the midwives. I can imagine but have no information about what "radical" midwives are. In some circles "Midwives" are automatically seen as radical.
www.midwifery.org.uk even radical midwives don’t agree on what they are...;) I did try and capture this in a book - Women's Choices, Midwife Voices: What does it mean to be radical? https://amzn.eu/d/gNsSZXs
Will check it out, thanks.
Very nice piece! Naming things is a divine act. By naming a set of patterns or events, we speak them into existence. For to name something one must first see and understand it. There’s so much mythology and stories around words, like the idea of having power over someone/something if you can name them (Rumpelstiltskin). Anyway good stuff!
Beautifully said! I second Renee's comment - the reference to Rumpelstiltskin is brilliant. It is also interesting to note how certain cultures have 'naming ceremonies' (similar to baptism ceremonies) for new-born's as part of their induction into the world. It is indeed a divine act right from the process of utterance.
Thank you! And can relate to the naming ceremonies: My (full) siblings and I had the privilege of naming my half brother (dad remarried later in life). It was a very special moment.
Your connection to Rumpelstiltskin is fantastic!
Naming is an act of rebellion against all that which misguides human compassion. To exorcise the Devil we have to call it by its name! Another intellectually tantalising post. Thank you for sharing.
So true and important! Thanks Swarnali. That sense of rebellion is the spiritual nectar of life!
Very good post, thanks. Yes, wrote about this in several posts, most recently in how these factors may affect us through digital technology and “META”. Through our stories we invent and/or reinvent the world.
https://kwnorton.substack.com/p/meta-instability?r=boqs0&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Cheers! I read your article this weekend and thoroughly enjoyed it. The digital technology perspective certainly adds another dimension to 'calling things out'. My favourite quote from your piece: "...I present that the world of Meta is not what we are choosing. It is what we have been sold by unethical would be warlords who wish to control us. The entire biotechnology mystique is based on these false choices. It is only by seeing the reality of this false choice that we may choose a different one."
I'm looking forward to reading more of your work.