Purpose of pamphlet

- Not a paint by numbers guide to good living

- Starting point is sexism is so fundamental in our society its hard to recognise let alone
address
- Womens unequal positionin society is the material foundation for sexist ideas we see
everywhere, all the time, and impact our personal relationships and interactions. Sexist ideas
like women being naturally passive, existing to service men, a womans appearance being
more important that any other feature, men are more dominant get taken more seriously,
there are a few exeptions on the fringes of the mainstream, but the overwhelming tide is
sexist.
- That is beuase Womens oppression is a key prop of capitalism. The privitiased reproduction
of the working class, primarily seen as the responsibility of women requires massive
ideological and material resources to justify as natural and normal and universal
- just as capitalism, exploitation and its institutions are propped up this way and accepted, it is
the role of socialists to challenge all these accepted ideas
- Sexism is insidious because it is so normalised under capitalism and plays out all the day in
everyday interactions.
- Men and women as socialisd from birth to accept sexism. Daughters are encouraged to be
quiete and boys are encouraged to be aggressive, women are concentrated in lower paid jobs,
jobs seen as nurturing, teaching, nursing, service industry are some of the worst paid. Sexism
is internalised by women, women accept this, base their self worth on mens opinions, dont
speak up etc. both men and women take men more seriously, men interrupt women more in
conversations, men are more assertive with their demands and opinions
- In relationships this unequal dynamic plays out as well. The nuclear family is still seen as
the norm for relationships, men still seen as the dominant partner. These gender stereotypes
which are promoted everywhere from tv, to within oour own experience of growing up, to
whats accepted by society reinforce the unequal dynamic
- Same sex relationships, while not coming into them with the same unequal dynamic are still
poisened with these same expectations.
- Relationships are seen by many as havens from capitalism, away from work and exploitation,
but 1 most violence towards women occurs in the home or from someone that is known to her,
through the family or partner, also capitalist ideology impacts how people relate to eachother
all the time.
So the starting point to understand the rights of women and the responsibilities of socialist
men is a clear recognition that women and men fundamentally interact on an unequal basis.
this doesnt just mean we accept this. We can modify our behaviour if we have a clear
political understanding of the influence of the horrible ideas of capitalism and the strutures
that back up and constantly renew them. We believe workers can challenge backward ideas
like agreeing with the boss or racism and other divisive ideas, so to with sexism.
However understanding womens oppression, the obvious discrimination women face in
society is only the first step. It is about unpackaging our own behaviour and being conscious
of it that we can create an anti-sexist culture.

For example (some of the ones in the book)

Women who take up leadership roles are seen as aggressive, or bossy, ppl resent having a
political disagreement with a women beucase for one, men are socialised to believe and
expect their ideas, their desires, their needs will be paramount. They are encouraged to see
themselves as dominant in everything. Ex. Sexual partners. Women are socialised to defer to

those around them, be more senstivie to others needs and wants before her own, get
dismissed as nagging.
- heterosexual relationships recognise sexist responses, intergrate understanding of the this
unequal status into interations in relationship. Men being seen as dominant in relationships,
drapping himself around a women, speaking for his partner, assuming she has the same
opinion as him because they are in a relationship. Not acting in a controlling way, like the
women has an obligation to the man, a propiertal relationship. Text harassment, trying to
change a womens appreance, minimising her independence. Not assuming a mans needs
comes first. The study on sexual experiences 90% of men experienced orgasms and only 70%
of women did. If you dont care if your partner enjoys sex, youre a sexist brute

Men should not talk about women as sex objects. Its degrading and dehumanising.
Do the housework.
Same sex relationships. Society generally devalues same sex relationships (marriage ban,
comparing them to hetero ones) socialists respect all relationships regardless of sexual orientation.
Domestic violene can take many forms including physical violence, emotional, verbal, and
psychological abuse, sexual abuse or social and financial control. It can include stalking, following
and monitoring a persons movements, making threats. As with sexual assault, it is always the
perpetrator of violence and abuse who is to blame for it, never the woman who experiences it.
Rape myth and reality. Not stranger danger, most likely by someone you know and date rape and
always if the women has not given meaningful consent it is rape. If a woman is drunk, no consent.
Wearing a women down, constantly asking until the women basically gives up. Guidelines in
pamphlet are from non-socialist sources. If a man lies to get a women to sleep with him, in my
opinion thats rape.
Safe sex take it seriously. Its not a wowser question, important question of health and safety for
yourself and your partner or partners. Also the unequal dynamic in reltaionships means women feel
more pressure to agree to things they dont want to so safe sex question also one of sexism. In the
case of unwanted pregnancy and therefore abortion a mans opinion does not count unless she asks
for it. If we believe what we say when we chant womens bodies, womens live, womens right to
decide, it means this.
Political space
- Creating an environment and culture where women feel safe and confident to raise and
challenge questions sexism. Where women know they will be supported. And men know
their responsibilities. Do not get defensive if an instance of sexist behaviour is raised with
them. Treat it politically. Everyones responsibility to challenge bad behaviour, especially
sexism.
- Our org is not a pick up joint. Propositioning new people, reinforces all the worst sexism.
That a woman is only seen as sex object, not relating to them as political people. Can lead to
people not wanting to get involved and is sexist. Not relating to people as political people but
potential dates.
- Gossip. No gossip, beucase of sexist dynamic always impacts negatively on the woman.
- Serious issues of sexism should always be referred to the bc. If a persons sexism is
challenged and they didnt respond appropriately, it can also be taken to the bc. In the first

instance, sexism should always be challenged then and there. And men should never, ever, be
defensive or hostile if their sexism is challenged.
This is not an abstract question, it is of vital importance to anyone wanting to be a socialist and build
a socialist organisation. Its important as all the other political issues we study. Anti sexist attitudes
and culture have to be an integral part of a revolutionary organisation.
Sa is proud to buck the trend internationally and have majority women on our leading leadership
bodies, not through any quota system but eduation and practice that encourages women and
challenges sexism. This pamphlet itself is unique.
Some of its aims was to increase the confidence of women to not accept any aspects of sexist
behaviour, in political spaces and in our personal lives, for men to recognise and unpackage their
own behaviour and responses to women.
to have the displine in our org of an anti-sexist culture where sexism in not tolerated and challenged.
Its a constant thing. This pamphlet is part of the the new memebers intro reading groups (coupled
with the womens oppression pamphlet) A chunck of that is a solid theoretical understanding of these
questions, at the back there is a further reading guide comrades should look at.