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A Basic Introduction to

Anarcha Feminism

the principles of direct democracy.

recognising this fact and by further

Anarcha-feminism is the application of

identifying where and how they intersect

these anarchist policies to the Black

we are provided with a greater

Words: Fionnghuala Nic Roibeaird

Feminist theory of intersectionality.

understanding of power and how to destroy


it.

Intersectionality is the idea that all of our


individual oppressions (i.e. class, gender,

Feminism in its most basic form must be

race, sexuality, (dis)/ability) intersect and

anti-Capitalist. In examining and in fighting

reinforce one another in our oppression, for

against the patriarchal gender roles that

example, a working class woman is

are assigned to us as women it is important

oppressed in this society but a black

to ask where did these roles come from

working class woman is oppressed even

and whose purpose do they serve? Gender

further. Intersectionality is not meant to be

is the capital division of labour; it is a social

Women of all classes, races, and life

used as an excuse to enter into the

construct, it is not based on anatomical sex

circumstances have been on the receiving

Oppression Olympics, rather it is meant

(as anatomical sex and gender do not

end of domination too long to want to

to be used as a lens through which we can

always match up), it is based on

exchange one set of masters for another. -

examine the different kinds of oppression

oppression. Creating the patriarchal belief

Carol Ehrlich

and to understand that each individual

that men are meant to biologically

oppression does not stand alone; it needs

dominate over women allowed for the belief

the support of other oppressions or

that the upper-classes or social elites are

oppressive structures in order to survive.

meant to dominate over the rest of us.

self/personal determination. It is the belief

It is useful to consider our current (white-

Certain jobs facilitated these patriarchal

that power structures are oppressive and

supremacist, capitalist, disableist, hetero-

gender roles; mens work was outside of

that only with the abolition of power will we

patriarchal) society to be a ball of yarn and

the house and was typically waged,

be free. There is no end goal as there will

the individual strands of thread to be

whereas womens work, (housework,

always be power dynamics in our lives that

capitalism, racism, sexism, homophobia,

carework etc.) was not considered work

need to be addressed and abolished in

disableism etc. These pieces of thread, or

and therefore was not waged. Rather it was

order to arrive at a society that is coercion

oppressive structures, do not exist on their

a duty of all women to do all the cooking,

free, community based and operating on

own to create the ball of yarn and by

cleaning, to reproduce and raise children.

Anarchism is the idea that no one is more


qualified than what you are to determine
your own life and that you should have

Reproductive labour is necessary for a

father controls his wife/partner and

will serve to destroy those privileges.

capitalist society, keeping it unwaged is

children, the boss controls the father, the

The revolution must be truly liberating, this

necessary for the continuation of its

government controls the boss. Children are

can only be done through bottom-up, non-

existence. Capital cannot afford for

brought up knowing their place and not to

hierarchical revolutionary organisations.

reproductive labour to be waged but

question that place.

Female participation in the same old rotten

fighting for waged reproductive labour is

institutions that currently exist will not

not a path to liberation, fighting against our

The state is an authoritarian system; it is

eradicate sexism, it will only ensure further

assigned gender roles and against the

an exploitative, oppressive, patriarchal and

oppression and domination. The anarcha-

power structures that exist within the

male dominated institution. The state, in

feminist movement does not want to

working class is, however, a path to

whatever form, is founded upon slavery,

emulate the current patriarchal power

liberation.

violence, lies, treachery and deceit and

structures, rather, we want to destroy

all these things must be used in order to

them.

Ultimately, class is a feminist issue. Women

maintain it. Quite plainly, the state is what

are disproportionately poorer than men,

it is; the defender of old privilege/creator

It seems apparent that feminism must be

with non-white women being even poorer

of new privilege and a means to exploit the

anarchist; feminism by nature wants to

again. Single mothers are also no strangers

masses. It must also create certain social

dismantle the power structure of the

to the devastating effects of capitalism. On

artificial antagonisms in order to justify its

patriarchy, but as we have already

average, across the globe, women still

own existence. A creation of a new state

established, these oppressive power

make less than men, including those who

will require a new privileged group of

structures do not stand alone. Only with

do the exact same job as their male

people, or class, whose function is to

the abolition of power can we be free,

counterparts. Not to mention that money is

maintain its rulership.

therefore we cannot pick and choose which

power and those who are in power are

power structures we like and which ones


We cannot elect the revolution: as

we dont like as they all work together to

Kropotkin put it, the state, having been

reinforce one another; one cannot go on its

Anarchism is against unjust authority and

the force to which the minorities resorted

own, they all must go together.

feminism considers the nuclear family to be

for establishing and organising their power

the basis for all authoritarian systems; the

over the masses cannot be the force which

typically male.

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