In Defence of Separatism
In Defence of Separatism is a timely book. When it was first written in 1976, although it was an important subject of conversation among many feminists it was not welcomed by academics or publishers.
When a political group wants to strategise so that its members can arrive at agreed-on political tactics and ideas, they call for, and create, separate spaces. These might be in coffee shops, in community centres, in one another's homes or in semi-public spaces such as workers clubs, even cinemas. When the proletariat was rebelling, they did not ask the capitalists and aristocracy to join them (even if a few did); when the civil rights movement started it was not thanks to the ideas and politics of white people (even though some whites joined to support the cause); when the women's liberation movement sprang into life, it was women joining together to fight against their oppression.
The difference is that women are supposed to love men.
Through careful argument, Susan Hawthorne takes us through the ideas which are central to her argument. She analyses the nature of power, oppression, domination and institutions and applies these to heterosexuality, rape and romantic love. She concludes with a call for women, all women no matter their sexuality, to have separate spaces so they can work together to change the world and end patriarchy.
This 2019 edition includes a Preface, Afterword and additional commentary in italicised footnotes that bring the reader up to date on changes, developments and controversies in feminist theory.
2019 | ISBN 9781925950045 | Paperback | 112 pp
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements, 1976
Preface to the 2019 edition
Statement of the Argument
1 Introduction
1.1 Power
1.2 Oppression
1.3 Domination
1.4 Institutions
2 Things Peculiar to Women’s Oppression
2.1 Heterosexuality
2.2 Rape
2.3 Romantic Love
3 Strategies
3.1 Separatism
3.2 Lesbian Feminism
3.3 Critiques of Separatism and Responses
Afterword
Reviews
PEN member Susan Hawthorne - always brilliant
—PEN Melbourne Centre
In Defence of Separatism is a powerful lesbian feminist manifesto. It was written by Susan Hawthorne in 1976, when the second wave of feminism was in full flow, as the thesis of her Honours degree in Philosophy. And now – over four decades later – it is more relevant than ever before.
Her work is a must-read for any lesbian figuring out feminist politics.
— In Defence of Separatism Review – A Fierce Lesbian Feminist Manifesto By Claire Heuchan December 10, 2019.