La fin de la masculinité

by Robert Jensen

The End of Patriarchy asks one key what do we need to create stable and decent human communities that can thrive in a sustainable relationship with the larger living world? Robert Jensen’s answer is feminism and a critique of patriarchy. He calls for a radical feminist challenge to institutionalized male dominance; an uncompromising rejection of men’s assertion of a right to control women’s sexuality; and a demand for an end to the violence and coercion that are at the heart of all systems of domination and subordination. The End of Patriarchy makes a powerful argument that a socially just society requires no less than a radical feminist overhaul of the dominant patriarchal structures.

Genres: Feminism, Nonfiction, Sociology, Gender, Womens, Philosophy, Cultural

250 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2017

About the author

Robert Jensen is an emeritus professor in the School of Journalism and Media at the University of Texas at Austin. He lives in northern New Mexico with his wife, Eliza Gilkyson, a two-time Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter.

Reviews

[Lzz · Rating 1 out of 5]

(Updated August 2020.) I've decided to update this review because I'm tired of getting TERFy replies to it and also cuz my own views on Life and Everything have changed quite a bit since I wrote it.
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This book is absolute garbage. Or another way of putting it: this book is a literature review of mostly white second wave feminism. Robert's readers seem to be taking him at his word; that's fair, but if you're reading this book, do so with a large grain of salt.

Robert seems quite well-read on second wave radical feminist theory, citing lots of white feminist works from the 70s and 80s, while strategically ignoring whole shelves of women of colour feminist texts, transfeminist literature, etc. from any point in time. He peppers in a couple references to feminisms of colour, but these don't seem to hold much interest for him. This in part helps explain why his book is racist. Aside: for many white feminists, it's entirely possible to be both racist and feminist. #CognitiveDissonance

But I think my biggest issue with this book is that it is full of violence. His words are violent in that they are queer/misogynist, anti-trans, sanist/ableist, and racist. As an example, he wrote the following: "In discussing these matters with transgender people or transgender allies, I have often been told I don't get it or that I'm not sensitive enough to transgender people's experiences, but I have yet to be presented with a coherent account of transgenderism." Wow. YOURS IS NOT TO KNOW, Robert. Why is it necessary for any person ever to offer him a compelling explanation of their affective/somatic/ontological experience? Personally I've just got no patience left for this level of white cis masculinist self entitlement. Waste of my f*cking time.

If you're paying attention to the news this summer, then you have heard the Movement for Black Lives say it loud and clear, over and over: it is not for the privileged person to decide when they have sufficiently assessed their own privileged, but for the people who experience that person's privilege as violence and oppression.

If this book is any indication, Robert Jensen clearly isn't interested in understanding why saying "biological sex is Real" is violence or why telling someone that their gendered/racialized being-in-the-world is illegitimate equates to violence. Biological essentialism is violent to trans and genderqueer people; it is violent to Black, Brown, and Indigenous people; it is violence to Mad/disabled people. It is violence and for many of us it is experienced as violence. I experienced this book as violence; it's exhausting.

p.s. He doesn't offer anything original here, anyway. If you are craving some old school radical feminist perspectives on porn, trans* politics, or gender roles, then for goddexx' sake at least by books from authors who aren't cis men... Who needs to pay $12 for what is essentially a combo anti-trans*, sex-negative diatribe and extended lit review on second-wave TERF and SWERF feminism. /me rolls eyes

p.p.s. I didn't say don't read this book, I said avoid *paying* for this book.

[Rich E. Mattingly · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, you COULD save yourself a few bucks and go read Andrea Dworkin's absolutely stunning and razor-sharp books (available freely online with a quick search because she has been posthumously silenced by the publishing world), but I would recommend this for anyone interested in a crash course in radical (rooted) feminism and how patriarchal social norms have stripped us of our humanity. All the key points are there and presented by the author in such a way that they are very easily digestible. In my experience, radical feminism is a materially-based set of observable truths and this book breaks those truths down very nicely. Kudos to the author for standing up and exposing himself to the vitriolic attacks of the anti-intellectual, paternalistic asshats who want to reinforce the ridiculous conflation of sex and gender. Long live Andrea Dworkin.

[Astir · Rating 5 out of 5]

This slim book has taken me many painful months to read; forcing me to look clearly at aspects of a worldview it had been all to easy for me to dismiss.

[Ron Peters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading about feminism today is like shopping for dessert at Baskin-Robbins – there are 32 different flavours. Saying you agree with one flavor puts you on the firing line for being called a half-dozen kinds of grossly insensitive ‘-ist’ by many who root for the other flavours. Surely this cannot be helpful in the long run.

Robert Jensen comes out squarely in favour of radical feminism, which I agree with. The first wave of “just let us vote and own stuff” feminists made way in the 50s and 60s to what I think of as the “famous white women” period – Betsy Frieden and the National Organization for Women, and so forth. In its worst form this devolved into Hillary Clinton style liberal feminism, which basically says “We demand the same neoliberal, classist privileges that white, straight, rich men have had.”

The other branch that split off at this time was radical feminism. One key thing that defined radical feminism was the recognition of the significance of intersectionality – the recognition that neoliberal, white, straight, rich men (i.e., the patriarchy) are a problem for basically everyone who isn’t them. So, radical feminism realized that women, people of colour, and the poor were all pretty much fighting the same fight and that their troubles could all be theorized and acted on in the same way.

This is the perspective that Robert Jensen goes into, providing in-depth chapters on rape and rape culture, prostitution and pornography, and (in the most controversial chapter) on transgenderism. This last topic puts radical feminists squarely at odds with many/most of the latest branches of post-modern feminists, since radical feminists classify the issue of transgenderism as a matter of ‘gender’ not of ‘sex’ and believe that the ‘I am an x trapped in a y body’ thesis is incoherent on its face.

This book makes for an always interesting and often moving read, and though it certainly has generated heated responses, its arguments are presented in a non-provocative manner intended to further dialogue. I think it’s well worth a read by anyone.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a critical book for men and for determining the future of equality of gender in Western society. The point that stayed with me the most was the fact that patriarchy equals racism. It's basically a pre-emption of superior status by men (with invented justifications) over women to replace equality in society with a hierarchy that establishes men at the top. The men assert control and ownership of the female gender and create a climate of fear among women. It is the basis of rape culture. As another writer has said, men are afraid that women will laugh at them, and women are afraid that men will kill them.

It is a brilliant book, and parts of it were over my head, such as the question of whether gender was entirely a social construction and how transsexuals fit into gender categories, which has evidently caused major disagreement in radical feminist circles. To me, it's all about a truly egalitarian society and the way that patriarchy intentionally blocks and prevents this. The assumption of patriarchy in Western society is so pervasive as to be unrecognizable to vast numbers of people, who just unthinkingly conclude that it's the way it is in society; it's a given, like the weather.

This book is disturbing but revelatory. It creates the possibility of awareness of what it will take to eventually reach an egalitarian culture.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book does a good job at summarizing some of the main ideas in radical feminism. My main issue is the title. Few of the arguments presented do much to appeal to men. They're mostly bound up in appeals to empathy and fear over climate change. If radical feminism has taught me anything, it's that expecting the majority of men to suddenly give up their privilege out of empathy for women is no practical path to women's liberation. I also don't see climate change as a motivating reason to be a feminist and this book didn't convince me that feminism as it stands now could solve climate change. Anyway, I think the book would match it's title more if Jensen had spent most of the book exploring more selfish reasons for men to explore radical feminism because there are quite a lot of reasons, including mental health. I would have rather seen a deeper exploration of how gender harms men than so much of the book devoted to transgender politics. I'm guessing he spent so much time on transgender topics as a way to use his male priviledge to defend women who have been attacked/deplatformed for those same views, but if your goal is to explain the basics of radical feminism to men, spending a third of the book on the trans debate is probably going too deep in the weeds. That's like a whole 'nother book.

[Ginny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Essential reading. Brilliant!

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I picked up this book, but I was intrigued by an interview with the author. I was quite pleased. The book serves as a largely jargon-free discussion of various streams within feminism, with advocacy for the radical feminist viewpoint, focusing primarily but not exclusively on three issues: rape, sexual exploitation, and transgenderism. The author writes clearly and persuasively, and the book is well-researched, with lots of footnotes and suggestions for further reading. I lean toward the radical feminist viewpoint myself, so this was more support of rather than opposition to my own views, but I nonetheless found the arguments helpful. The author is open about his thinking, his experiences, and how his views have changed over time. The book is subtitled "Radical Feminism for Men", but really anyone might find it interesting and useful, there isn't anything specifically directed at a male audience.

[Paul · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm very glad to have read this book. I found many of the author's arguments compelling and I think he does an excellent job of depicting the scale and scope of patriarchal forces and making a strong case for a radical approach to systemic change. But I'm also glad to have finally read a detailed TERF position on transgender people so rather than simply believing that TERFs are bigots I can now say that I also believe they are wrong (or at least, the author is). While I can imagine that in a world free of externally-defined and imposed binary gender definitions in which from birth every person can explore and express their unique gender identity, transgender people would almost certainly suffer less (indeed, everyone would), that is a futuristic fantasy and there is no way to test the assumption that in the absence of patriarchy there would be no transgender people. We cannot ignore that at this very moment, transgender people exist and many of them are struggling and suffering. In the absence of an understanding of the biological and psychological underpinnings of their individual experiences I can't see in the author's writing any justification for denying them the right to define who they are and to seek to express themselves in whichever way best addresses their needs. The closest thing to an argument the author seems to have is that calling a transgender woman a woman reinforces binary gender definitions imposed by the patriarchy, but I am not about to criticize a women for doing what she has to do to exist in the present world. There are better ways to attack patriarchy that don't harm its most vulnerable victims.

[Dina Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! So much to think about.

[Ladyfilosopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have finished his part of the book, the afterword awaits til tomorrow. I am impressed with the effort he has made and his courage for stepping forward. Men waking up and shifting is the only way anything about undoing violence is going to happen. I read a review which substantiates his description of violent reactions by certain feminists to his discussions on gender issues. I agree with the hot under the collar reviewer that his material is dated, very dated, but I also note all the on the ground activism to date regarding pornography's use and harm. I wish he had more material from the radical black feminists in his repertoire. The refrain he humms is that this is a book about his pathway away from, then towards radical feminism. He is not preaching, he is talking, discussing with as much accuracy and soundness of reasoning as he can muster. I feel his reasoning is solid for how he arrives at what he thinks and believes. He is asking as much as saying things to the reader. He missed an opportunity to shine a light towards where we are headed as we attempt to unravel patriarchy. K. Raworth's Doughnut Economics offers an assessment model of our activities which would guide the conscientious world citizen. He misses mentioning the grand narrative of Ethics of Care which could provide a structure of thought and action. This is a solid book, which has taken a risk. Even when he is confused, perplexed or down right does not agree with some radical perspectives, he never wishes the people who adhere to them but good outcomes, hopefully in collaboration with the rest of the radicals, because no-one is going to be able to shift the big violent paradigm alone. He knows, and we have to realise, that there is not anyone single path towards Caring for one another in a viable manner. Nothing long-lasting will happen if we do not work together.

[César Galicia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Me daba mucha curiosidad leer este libro. El título "feminismo radical para hombres" sin duda llama mucho la atención, tanto desde el reconocimiento que es necesario que los hombres hablemos entre nosotros sobre las distintas perspectivas del feminismo para reflexionar sobre nuestro rol en el patriarcado y las formas de contrarrestarlo, como desde el, debo reconocerlo, puro morbo de saber cómo se lee a un hombre hablando de feminismo radical. Y los resultados, a mi parecer, son mixtos. Tres puntos:

1. Por un lado, Robert Jensen conoce del tema y, respecto a eso, creo que no hay mucho qué señalarle. Su descripción teórica de los puntos y debates básicos del feminismo radical está bien estructurada y documentada. El vato no solo ha leído a profundidad y con empatía a las voces femeninas que la han hecho posible sino, además, sabe explicar mucho de los puntos más densos de la teoría. Es decir: como un libro introductorio a una teoría radical y compleja, funciona.
2. Por el otro, su perspectiva de hombre, a decir verdad, no aporta nada nuevo. Tenía cierta esperanza de que, al leer un libro completo dedicado al tema, pudiera encontrar un posicionamiento más complejo del rol de los hombres en el feminismo radical (y el feminismo, en general) que lo que encuentro en, no sé, un debate en Twitter. Pero pues no sucedió.
3. Su crítica al movimiento trans es más que lamentable. Básica, llena de falacias, datos falsos, maromas argumentativas y de una profunda voluntad por no entender al sujeto que se pretende criticar. No ahondaré mucho en esto porque ya me dio flojera, pero ps ajá.

Dicho esto: buen libro si nunca has leído nada del asunto, no buen libro si ya le entraste a un par de debates en twitter o conversaciones sobre el tema.

[Carlos Villalobos · Rating 1 out of 5]

The book is full of violence and countless attempts to present his discriminatory personal position as universal/academic truths. I still found it useful to read the book, to understand how claims about trying to make the world a better place can go so wrong. It's a shame that a book that has a catchy title and is sort of accesible for men who have not read a lot about feminism before, fails so drastically at being inclusive and emphatic. I still believe that it is important to make this topics 'mainstream' in the sense that a broader audience gets interested, and not only those who have read extensible about feminism. I'd say the first half od the book is good, and helps self-reflection (or at least it helped me), the second part of the book is so biased and shows such absolute lack of emphaty from a very privileged person, that it's not worth reading.

[Diana]

I found the first half valuable, but the author’s discussion on trans rights was nooooooot it.

[Nick · Rating 1 out of 5]

As a straight white man, I needed to read a lot of what is in this book and have been putting in time to better educate myself in this regard but, as I'm sure comes as no surprise, Jensen's critical handling of transgender issues is not where I am. I understand why he lives where he lives in his critique, by that I mean I see why he buys his own argument, and he puts a lot of time into his argument, protest much he doth. But I'm not buying it. I want to obliterate white supremacism, patriarchy, imperialism, capitalism, and all systems of oppression that rob individuals of their chance to connect with other humans as equals. And, just as patriarchy mutates to combat those who seek to remove it's toxic stranglehold, Jensen may need to evaluate the patriarchy's influence on his own understanding/evaluation of some issues. For me, a privilege lottery winner just beginning to concentrate on rectifying his own ignorance, Jensen's problematic issues are sex work and trans rights. Of course, I need to constantly evaluate my patriarchal education and understanding as well. But, and I am in no way attempting to equate myself with Jensen's work, experience, or anything at all, I believe his arguements are lacking. Bottom line for me is that I believe I can probably find better sources for the good stuff here, sources that aren't as problematic. One good thing about the beginning of a journey (an inclusive, anti-racist, anti-patriarchy, anti-capitalist feminist journey in my case) is the possibility of what has yet to be explored. I've got plenty more bell hooks and others to look forward to.

Edit: After a study of concerns brought up in other reviews and a critical questioning of my core beliefs in relation to the slack I cut Jensen, I'm amending my initial rating of 3-stars.

[Mikey · Rating 1 out of 5]

Fifteen years ago, I bit into something unusual that was illuminating and dignified. Something that helped me make sense of the world and want to improve it. Unbeknownst to me, the same framework was being used by some to spread hate and vitriol.

This book takes the refinement and importance of second wave feminism and cheapens it towards overpriced diner fare: SWERF-n-TERF.

[Christmas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sebagai orang yang baru mendalami dan memahami feminisme, menurut saya buku ini bisa dibaca sebagai bahan rujukan awal. Isi buku ini kurang lebih seperti mengurai isi kepala saya mengenai hal-hal terkait feminisme yang belum begitu saya pahami. Sayangnya, saya tidak mendapatkan jawaban yang memuaskan. Masih ada sisa-sisa pertanyaan yang tak terjawab hanya dengan membaca buku ini. Yang patut saya acungi jempol adalah penulis berulangkali menuliskan tentang pernyataan dirinya, tentang siapa dirinya, bagaimana posisinya, dan privilege apa yang ia miliki. Paling tidak dari situ kita dapat mengatur ekspektasi atas pemikiran feminismenya dan tidak serta merta mengamininya.

[Elyse · Rating 3 out of 5]

Would’ve given this two stars if not for the conclusion, which I think was a much nicer interrogation of the subject of pornography and its impact on masculinity. The rest of the book had the distinct energy of being written by a white, cis man. I don’t think that the very graphic descriptions of various pornos was necessary in the first part of the book, although I understand their purported purpose.

[Brett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book. I may have some radical feminism in me. I like the contrasts he makes to right left partisan politics but using a different lens to address policy issues. He makes convincing cases against sex work. Read the chapter that includes transgenderism and see what you think.

[Natalia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nothing particularly novel about this book- nor was it really written in any way that was directed towards men. I feel like the text left me no closer to understanding how transgenderism fits in with thinking that gender is socially constructed, bringing it up without really providing much enlightenment.