[Feminisms of the XXIst Century]

Abstract

Lia Cigarini and Luisa Muraro discuss issues of feminist politics, practices and discourses. They talk about the ambiguity in today’s feminism which seeks normality and, at the same time, a breaking-off. They discuss the fact that women are used for political goals by those who try to “export” democracy. On the other hand, capitalism, preaching pleasure without limits, instead of securing women’s pleasure, it has turned them even more into objects of pleasure. Muraro and Cigarini explain how women’s fear of suffering gender violence has enabled patriarchal society to exercise more control over them and how a real breakthrough can not be achieved as long as men are not capable of questioning their own sexuality and imaginary. They believe “exported” feminism is always incompatible with cultural, religious or nationalist traditions, since feminists are women who accept neither subordination nor assimilation to men. Finally, the authors state they do not believe feminism has made a too positive reading of female tradition.