XX REVOLT
Using Radical Feminism to Survive & Thrive Under Patriarchy
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Mental Wellness
Recognizing the presence and levels of misogyny that permeate all aspects of our life, society, and history is liberating, enlightening, infuriating - it is also exhausting and depressing.
If you want to avoid burnout and be an effective feminist, you have to find balance. Don't succumb to endless doom-scrolling in your free time, waste energy with fruitless online arguing, or bring yourself down with constant reminders/triggers.
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You're not insane, but patriarchy can definitely make you feel like you are.
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Remember, a function of Patriarchy is to keep women demoralized.
Don't let the system win.
Do:
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Seek out friendships with likeminded radical feminists
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Forgive yourself and others for not being perfect feminists (it's hard surviving under the patriarchy)
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Say no to things that bring you down
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Say yes to yourself and your needs/ desires
Don't:
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Be too hard on yourself or others- no one is perfect, and our society teaches all of us a mountain of lies before we're even old enough to question it. We all have unlearning to do
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Involve feminism in every aspect of your life - you need an escape sometimes
Engaging with the Outside World
Relationships
Make sure you set time aside for personal relationships. Know when to cut off someone for being toxic, but don't burn bridges with people you care about over differences in beliefs.
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Women's clubs have to be seen as 'old-fashioned' and 'uncool' in recent decades, but they were crucial in helping adult women maintain friendships throughout history. They're also an important tool for feminist community building.
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Humans have an innate desire for socialization, attention, and affection. A deficit of these can have negative impacts on our mental health. Invest in the people you love, being the example you want to see in the world can help the cause indirectly more than you'd think
Media and Entertainment
Seek out neutral or pro-women entertainment that doesn't discuss feminism directly. Seek out inspiring, empowering, uplifting, comedic content in at least some of our entertainment/media. Laughter is an potent force - don't underestimate it.
Social Media
Social media can be triggering - in fact, it's specifically designed to show you things that will upset you, like misogynistic content. Protect yourself. Set up safe spaces in your online life: create separate accounts/feeds just for topics that don't include feminism and politics (nature, gardening, crafts, hobbies, media, entertainment, etc.)
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Social media is proven to be bad for your brain, so use it in moderation. Use your phone's features to help you limit usage if necessary.
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Have places you can go to rant and be cathartic without having to defend yourself. And take care to be a positive part of these spaces yourself - women face enough disproportionate criticism for just existing without piling on each other unnecessarily.
That doesn't mean we should never acknowledge if a woman engages in shitty behavior (like being racist or homophobic), but we do need to pick our battles carefully and try to open minds and build bridges rather than burn them. Everyone has societal programming to unlearn, helping others earns us more allies than attacking them.
Engaging with Yourself
Hobbies
Hobbies are incredibly important to happiness and wholeness as an individual, and women are not encouraged to pursue or maintain theirs at the level men do. Maintain your hobbies actively, allocate time for them. Explore new ones, allow yourself failure and waste in pursuit of enjoyment.
Don't fall prey for the need to be perfect or compare yourself to others. Be curious, experiment, let yourself look silly.
Think back to childhood - was there something you wanted to try that your parents wouldn't let you, or you were told wasn't for girls? If yes, it's time to try it!
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Hobbies that are practically useful give a deep sense of satisfaction and can be used to improve your life and save money.
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Hobby suggestions:
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Arts & Crafts
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Gardening
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Website building
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Programming
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Writing
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Journaling
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Hiking
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Foraging
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Stargazing
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Astronomy
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Women's sports leagues
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Solo outdoor sports like kayaking
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a STEM or academic field that interests you
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a new practical skill like firstaid or auto-repair
High Standards and Perfectionism
Radical feminist theory can be demanding. It is admirable to want to always be the best feminist you can, and want to see it in other women. We want the liberation of all women and we want it now.
But we live in an imperfect world, and humans are imperfect creatures. It is crucial for the wellness of ourselves and our movement that we do not punish ourselves for every misstep and failure. This doesn't mean we give up on doing our best, it does mean we should forgive ourselves (and each other) for not being a perfect feminist all day every day.
Treat Yourself
Give yourself things to look forward. Indulge yourself. Let yourself say "no". Ask for more of your loved ones. Set aside days just for yourself, filled with activities you want to do or spend the day doing literally nothing at all, and tolerate no disturbances.
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Treating yourself and self-care is anything that brings you pleasure. Enjoy the outdoors, time with friends, let yourself indulge in a little hedonism. Junk food, a little alcohol, terrible television - it's all fine. You don't have to feel bad about feeling good.
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Avoid engaging in mindless consumerism, but don't be afraid to splurge on purchases that will truly bring a little joy into your life. Don't work yourself to death - take breaks, slow down and breath, and look around so you can enjoy the scenery.
You're only alive once. It is so important you are allowing yourself pleasure and joy. You deserve it.
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MENU
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Weekly Ezine
Women's liberation news, artists, memes, site updates, & more
Self-Care & Health
Caring for yourself outside while breaking out of the male gaze
Mental Wellness
Coping with the mental impact of being female under patriarchy
Dating, Sex, & Relationships
Navigating intimacy and love with the less-civilized sex
Gaining Power
Forget 'empowerment'. What is real power, and where does it come from?
Male Allies
How males can resist patriarchy, be allies to women, and detox from MRA/incel ideology
Memes
Repository of original feminism-related memes
Quotes
Collection of quotes about oppression, liberation, race, and more.
Myths & FAQ
Misconceptions and frequently asked questions about Gender Critical & Radical Feminism
Links & Resources
Radical Feminist websites, news, and other helpful links
Guestbook
Sign it and say hi! Feel free to give thoughts and suggestions
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QUICK LINKS
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