This guide lends itself to those embarking on their feminist journey. Radicalism, rewarding though it may be, can be taxing on anyone that found comfort in their echo chamber. My aim with this piece is to make the transition as smooth as possible. To facilitate this, I will be using the film Kill Bill as a template, each mission modifying your feminism.
In short, Kill Bill is about a woman triumphing over her oppressor through a medium of female revenge tropes. Broadly, the protagonist champions Radicalism by navigating Patriarchal society in an unapologetic manner; embracing savagery in the name of self-preservation. I personally appreciate this as 'the bride' is not hyper-sexualised or prescribed masculine qualities despite her powerful role, proving that women can embrace their femininity even when protecting themselves.
Please note that although Weinstein is the executive producer, I am not deliberately giving him credit for this otherwise exceptional film. On the contrary, I am reclaiming history - Weinstein is ‘Bill’.
Radicalism Engenders Equality for the Deserved with Privileges Rewarded According to Character, not Sex.
Mission 1: Increased Power Means Increased Opposition
In the movie's first mission, revenge is sought after through reversing history, reclaiming the streets, and rejecting antagonism. In the opening scene of Kill Bill, the bride wakes up from a four-year coma, discovering that her body has been violated the entire time. For many people, this is an ugly truth Feminism exposed to them prematurely, making them repel the ideology in denial. Indeed, if you have not been raised with feminist ideals, your first explicit encounter with the Patriarchy can be shocking. Personally, the hardest pill for me to swallow was that consent starts in the streets, not the sheets, meaning the years of catcalling I had endured was not complimentary but degrading. Conversely, this revelation taught me to not seek validation from the male gaze - I became my own muse.
Evidently, shock engenders learning experiences necessary for spiritual growth. In this first mission, I urge you to channel your adversity into activism. Utilising your anger can be both therapeutic and productive as you forbade gender disparities from entering your sphere. Whether unleashed at a march like Million Women Rise or calling your uncle out on his sexist joke, anger has the potential to catalyse the abolition of the Patriarchy.
Toxic femininity entails that anger is unladylike. Consequently, girls grow up internalising the feeling. By entering radicalism from such a personal level, you decode the misogyny that has been programmed into you; purge yourself of the traits that prevent you from flourishing.
Righteous Fury is the Vehicle for Overdue Change Mission 3: Be Your Own White Male Saviour
O-Ren Ishii is an American anime character of Chinese Japanese descent that features in Kill Bill. After witnessing the death of her parents, Ishii sought immediate vengeance. As the system failed to provide her with the justice she deserved, she took matters into her own hands.
Living under a system that only provides legal justice for 1 in 60, survivors are forced to find security through alternative means. At its core, Radicalism does more than just dismantle a broken system, it builds its own to accommodate the marginalised.
Whilst the idea of an equal society sounds like a utopian phenomenon to many - making Feminism a pointless ideology - Radicalism believes it an inevitability. History is a testament to this, with each wave of Feminism washing out chauvinist, archaic ideations. Union through Radicalism may seem like a lot to ask from society, but it is the only thing left to ask.
No Justice No Peace Mission 4: Rest is Radical
In this penultimate mission, we are going to focus on self-care. Please note that mission five will not provide you with the happy ever after that most Capitalist manifestos promise. As with the movie, a second volume is necessary in securing radical authority, but you need to digest everything you have learnt from this one first.
You are not at fault for internalising the misogyny of your role models growing up, you can't change the people around you but you can change the people around you.
Mission 5: Revolution is not a One Time Event
Finally, as the feminist embodiment of Just Do It, Radicalism discourages hesitation. Strictly speaking, we cannot stop until Alan Johnson’s DICK anagram (male Dominated, male Identified, male Centred and male control of Knowledge) is eradicated.
No lifestyle is adopted without consistency. In this final mission, you will need to recap on the above. Install them into your everyday until it becomes a habit. Do not stop until you can no longer identify dichotomies on both a personal and political level.
"It's mercy, compassion, and forgiveness lack. Not rationality"
- Kill Bill: Volume 1
References
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/may/23/fewer-than-one-in-60-cases-lead-to-charge-in-england-and-wales (Accessed 28/01/2021)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mi5TG3E4rnE (Accessed 29/11/2021)
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