Take back the night: Postmodern theory turns into action

Off Our Backs, Jan 2000 by Smith, Jenn

Take Back the Night: Postmodern Theory turns into Action

I spent a long time believing that the theories I learned in school about feminism were somehow distinct, even separate from activism. The theories could be interesting, they could be eye opening, they could even inspire passion in some people. But when it came down to it, especially in regards to recent academic theories rising out of women's studies and gender studies, I was left feeling that many of these theories did not affect most women's lives.

Theories somehow remained in my mind intellectual masturbation for the privileged few who could afford to learn about them. Theories would not do much good after a woman has been reped, harassed, exploited or degraded. What was needed then was a good dose of reality and some healthy anger and rage to encourage activism and change. But what I am learning now is that theory does indeed affect action in sometimes very subtle ways and in ways that I am increasingly finding discouraging. When I recently attended a university sponsored Take Back the Night ("TBTN") event, I learned firsthand how theory, in this case the ever popular postmodern theory is affecting feminist activism in young women.

The TBTN event I attended was coordinated by primarily undergraduate students and a few grad students. As I walked up to the crowd a few minutes late, there was a young woman talking about the events planned for the evening and why she felt the issue of violence against women was important. She rattled off frightening statistics that I was all too familiar with, she spoke with conviction and an inkling of rage. All to be expected, I've been to quite a few Take Back the Night marches and this was nothing out of the ordinary.

Shortly after the event begins, it is evident that there is something amiss about this whole thing. Along with the statistics about sexual violence against women come the statistics about sexual violence against men.

"10-20 percent of MEN are RAPED in their lifetime!" she yells, implying that because of this statistic, sexual violence should be an issue men are concerned with too.

"And by the way," she informs the crowd, "since men are also affected by violence in such high numbers they too will be marching with us gals and attending the candlelight vigil."

A wave of shock rolls over me. Take Back the Night is supposed to be about women reclaiming the streets, refusing to become victims of male violence of showing our collective power and strength. It is important that we do this together as women, TBTN is not the time or place to worry about hurting the feelings of a few men who don't feel included.

Being again in the academic realm, I have unfortunately come to expect the unabashed defense of men by young women in feminist meetings and classes. Time after time young women silence themselves or qualify their statements by making sure that everyone knows that not all men are violent, that their boyfriends are "totally not like that." And while this may indeed be true, these young women are unable to stop apologizing for talking about or taking action against male violence against women.

So now at this TBTN event these "good boyfriends" who are not responsible for male violence against women (according to their girlfriends) are invited to march with women who are supposed to be taking back the night. The "good boyfriends" are even lesbian avengers for a brief moment as they are invited up on stage and taught how to swallow fire. And to add insult to injury, the good boyfriends can come to the vigil, where women have traditionally had a safe space to share personal experiences of sexual violence if they wish to do so. (This year's vigil was marked by a young man repeatedly yelling at the women to "speak up" because he couldn't quite hear what they were saying.)

This is what is so shocking to me. The erosion of women's space, of women's-only space, is what is leaving me sickened and dismayed. Even more than that, as I watch this watered down version of feminism take hold--I learn a very important truth. Theory does affect practice, and right now an academic school of thought called postmodernism has got its jaws around the throats and minds of young women.

As I stood there that night at the rally, as I marched through the streets, as I sat disheartened at the vigil; I saw postmodern theory at work. I have seen what it does to women and how profoundly it can work to erase history and justify virtually any action or lack of action. It has become too uncomfortable for young women to tell their boyfriends that it is not appropriate for them to march on this particular evening.

Part of the reason that this is difficult is that the language that would allow them to explain this has been stripped away from them and replaced with the definition-less terms of postmodern thought and the insistence of postmodern, queer theorists and some third-wavers to treat everything as if it were only a "text," only a "performance." In this wide world of high theory there is nothing that is real or that can be thought of as truth, it's all subjective, it will mutate at any moment. If you speak from a position of truth then you are not taking into consideration all the other positions out there.