Essay: Feminism vs Genocide

(L) Vice President Kamala Harris, Photo: Pap, Edward M. Pio Roda; (R) Rep. Cori Bush, Photo: Michael B. Thomas, Getty

Genocide is not polite. Genocide interrupts. Genocide is that action for which there must be an equal and opposite reaction.

Feminism must be that equal and opposite reaction to genocide not only because genocide kills women and children and maims and terrorises pregnant women. Feminism is not only about women and children and pregnant women. Feminism is about destroying patriarchy, and what is genocide but patriarchy writ large; toxic masculinity drunk on its power and ability to dominate, to obliterate, to kill, maim, and terrorise women, children, and men.

Feminism is not merely a woman in a position that has never been held by a woman before. Feminism is a woman in a position of power who uses that power to destroy, not uphold, patriarchy.

Feminism is a reminder that patriarchy hurts everyone with the exception of a select few (cisgender, heterosexual, conservative able-bodied, wealthy white men). Feminism celebrates men who model positive masculinity and eschew the lure of toxic masculinity.

Genocide interrupts and disrupts: the lives of those ravaged by its barbarism; the delusion that those of us far away can look away as we skim the still lake of our placid day to day.

And this is how feminism interrupts and disrupts–in its equal and opposite reaction: on Tuesday, Rep. Cori Bush--in a concession speech after a fellow Democrat funded by the pro-Israel lobby defeated her in the primary--vowed "AIPAC, I am coming to tear down your kingdom."

Genocide is not polite; it interrupts and disrupts. And this is how feminism  interrupts and disrupts–your equal and opposite reaction: on Wednesday, seven women and two men disrupted Vice President Kamala Harris’ speech in Detroit.

"Kamala, Kamala you can't hide! We won't vote for genocide,” they chanted.

Protest disrupts. Protest is not polite. Protest spits truth at power. Harris is second  in line for the Presidency, and the Democratic party’s nominee for President. She is a powerful person. She is part of an administration that is complicit in Israel’s genocide of Palestinians in Gaza, and she has yet to clearly state what she will do, if anything, to change that. 

Harris treated nine pro-Palestinian, anti-genocide protesters, who have every right to disrupt her everywhere she goes, as if they werea man interrupting her in a business meeting.

“You know what, if you want Donald Trump to win, then say that. Otherwise, I'm speaking,” Harris told the protesters.

Of course they don’t want Donald Trump to win! 

Genocide is not polite. Genocide interrupts. Genocide is that action for which there must be an equal and opposite reaction. Feminism must be that equal and opposite reaction to genocide.

They want the U.S. to stop arming Israel’s genocide. They want Harris to earn their vote by clearly stating what she would do should she become President to end that genocide. They want Harris to earn the vote of Palestinian-American, Arab American, and Muslim American voters that the Democratic party needs in swing states to defeat Trump. They want Harris to earn the vote of every person of conscience who has demonstrated, joined encampments for Gaza on campuses across the U.S., and who has joined the Uncommitted Movement to protest the Biden-Harris administration’s refusal to shift its unpopular support of Israel’s genocide.

A survey from Data for Progress, fielded from June 5-6, found that “a majority of U.S. likely voters support the proposed ceasefire deal that could end fighting between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. Additionally, likely voters support withdrawing military aid to Israel if the country does not accept the proposed ceasefire deal, with a plurality stating that Israel is committing war crimes in Gaza.

When given a description of the various elements of the proposed ceasefire deal, 64% of likely voters say they support the proposal, including 86% of Democrats, 64% of Independents, and 62% of swing voters.

Israel’s genocide of Palestinians in Gaza has lasted more than 10 months thus far. A ceasefire is the least that the Biden-Harris administration could push for. 

Genocide interrupts and disrupts. And this is how feminism interrupts and disrupts–its equal and opposite reaction: on Friday, protesters again interrupted Harris, at a rally in Arizona.

“Now is the time to get a ceasefire deal and get the hostage deal done,” Harris told pro-Palestinian, anti-genocide protesters.

You want to know why Harris can count on pro-Palestinian and anti-genocide protesters interrupting and disrupting her everywhere she goes?

A State Department spokesperson said on Friday–the day Harris told protesters in Arizona that it was time to get a ceasefire deal–that the department had notified Congress on Thursday that the Biden-Harris administration will send an additional $3.5bn to Israel to spend on US-made weapons and military equipment. The funds come from a $14.5bn supplemental funding bill for Israel passed by the Congress in April.

Genocide interrupts and disrupts. And you can be sure that feminism will interrupt and disrupt, as that equal and opposite reaction, at the Democratic National Convention, which will be held in Chicago August 19 - 22.

Genocide aided, armed, and abetted by the U.S will not be less worse if the U.S. gets its first Black woman president. Genocide is not any less worse if it continues under the watch of a vice president who is a positive role model for masculinity.

It is historic that a Black woman could be the next President of the United States.

It is a welcome change that Gov. Tim Walz, her choice of running mate, represents a positive form of masculinity compared to the toxicity of Trump and his running mate J.D. Vance’s patriarchal fuckery.

And Israel’s genocide of Palestinians in Gaza will be no less worse under the watch of an historic Harris-Walz administration.

Genocide aided, armed, and abetted by the U.S will not be less worse if the U.S. gets its first Black woman president.

Genocide is not any less worse if it continues under the watch of a vice president who is a positive role model for masculinity.

It means nothing to Palestinians in Gaza–genocided, starved, and terrorized by Israel with the complicity of the U.S.--that the U.S. could finally get its first woman president with a vice president who is a “good” man. It is obscene and unjust to suggest that celebrating the historic Harris-Walz ticket should decentre the horrors of a U.S.-aided armed funded genocide.

How does her gender and ethnicity and his positive masculinity translate into justice by ending the genocide?

"Do you want Trump?" is the wrong question to ask. The question is when will the U.S. stop arming, aiding, and abetting Israel's barbarism?

Feminism is not just about First Woman in x position supported by men who are not toxic in their masculinity.

Feminism is about destroying patriarchy.

Genocide is patriarchy run amok. Genocide is barbarism fueled by the worst that patriarchy is.  

Asking protesters demanding the U.S. end its support for Israel’s genocide "Do you want Trump?" is the wrong question to ask.

The question is "How much longer will the pro-Israel lobby interfere with U.S. elections?”

The question is "When will voters in the U.S. learn and understand how much influence and interference AIPAC has in their elections?"

The question is “What will the pioneering woman and the good man running as her Vice President do about that influence and interference?"

The question is when will the U.S. stop arming, aiding, and abetting Israel's barbarism?

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Mona Eltahawy is a feminist author, commentator and disruptor of patriarchy. She is editing an anthology on menopause called Bloody Hell! And Other Stories: Adventures in Menopause from Across the Personal and Political Spectrum. Her first book Headscarves and Hymens: Why the Middle East Needs a Sexual Revolution (2015) targeted patriarchy in the Middle East and North Africa and her second The Seven Necessary Sins For Women and Girls (2019) took her disruption worldwide. It is now available in Ireland and the UK. Her commentary has appeared in media around the world and she makes video essays and writes a newsletter as FEMINIST GIANT.  

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