Handy Reference Guide to Identifying Oppressive Silencing

To assist you in identifying and resisting dominant and unequal power relationships in your life, we’ve compiled a list of common phrases people in historically dominant roles have been conditioned to and may use to try to silence oppressed others, particularly when they perceive their dominance to be challenged.

The quotations below were used by men against women and are thus patriarchal; however, one could expect to find similar strategic dismissals and silencing of the accounts and concerns of people of color, working class and poor people, queer and LGBTQI people, young people, fat people, disabled people, and other marginalized folks in the discourses of those who discriminate against them. The simultaneous and intersecting nature of oppression is also considered here.

These strategies, and others we may have missed, can be found in any order, but from our experiences attempts to silence us commonly go something like this:

Assert authority
Question your knowledge/judgment
Delegitimize your response
Delegitimize you
Enforce dominant point of view
Shut down debate or conversation

“Letter to Male Activists” Published in Affinity Zine

A number of SoR articles, including Sexism is Driving Me Mad, Letter to Male Activists, and a response to it were recently published by Black Iris Press in the 4th issue of the Affinity Zine, centred on the topic of patriarchy. We thank Black Iris for including our work and are happy to share the links.

From the Black Iris blog: This is the fourth issue of Affinity, exploring the importance of challenging patriarchy in our struggle against the dominant culture. Many thanks to the contributors. The pdf can be found here.

Please be warned, this zine includes descriptions of sexual and physical abuse.

SoR’s New Business Card

Hot off the presses.

Coz we are serious about bringing down patriarchy.

How to Tell if Your Man is Cheating: Part 3 – Psychology

To complete our How to Tell If Your Man is Cheating series, Sisters of Resistance have compiled information on the psychological and emotional profiles of men who cheat, based upon real-life experiences collectively referred to as relationship field research. In this article, we answer the questions:

         “What kind of man cheats?”

         “How does the cheating show up in his emotions?”

         “What are the structural inequalities that enable men to cheat?”

         “What does this mean for me?”

We hope these insights will help our readers to identify cheating men, as well as reveal why, if they have been cheated on, it is not their fault.

Part 1: LIES

Part 2: Behavioural Patterns and Other Evidence

Statement on Intimate Partner Violence by KIA

Sisters of Resistance are actively involved in groups working to combat patriarchy, one of which is currently in the process of developing a statement addressing intimate partner violence in the local activist community.

To create our statement, we drew upon the advice of Seattle activist group KIA (Khmer in Action), who, inspired by our sista Robin Suhyung Park’s Open Letter to Community Organisers and Activists released earlier this year, produced the below statement documenting troubling accounts of abuse and harassment but also offering excellent advice for communities working to address this serious and widespread issue.

Spread knowledge. Spread love.

TRIGGER WARNING – The letter documents experiences of intimate partner violence, abuse and harassment and may be triggering.