“In many patriarchies, language, as well as cultural tradition, reserve the human condition for the male. With the Indo-European languages this is a nearly inescapable habit of mind, for despite all the customary pretense that 'man' and 'humanity' are terms which apply equally to both sexes, the fact is hardly obscured that in practice, general application favors the male far more often than the female as referent, or even sole referent, for such designations.” MenMindHumansWellsFactsHumanityLanguageSexTermPracticeConditionsHabitFemaleTraditionMalesFavorsDespiteApplicationHuman ConditionSoleReservesPatriarchyPretenseHabits Of MindDesignation Author:Kate Millett
“The rationale which accompanies that imposition of male authority euphemistically referred to as 'the battle of the sexes' bears a certain resemblance to the formulas of nations at war, where any heinousness is justified on the grounds that the enemy is either an inferior [part of the] species or really not human at all.” HumansWarCertainNationsSexEnemyBearsBattleAuthoritySpeciesMalesFormulasInferiorsJustifiedAccompanyResemblanceImpositionRationaleBattle Of The Sexes Book:Sexual Politics Source: Sexual Politics
“The concept of romantic love affords a means of emotional manipulation which the male is free to exploit, since love is the only circumstance in which the female is (ideologically) pardoned for sexual activity.” MeanHappinessRomanceLove IsEmotionalCircumstancesActivityConceptsFemaleTrue LoveMalesManipulationRomantic LoveExploitsRomanticism Book:Sexual Politics Source: Sexual Politics
“When one group rules another, the relationship between the two is political. When such an arrangement is carried out over a long period of time it develops an ideology (feudalism, racism, etc.). All historical civilizations are patriarchies: their ideology is male supremacy.” LongTwoPoliticalGroupsPeriodsCivilizationRacismHistoricalMalesIdeologyEtcArrangementsPatriarchySupremacyLong Periods Of TimeFeudalism Author:Kate Millett
“Because of our social circumstances, male and female are really two cultures and their life experiences are utterly different.” LifeTwoDifferentCultureSocialCircumstancesFemaleMalesLife ExperienceTwo Cultures Book:Sexual Politics Source: Sexual Politics
“Perhaps nothing is so depressing an index of the inhumanity of the male-supremacist mentality as the fact that the more genial human traits are assigned to the underclass: affection, response to sympathy, kindness, cheerfulness.” HumansFactsKindnessResponseMalesAffectionMentalityTraitsDepressingCheerfulnessInhumanity Author:Kate Millett
“The great mass of women throughout history have been confined to the cultural level of animal life in providing the male with sexual outlet and exercising the animal functions of reproduction and care of the young.” Has BeensCareYoungWomenAnimalLevelsExerciseMassFunctionMalesProvidingYoung WomenOutletsConfinedReproductionAnimal Life Book:Sexual Politics Source: Sexual Politics
