The Society For Cutting Up Women
An expert from THIS article in the New York Times:
On June 3, 1968, Valerie Solanas walked into Andy Warhol’s studio, the Factory, with a gun and a plan to enact vengeance. What happened next came to define her life and legacy: She fired at Warhol, nearly killing him. The incident reduced her to a tabloid headline, but also drew attention to her writing, which is still read in some women and gender studies courses today. Solanas was a radical feminist (though she would say she loathed most feminists), a pioneering queer theorist (at least according to some) and the author of “SCUM Manifesto,” in which she argued for the wholesale extermination of men. The manifesto, self-published in 1967, reads as satire, though Solanas defended it as serious. Its opening line is at once absurd and a call to arms for the coalition she was forming, the Society for Cutting Up Men:
Life in this society being, at best, an utter bore and no aspect of society being at all relevant to women, there remains to civic-minded, responsible, thrill-seeking females only to overthrow the government, eliminate the money system, institute complete automation and destroy the male sex.
On the subject of reproduction, she wrote: “We should produce only whole, complete beings, not physical defects or deficiencies, including emotional deficiencies, such as maleness.”
Imagine a man publishing a book, at any time in human history, about cutting up women. Now think about that same book discussing how to destroy the female sex. How would that sound to you? How would you feel about The New York Times writing an article about that author, praising his book, while simultaneously neglecting the horrific crime he committed by shooting a prominent female artist?
The exact opposite just happened here. The Times prefaces a link to their article by tweeting:
Valerie Solanas is best known as the woman who shot Andy Warhol. But to focus on the shooting is to ignore her contributions to the feminist movement, including her seminal text, “SCUM Manifesto.”
Really?
The Times’ statement above would be similar to saying, “Osama bin Laden is best known as the man who masterminded the 9/11 attacks. But to focus on the attacks is to ignore his contributions to the Muslim faith, including his role as a spiritual leader.”
“Adolf Hitler is best known as the man who sent Jews to their deaths. But to focus on the Holocaust is to ignore his contribution to the art world, including his seminal text, “Mein Kamph”
How about this: “Vladimir Lenin is best known for his totalitarian rule, mass genocide during the Russian Civil War, The Red Terror, & mass imprisonments of innocents in gulags, but to focus on the tyranny & bloodbath is to ignore his contribution to Socialism & the championing of the working class.”
This man-hating radical feminist, who wrote about destroying half the population is to be revered? Her manifesto is undeniably radical and obscene. Solanas’ book is the collection of rantings by a complete lunatic. It’s about as relevant to the women’s movement as Charles Manson was to the 1960’s counterculture. Solanas was a criminal who deliberately attempted to kill another person. That should be the whole story, but apparently the radical feminists working at The Times had a hard time finding another person to include in this feature who made a more meaningful contribution to the Women’s Movement. I’m no fan of feminism, but I certainly understand the power of Betty Friedan, Bella Abzug, Gloria Steinem and even Phyllis Schlafly.
The NY Times thinks it’s somehow possible to idolize people who did horrible crimes and misdeeds, but have also contributed things worthy of praise and remembrance now? That seems like a relevant point to make when covering the trashing of statues of George Washington and Ulysses S. Grant, doesn’t it?
Coming soon to a liberal city near you!
Clayton Craddock is an independent thinker, father of two beautiful children in New York City. He is the drummer of the hit broadway musical Ain’t Too Proud. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from Howard University’s School of Business and is a 25 year veteran of the fast paced New York City music scene. He has played drums in a number of hit broadway and off-broadway musicals including “Tick, tick…BOOM!, Altar Boyz, Memphis The Musical and Lady Day At Emerson’s Bar and Grill. In addition, Clayton has worked on: Footloose, Motown, The Color Purple, Rent, Little Shop of Horrors, Evita, Cats, and Avenue Q.
Originally published at https://claytoncraddock.substack.com.
