The #MeToo movement has forced to front page news the issue of sexual harassment and rape not just in Hollywood, but also in farm, hotel, academic, manufacturing, music, military, religious, sports, media, and government workplaces and organizations. People, many of them women, from all fields of life and work are standing up and saying, #TimesUp.  And to

Trump women are saying, “Not my president; build the Resistance!”  Women’s stance of resistance to the Trump administration is especially important because the extreme right is the most visible and vocal proponent of male supremacy and misogyny.

The objective of the working-class movement is to win better working and living conditions today in connection with winning a better world for tomorrow.  The strength of the working-class movement is based on the fight for unity within itself and unity between itself and the broad masses of people who have an objective interest in social advance and the further development of democracy. Women are a major factor within the working class and a social force beyond the working class uniting women across class lines.

Male supremacy and misogyny today flow from capitalism and capitalist culture and penetrate every aspect of our lives.  Male supremacy and misogyny stand in the way of the working class being able to realize its full strength within itself and the full potential of the people’s movements beyond itself through a solid relationship with its allies.

Therefore, the fight against male supremacy and misogyny must be engaged based on the advance of working class and socialist consciousness, the fight for the full equality of women, and the fight against racism.  Because women of color are a major force within the population of especially working-class women, the fight against racism is inseparably intertwined with the fight against male supremacy and misogyny in the USA today.  Because a major segment of racially and nationally oppressed people are women, the fight against male supremacy and misogyny are inseparably intertwined with the fight against racism in the USA today.

Male supremacy, misogyny, sexual harassment, and rape culture hurt not just women and working-class women especially, male supremacy, misogyny, sexual harassment and rape culture hurt every member of the working class. We have to remember,  an injury to one is an injury to all.

Concrete steps in the fight against male supremacy and misogyny require support for the full equality of women in every arena including representation in political office, reproductive rights, and pay equity. It means removing the barriers to and ensuring places for women in real leadership.  It means opening up spaces for women’s voices really to be heard. It means making time so that women’s issues can be embraced and attended. It means exposing the inter-relationship between women’s interests and all the major issues of today. In every aspect of our work women must be seen in every level of leadership, and women must be heard.

Working-class men have a special role in taking the lead in the fight against male supremacy and misogyny.  This requires developing a winning approach toward moving other men away from male supremacy and misogyny and in support of the full and equal engagement of women in our movement and in society.

There is no place for male supremacy and misogyny in the socialist future we envision. We resolutely issue this statement against male supremacy and misogyny because we have a world to win, and win it we must.

Adopted by the CPUSA National Committee April 28-29, 2018, Chicago Illinois.

Photos: Creative Commons. 3.0

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