Uebersetzung: Master supression techniques
A. Introduction
- Presentation of Berit ÅS, Master in social science from the university of Oslo in Norway, a feminist analyst and the first female party leader in Norway.
- Darstellung von Berit AS, Master in Sozialwissenschaften an der Universität Oslo (Norwegen), eine feministische Analytikerin und die erste weibliche Parteivorsitzende in Norwegen.
- Master suppression techniques are a theoretical way of identifying social mechanisms that suppresses others. It was originally mainly focused on social mechanisms in political organisations and in the process of political work. But social interactions of cause exists every where – in classrooms, work places etc. – and therefore these master suppression techniques are relevant to know and identify in all forms of social structures.
- Power does not only exist officially – boss and employee – but also exists in the social structures.
- Because power exists in all kinds of social structures, these master suppression techniques can be used to suppress basically everyone, or at least every suppressed group or minority. Old and experienced comrades towards new and younger comrades, men towards women, etc.
- But most often these techniques are used to suppress women due to the patriarchal society that defines women as subject to property or objects. And it is therefore a feminist tool to be able to identify them and thereby fight against them.
- This is reality because men and women are raised differently and already as small children we are taught that men are worth more and should have more power than women. And even though we are revolutionaries and feminists, we are not totally separated from the rest of the world and we are not able to switch off suppression that was taught to us from when we were small children.
- Also because of this, the point is not to point our fingers at men or to start a battle between sexes, but the point is to identify the techniques, recognize them and work together to limit their influence on our social interactions, our political work and so forth.
These are the five original “master suppression techniques”. As they are introduced we will try to give examples and we would also like for you to try to give your own examples and tell everybody how you have experienced this kind of hidden suppression.
B. The master suppression techniques 1. Making invisible When women are forgotten, not heard or seen, their arguments are not taken into account etc.
It takes away a person’s identity and you are reminded, that you are not important enough to be heard or that your opinion is not important or smart enough. Not only is your argument not taken into account but you are also made to believe that your opinions are invalid and that you should not bother speaking out another time.
Examples: - When an argument in a political debate is not referred to the woman, who originally came with it, but perhaps another man. - When somebody takes credit for an idea or argument that was thought of by the woman - When somebody talks on behalf of a whole group without speaking to them first - When things are agreed but there is no action according to it afterwards – for instance when a feminist campaign is decided but not carried out. - When a person is interrupted
Use the knowledge to: fight the feeling of insignificance and try to speak up so people are forced to listen to you. Keep on speaking when interrupted.
2. Ridiculing When women are laughed at or patronised for their efforts or opinions, or when they are compared to animals (chickens etc.). It is also the case when women are brushed off for being too emotional, specially cold or cynical etc. All words or sayings about female reaction which is not used to refer to male reactions.
Ridiculing makes women look less important or not competent enough to make decisions etc. This occurs for example when we are said to be too emotional – and you do not want a person who is too emotional to make decisions. The person using this master suppression technique often has humour on his side and when you react to it, you look boring or overly sensitive. This leaves the women with a feeling of embarrassment and shame.
Examples: - When women are said to be bad drivers or ultra careful - When words about women are used to ridicule other men – indirectly you say that women are worth less than a man and therefore you can scold him by calling him a woman. - Jokes about blond girls as stupid or incompetent - Jokes about a wrong pronunciation during an intervention
Use the knowledge to: stand up for your self and hold on to your right to be taken serious and fight the need to be liked by everybody.
3. Withholding information This occurs when people automatically take up (political) issues with other men. This results in women being denied access to information about issues at work or in politics.
When we are denied information, we are not able to make good decisions or participate as well in discussions or debates. And by withholding information you prevent people from acting accordingly or acting as they would have, if they had had the full picture.
When you are kept in ignorance you feel lonely and stupid and it makes it easier for men to keep the initiative and thus for male culture to keep it’s dominance.
Examples: - when preliminary decisions are made in informal forums such as drinking after meetings, at football matches etc. When this is presented at meetings and all men nod and agree, it is difficult to change that decision.
Use the knowledge to: Demand that a discussion is taken or more information is given. Point out that a preliminary decision has been taken. And organize your selves as women – self organized women’s groups can also be used to exchange information and keep everybody up to date.
4. Double punishment / damned if you do, damned if you don’t When it is both wrong what you do and what you don’t do. This way, women are constantly pressured to live up to conflicting demands. And when trying to avoid criticism from either side, we become stressed out.
Examples: - when you are criticised for being a bad mother, not spending enough time with your children and also for not being active enough in politics. - when a woman is called too harsh or overly aggressive if she speaks up but is called weak or a bad leader, if she talks more softly to people. - when you are “no fun” because you won’t go drinking and “not together” when you are tired in the morning.
Use the knowledge to: point out the difficulties of achieving both or point out that there are conflicting expectations. Try to limit the blame you put on your self and realize that you are not super woman.
5. Heaping blame and putting to shame It happens through the two other techniques of double punishment and ridiculing. It occurs when women are told that they are not good enough even though they have no control over the reasons. Or when they are said to at fault for the suppression because they do not speak up.
This is a difficult technique to understand but the best illustration is rape victims, who often feel ashamed and partly to blame for what happened.
The use of master suppression techniques makes women feel small, insignificant, stupid, and insecure and therefore it increases our feelings of guilt and we are more likely to accept that we are blamed for things we can not control.
Examples: A suggestion is being ridiculed and you feel stupid and ashamed for mentioning it. A woman carries out a collective decision which turns out to be a bad idea. The woman is blamed even though everybody else also took part in deciding that it should be done. A woman can not both attend meetings and take care of her child and she feels guilty or is blamed for something not being done.
Two others???: (In reality these two might as well be part of the five original master suppression techniques as well as many other examples could either create new ones or be part of the original ones. No matter what the idea is not to develop the theory further but to understand the mechanisms.)
6. One of the guys. Women against women. When women automatically adapt to male culture and male social structure and participate in ridiculing or using other master suppression techniques towards other women.
7. Men can’t be disqualified if they make mistakes. When men make mistakes, they often get lots of second chances but women on the other hand is considered unqualified for the tasks at the first sign of a mistake.
Closing note: often it can be hard to identify if a master suppression technique is used but it is important to remember that these techniques are often not used consciously. But this does not make it okay. And it is not okay to just call it “a part of his personality” – then he will have to learn. And it is not okay to use them as a joke – this only strengthens their use and it is not hard to find other things that are funny.
C. Tools to fight against master suppression techniques and to strengthen your self:
Collective tools: 1. Knowledge, recognizing it and information. Be conscious about the techniques – both men and women – and try to implement a collective consciousness that it should be diminished. The more you speak of the techniques in your organization, the better.
2. Protest to it when a master suppression technique is used. Try to speak up when a technique is used and you are able to identify it then and there. And maybe more important, speak up, when it happens to somebody else. As we have seen, it can be hard to take a stand because of our fear of being laughed at, not being accepted or liked etc. Therefore it can sometimes be easier to speak up when it happens to others – and by doing this you don’t just stand up for that person but also the collective idea that master suppression techniques should not be used.
3. Stop your self in using master suppression techniques By recognizing the techniques, we must understand that it is never okay to use them. There are no special situations where it is okay to shout at other people, to ridicule them, to call them a stupid blond girl etc. Not even if you feel that it is the most important issue in the world…
4. Be attentive to others – especially new women Take care of inexperienced women. They are most likely to be subject to these techniques and it is important that they are helped and guided through the new world of political activism – also on a social level.
5. Time limits for speakers during meetings or gender divided speakers’ lists Structural tools as time limits for speakers will limit the domination of male speakers during a meeting. If you are strict in keeping a rule of time limit you make sure that no one speaks for such a long time that they will dominate the entire meeting or create an atmosphere in which others feel unable to speak up or feel ridiculed etc. At the same time gender divided speakers’ lists will make sure that women will be moved in front of the speakers’ lists. This way when a women has something to say she won’t have to wait and in the mean time have her point be made by somebody else or loose her courage to speak.
Tools for women (mostly): 1. Do not apologize for your self Often we women excuse our selves when it is not necessary. We start interventions with “now, maybe I’m stupid but…” or “I’m sorry, but I don’t know much about this subject” and so on. And we do this even though our arguments, interventions or questions are totally valid.
2. Fight the urge to clean up in every conflict Women often take responsibility for the atmosphere or everybody else’s happiness. Be conscious that it is not your responsibility that a conflict does not arise and not your responsibility to solve it. And that your arguments and opinions are just as valid even though others get angry or a poor atmosphere arises.
3. Make small goals for your self It can be difficult to stand up and point out that a master suppression technique is being used. It can be difficult to speak at meetings, in workshops etc. because we are scared to be ridiculed. It can be difficult to be responsible for giving a workshop or taken on a specific tasks. Because we unconsciously know that many of these techniques will be used when we take on typical male roles or tasks, we often tend not to do so or be scared to do so – and this is combined with our upbringing to be small, quit and sweet girls who let the men take control. Therefore it is a good idea not to force your self to everything at ones but to take small but – very conscious – steps away from the idea that there are some things that you can not do.
Here is a note for everybody… (Give everybody a little piece of paper)
Take a minute to think about what you are scared of doing or consider your self unqualified to do. It could be speaking at an assembly, at forum, taking charge, saying stop when a particular person does something which you are not comfortable with.
Then write down your personal goal for this camp/meeting/seminar/year. For example to speak at least one time at a workshop, say stop at least one time before the end of the camp, to take on at least one political task in your delegation or something completely different.
Then look at the note, when you are on your way home and make your own little balance sheet. You can also use this tool for your self during your political or non-political work at home.
