Every day Quote by Catharine A. MacKinnon
““Women, it is said, possess corresponding power. Through consciousness-raising, women found that women's so-called power was the other side of female powerlessness. A women's supposed power to deny sex is the underside of her actual lack of power to stop it. Women's supposed power to get men to do things for them by nagging or manipulating is the other side of the power they lack to have their every need anticipated, to carry out the task themselves, or to invoke physical fear to gain compliance with their desires without even having to mention it. Once the veil is lifted, once relations between the sexes are seen as power relations, it becomes impossible to see as simply unintented, well-intentioned, or innocent the actions through which women are told every day what is expected and when they have crossed some line.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Sexual Harassment, 1979, by Catharine A. MacKinnon
The quote argues that what appears as women’s “power” is actually a manifestation of underlying powerlessness and that gender relations are fundamentally power dynamics.
In simple terms: Women’s apparent power masks deeper powerlessness.
Key Takeaway
Recognize gender interactions as power relations.
Themes
gender
power
feminism
social structures
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
analytical
theoretical
When to use this quote
- workplace
- relationships
- activism
- education
Key Concepts
Patriarchy
intersectionality
agency
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you see power dynamics in everyday gender interactions?
- What alternatives to “power” can empower women authentically?
A Different Perspective
It may overlook individual agency and diverse experiences of power.
