Your comments, suggestions, and requests concerning The Real Issue may be mailed to lu@clm.org .

Contents, September/October 1995:

Researching the "Rape Culture" of America: An Investigation of Feminist Claims about Rape

Christina Hoff Sommers, associate professor of philosophy at Clark University, specializes in contemporary moral theory. This article was taken from her book Who Stole Feminism? Sommers represents one side of a vigorous debate among feminists over the future of feminism. Sommers thinks of herself as an old-style, traditional feminist, which she calls "equity feminism." She argues that a new wave of activists, which she labels "gender feminism," have hijacked the cause and are wreaking havoc upon true feminism. According to Sommers, these gender feminists knowingly employ flawed research and are driven by there Marxist ideology to unsubstantiated hyperbole. She is repelled by some of the tactics and notions of these extremists which includes ideas such as dating is prostitution, marriage is rape, and lesbians make better parents than heterosexuals.

The Princess and the Barbarian

The Princess and the Barbarian is the prologue to George Gilder's book Men and Marriage. Gilder's fairy-tale allegory explores the premise of his book. Gilder examines the fundamental tenets of marriage and family life, arguing that both are essential for men. These social units give direction to men's lives and channel their inherent aggressiveness into providing for their families. Without this guidance, men tend to be less successful and more prone to mental and social difficulties.

Who are the Radicals Here?

Stan Oakes, the founder and director of Christian Leadership Ministries, gives an overview of this issue. He comments on Christina Hoff Sommers feature article Researching the "Rape Culture" of America. Oakes concludes: "So while Sommers is accurate in her assessment of 'gender feminists' as those who are degrading the academy and fomenting cultural suicide, she fails to note that her own conservative camp has destructive and radical schemes of its own. Such so-called 'conservative' views of housewives, as those held by Betty Friedan, result, unintentionally perhaps, in the culture of violence and death troubling our society, especially our inner cities. If that role is undermined, as it has been by much of feminism, both conservative and radical, then too many men will be beasts and too many women will be barren and abused as the consequence."