French feminist author Alice Coffin has created a storm of controversy with her latest book Lesbian Genius. The academic and Paris city councilor urges women to banish men from their lives and not consume anything that is created by the opposite sex.
In her book Coffin says women need to “eliminate men from their minds” and declares that she does not read books written by men, watch films made by men, or listen to music created by men. Her stance has been criticised by other high profile French women with the former Minister for Gender Equality, Marlène Schiappa, describing Coffin’s statements as a “form of apartheid”.
The academic has also had her teaching contract at at the Catholic University of Paris cancelled in the wake of the publication of her book.
“It’s not enough to help one another, we have to erase them. Erase them from our minds, from our pictures, from our representation. I don’t read books by men anymore, I don’t watch their movies, I don’t listen to their music.” Coffin writes.
In her book she argues that a hard stance needs to be taken following women being erased from history over the centuries and the media constantly objectifying women. She points to the lack of monuments of women in society as longstanding proof that women are not celebrated in society.
Some reviews of the book have dubbed the author a “man hater” but readers of the book have praised the work saying it lays out a nuanced discussion and intellectual argument for her position. The book is not yet available in English but the reviews on the French Amazon site have given it 5 stars.
OIP Staff
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