Inclusion and exclusion on Reclaim the Night

Abstract

In this chapter, I will consider the inclusion or exclusion of groups other than men on RTN; namely, trans people and also people involved in or supportive of the industry of prostitution. These two issues rest on the more theoretical debates I explored earlier in Chapter 5. They are an example of how seemingly very abstract and academic conflicts can have real ramifications in practical activism. In this chapter, I will try to outline, for those not immersed in the feminist scene, just what these conflicts are all about. For those activist organisers reading this book, I will try to provide some possible arguments that could be useful when defending RTN marching, specifically women-only RTN marching. I will also provide some feminist arguments against the industry of prostitution, though these will not please those queer or third wave activists who see that industry as a potentially positive site of women’s empowerment, economic and otherwise. In fact, it may be the case that my views on this industry will only fulfil stereotypes about radical feminists, because indeed I do consider the so-called sex industry to be a form of male violence against women and a symptom of patriarchy.